Welding Books

[Iplayfarmer]

Thanks for the posts everone. I looked up some of the online stuff yesterday and burned about a dozen rods last night.

The information on the internet was very helpful. I'm a diagrams and charts kind of learner, so the charicature drawings of welds and weld patterns were helpful to have in my head as I put beads down.

I'll probably continue to exhaust what's available on the internet and then look at some books or videos to help me from there.

 

[balper]

I started welding 1,5 years ago.
I first read every single line I could find on the Internet about welding. I also believe that reading is very helpful in learning any trade.
Read - Practice - Read More - Weld Your Eyes Out kind of schedule suited me perfectly.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I also learn better if I've got something to read. Classes are great too, but technical writing really goes a long way for me to understand how to do things.

I've also got to be able to practice when no one is watching.

 

[thingy]

Basic stick welding class would help you,,at a tech college or something,,in the basic class,you would probably now be ahead of 4/5th of them,,,and its good to have people watching in some cases,,that means they apprieciate your work,,,,but,I know what you mean,,,thingy

 

[montanaman]

I can't stress how much I think a class can help. I've been welding for years but still enjoy an evening class at a vo-tech now and then. Like has been said, practice is really important and that, you can do at a class. The school where I go has a booth for every student and on occation, the teacher will peek in to see how you are doing and give some hints. Helps to let him see your work so you can learn more! We were able to work on ANYTHING that we could get in to the shop and back out that day so the sky was pretty much the limit.

I know that a lot of the materials were donated from some local welding shops and I burnt up more rod that I could have paid for to just practice with!

Ken

 

[RonR]

Before you weld "real stuff" too much, I recommend welding some scraps (like 2x2 1/8" and 1/4" strips together flat ( _ _ ), then others with like a "T".

Then clamp them in a vise, take a 15" crescent wrench, and break them apart. You will be able to see the kind of penetration you got.

When you get to the point that your welds holds and the base metal bends or tears, then you have mastered the art.......

Hope this helps.

Ron (a farmer taught stick welder)

 

[digger2]

I've been welding for 33+ yrs.Every day,MIG,TIG,STICK.I'll be dead serious
about this.In my opinion,the best thing to do would be to go to a class at a vo-tech school or a similar place and get some real instruction from someone
whos been there and done that.These instructors,if their any good,remember the problems they had when they started and how to correct them.They will tell you what you are doing right or wrong and correct you on it.As far as books go,they do help,but if you have a specific question,the book may not cover it.I have a few books myself,mostly for referance.Still after 33+ years of welding for a living,beleive it or not I still learn something everyday.
I guess it depends how good you want to get,but really,even a 40 hr. class with the right instructor will take you a long way,even if you just want to be good enough to tinker in the workshop...good luck
digger2

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Thanks everyone for the input. A class is definately in the plan eventually, but right now my schedule just won't allow it. There are some classes offered right now that are a few hours a week for a few months, but I'm holding out for a single saturday class or one that's just a few evenings for now.

In the mean time I hope to get in enough practice so that I actually have questions to ask by the time I get to a class. I'm consuming every bit of scrap metal I come accross as I weld various pieces together in various configurations. I doubled the thickness of a 1/8" piece of scrap by laying down beads side by side.

I think that pretty soon I'll start breaking the welds as recommended to see how I'm doing.

 

[RHughes]

My father-in-law was a welder. He gave me a small hard bound book on welding by the James F. Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation.
It's not very big and focused solely on stick welding but it is written like a school text book. It progresses from simple things like running a straight bead on a flat plate to making fillet welds on things that are "out of position" (i.e. upside down). Each chapter builds on the one before it.
Lincoln Electric has several books on welding procedures and projects; I don't think any of them are over $25.

The main thing is to PRACTICE! Electrodes, wire and gas are called consumables for a reason. They're no good unless you *consume* them

Good Luck and regards!

 

[AlanB]

IPlayfarmer,

Do you know anyone that is a proficient welder with equipment? I for one always enjoy folks coming over and sitting down and talking and working welding for a while.

Couple of us got together at my house a month or two and did just that off the boards here.

Short version, if you could find someone that welds a lot (ask at the local welding supply house) and does it as a hobby, they may be willing to sit down with you for a day at your convienience and go through it with you. You are probably reading this saying how far-fetched it is, but it really does work on occasion.