What your favorite Welding How to Book?

BearKiller · Oct 17, 2009

Not really a book, but I just bought this on E-Bay :

WELDING AND METAL WORKING TRAINING COURSE MANUAL CD - eBay (item 300356131202 end time Oct-17-09 16:10:37 PDT)

I found it quite by accident while looking for something else.

It may be eight-bucks wasted, or it might be really good; I shall see.

Renze · Oct 18, 2009

I got basic welding instructions when i was a kid, from my brother. By now, he asks me to weld because my welds seem to stick. I keep telling him that the weld preparation (especially on the steel most of us have available for our project: rusty or painted, used steel) makes 50% of the success off the weld. (he doesnt take the time to prepare it right)
Even when you might be able to weld a dirty piece of steel, grinding it blank will make for a much stronger weld. On thicker steel, leave an opening for penetration into the core, or better: cut a V-slot, to penetrate into the middle of the material thickness.

Wineslob · Oct 20, 2009

It's all in how you manipulate your rod.

smfcpacfp · Oct 21, 2009

I agree with the gentleman who said take a course at a college, high school, etc. As some people said, nothing beats actually welding practice, except practice with direction by someone who can teach welding, not someone who just knows how to weld. Welding is serious sh**. You don't want to get hurt, killed (the gasses emitted from welding some material is deadly) or frustrated.

It is also great to have an expert look at your welding technique and welds, and critique them. This will save you a lot of time and money, and hopefully help you avoid bad technique.

Modern Welding by Althouse, Turnquist, Bowditch, et al is the most popular textbook. It covers just about anything in welding, and gives you some good technique pointers.