Where did you learn to weld?

[mike.]

Pop quiz- Are you using the cheap***t wire that came with the machine? I am pretty competent behind a gun, and I have had problems with low-buck flux wire...

lol probably. my grandpa gave me it. idk.

 

[OzFab]

I have a cheap, chinese, flux core, wire fed welder & it does ok. The secret is in the wire speed (& to use the correct wire). Grab a bit of scrap, operate the gun with one hand & adjust the speed with the other until it purrs. that should fix your problem.

If it's only a small machine (around 150A) use thinner wire; 0.8mm max (0.0315 in the old language)

 

[Doc Sprocket]

In the "old" language (LOL), the equivalent available wire would be 0.030. That said, I use 0.035" in my Century 100 because that's what I got used to. (And I push the thickness capability occasionally). I use ONLY Lincoln Innershield wire.

 

[AMMFAB]

answering the title of the thread...... at my work. a few hours a day and in a few weeks i was laying pretty consistent beads of aluminum. this was on a miller sync 250 btw.


mike

 

[xXPOEDUNKXx]

My grandpa showed me how to mig. I just picked up stick welding by watching youtube videos and practice

 

[soggycrashed]

Me.

 

[captain67]

I started playing with the mig machine at work, was never great at it and to compensate for my lack of skill, usually had to use thicker material than I wanted. Machine was a three phase unit and when we moved to a new building there was no three phase power, so I purchased a tig machine, never having used one. I found that teaching myself to tig weld to be easier. I do alot more aluminum welding than steel.

 

[ak99]

Answer to the title:

In Tech School as part of the engineering course I learned Arc, then as part of my apprenticeship I learned Mig.

I'm now 36 so it was a few years back!!

I'm a bit old fashioned as I only have an arc welder....

 

[addision87]

i was tought on mig when i was 7 continued to weld over the years. after school i worked in a machine shop thats where i learned tig and arc aswell. currently here all i have is my trusty mig

 

[zbuck]

I learned arc welding from my Dad and Grandfather 60 years ago. I learned to mig and tig weld from the courtesy of US Air Force tech. school.

 

[DeathStarr89]

Back in the early to mid 80's I remember watching/helping my dad Arc weld. he still only stick welds to this day. Definitely picked it up from him. He was heavy into car restoration, welding and fabrication back then.

I took metal shop, advanced metal shop, welding and advanced welding in HS in the 90's and re-learned Arc welding, plus MIG, TIG, gas, brazing, etc...

Mostly hobby stuff these days, still do a little on the riverboat that I work on in a jamb. Most of the time I let the maintenance guys have the fun. Welding around a few hundred people is not my idea of a good time, even with welding screens, 2 fire watchers and a gopher.

I just have my 110v Lincoln MIG/Flux at home, (3200HD). Works great for everything i do. I've built several sets of longtube headers for cars, sheet metal/body work, go kart/mini bike stuff, full car exhausts, welded differentials etc..

 

[fowler]

Just had a shot at an odd welder today

It is a new setup that the boilys have made up lately

Its flux core wire running though a mig welder using straight CO2 gas

It made some ugly welds but had awesome penatration

 

[voided]

started with simple tack welds for my friends brother to finish up. then i really started watching over his shoulder. and listening to everything that man said... now im not great but cant complain one bit.