Welding virgin needs direction ...
- Thread starter beppington
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oldyellr
Silver Member
Being an amateur occasional welder, I read this thread from the beginning. Most of the advice I saw was from "pros" who likely have good equipment and probably can't remember back far enough to where they just couldn't get the hang of it (or else, they were trained by a good teacher and didn't have any problems).
Here's my 2 cents from slow learner:
1. By all means take a community college or night school course if one is available where you are. Watching 100 videos and reading 100 books is nowhere near as good as having a good teacher. I've dabbled with gas and stick welding, brazing and silver soldering and have become quite good at the last two. When we bought a Lincoln TIG welder at work, a guy came in to show the maintenance guy and me how to use it. I was amazed how quickly I picked it up when shown the right way by an expert. I'm sure all the books and videos would not help nearly as much.
2. I have a 140 amp 220 vac stick welder I bought on sale at an auto parts store many years ago. It came with a little mickey mouse hand held shield. My biggest problem (and it still is) was striking an arc in the right place and maintaining it without having the rod stick. Even with a proper helmet at the shop I had trouble with this until we got an auto-darkening helmet. At the time those helmets cost more than my welder, so there's no way I'd be getting one of those. However, you can now get them for as little as $35 at Harbor Freight and I got one locally for about 40-odd bucks. Let me tell you, this helmet almost made me an expert! If you're having trouble, you'll love one of these helmets.
Here's my 2 cents from slow learner:
1. By all means take a community college or night school course if one is available where you are. Watching 100 videos and reading 100 books is nowhere near as good as having a good teacher. I've dabbled with gas and stick welding, brazing and silver soldering and have become quite good at the last two. When we bought a Lincoln TIG welder at work, a guy came in to show the maintenance guy and me how to use it. I was amazed how quickly I picked it up when shown the right way by an expert. I'm sure all the books and videos would not help nearly as much.
2. I have a 140 amp 220 vac stick welder I bought on sale at an auto parts store many years ago. It came with a little mickey mouse hand held shield. My biggest problem (and it still is) was striking an arc in the right place and maintaining it without having the rod stick. Even with a proper helmet at the shop I had trouble with this until we got an auto-darkening helmet. At the time those helmets cost more than my welder, so there's no way I'd be getting one of those. However, you can now get them for as little as $35 at Harbor Freight and I got one locally for about 40-odd bucks. Let me tell you, this helmet almost made me an expert! If you're having trouble, you'll love one of these helmets.
My vote is for stick all the way. The bigger the better. I got Miller Stick/Tig combo (Dynasty 200 SD), but I would just buy stick because that is what you'll use on the farm 90% of time.
TIG is nice to have for little things like your TV antenna or your wife's kitchen tools.
Besides, stick is easier/cheaper to learn.
Peter
OP
beppington
Elite Member
My community ed welding class starts this Friday eve!
I have to bring gloves and a helmet; They provide everything else.
So, I bought the cheapest Home Depot helmet they sell, before going hog wild & buying a really good one. Will I even be able to see out of the HD one?
I have to bring gloves and a helmet; They provide everything else.
So, I bought the cheapest Home Depot helmet they sell, before going hog wild & buying a really good one. Will I even be able to see out of the HD one?
ecoslik
Silver Member
- Joined
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- Texas on (hobby) horse ranch
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- Kubota L5740 HST with LA854 loader and QA, top and tilt, 1 front and 3 rear remotes, foamed rear tires
Isn't that the truth!!! The plasma cutters sure are tempting. Can they be used to make saddle cuts in pipe?
Although I have always wanted to learn, I have never could justify not hiring out to professionals who can be much more productive/efficient while I go to work at my own paying jobs.
Last month, I sorta impulse bought a Lincoln 140 HD (small MIG ... only have used FCAW), and I worked along side a welder who was at the house helping with a project. I read the newly published Welding For Dummies and watched a few videos on YouTube, bought one at Northern Tool, and one came with the welder, plus the advice I received onsite. I can't be a judge of the quality of my work, but the welder who was at the house did not object to what I did although he did step-in to improve some of my work.
I just bought 5000' of pipe and have started on my own some 3 rail pipe fence additions and additional horse stalls. Since I don't have anything to make saddle cuts, I opted for square tube for the posts and can just use a chop saw for all the cuts and my new lil'Lincoln to weld it up. I calculated the fence project will require 600+ welds not including the stalls. I am hoping this will give me a chance to PRACTICE-PRACTICE-PRACTICE!
Shield Arc
Super Member
Your hood / helmet really has nothing to do with seeing. You could cut a hole in a piece of cardboard if you wanted to. Your helmet is all about being comfortable on your head, and enough protection not to burn your neck, or let too many sparks into your ears.
Now picking the right lens, is the trick to seeing. Here is a chart to help you pick.
Here is a link to some very good quality lenses. Some people have compared these to the old O/A Cool Blue lenses that sell for between $400.00 and $500.00 on eBay. I suggest the gold lenses, I have a few, way better than the cheap China glass your local welding supply carries!
Welding Lenses - Phillips Safety -- Laser Safety Glasses | Radiation Protective Eyewear | Bifocal Safety Glasses | Lampworking Glasses |
oldyellr
Silver Member
I started dabbling in stick welding many years ago and I'm still an amateur. A couple of years ago I bought an cheap auto-darkening helmet and it made the biggest improvement ever in my attempts at welding. You can get one from Harbor Freight for $50. I really don't see how a $500 one would work any better.
OP
beppington
Elite Member
That skull model sorta says, "I'm a bad welder; Look how bad I've already burned myself." :laughing:
Thanks for the info! I believe I will head across town to my local Harbor Freight, & just return the 10 or 12 dollar Home Depot model I bought (but haven't opened).
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Like said,its about whats in the part you see through,theres different shade lenses and clear lens to protect that lens,theres wide view and regular view sizes of the part you see through,you get that part right and a cheap hood is all you need,you'll see when you go to the class.
In my opinion its better to get a regular wide view hood[non auto darkening],than a cheap auto darkening one,good auto darkening hood will cost you several hundred.
Also,if you need reading glasses to read,you'll need to either wear glasses under hood or get a cheater lens to go in the hood.
In my opinion its better to get a regular wide view hood[non auto darkening],than a cheap auto darkening one,good auto darkening hood will cost you several hundred.
Also,if you need reading glasses to read,you'll need to either wear glasses under hood or get a cheater lens to go in the hood.