Welding Methods

[TonyC]

Thanks to everyone for the outpouring of advice. It's been very helpful and educational. I have finally found the exact type of book I was looking for. It is called "Welder's Handbook" by Richard Finch (Barnes and Noble). It is a good welding for dummies book and includes explanations of all types of welding and the physics involved. It outlines a step by step approach to each method to get you going. All chapters include a list of practice welds to do before moving on. I highly recommend it to folks wanted to get started. I wanted to take a community college course but the school is an hour each way for me and I know I would not make it most of the time. There is a professional welder in the neighborhood that happily offered to come by. My plan is to read the book, practice some and then get him to come by and help. Thanks again for all the info'!

 

[MDNick]

Those self darkening hoods are the greatest thing in welding since the rod. You can get a cheaper one, and it will work exactly the same as the more expensive ones. However, there is usually one major difference in the hoods. The size of the window. The cheaper ones generally have much smaller windows, which can be annoying when you have your head shoved in/around/under something. They won't work real well if you aren't the only welder in the area. Other arcs will cause it to darken, now you are blind and don't have an arc yet.

Having used both the self-darkening and the fixed, I couldn't imagine not having one of uppity jobs. I get the rod stuck 6" away from my work with the fixed jobs. And the only welding with a self-darkening hood I have done is ARC (I assume this is stick) welding. Works great. It won't work for gas welding, to dark.

The technology comes from military combat aircraft with self darkening windows for nuke blasts. Pretty cool civilian application of military technology.

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