Where did you learn to weld?

[jman231994]

Yea this is Arc, I was going to get a mig, but when I used my friends one I hated it, theres not enough power in the lower end machines for me, going from a 240 amp machine at school. I had to go inverter arc just for that power feel

 

[OzFab]

Yea this is Arc, I was going to get a mig, but when I used my friends one I hated it, theres not enough power in the lower end machines for me, going from a 240 amp machine at school. I had to go inverter arc just for that power feel

Anything under 200 amps is only good up to 6mm (1/4")

The same principles apply with fillets though; work in small circles or zig zag as you move along.

 

[jman231994]

Yea, It might be good up to 6mm but even under I still feel like theres no power, I had my friends on full blast doing stuff on 2mm rhs and still couldnt blow a hole.....It just felt gutless to me compared to a big mig or arc. I really didnt even get the penetration I like, although, if you werent used to a bigger machine there would probably be nothing wrong with it. 170A through a 2.5mm rod sounds good to me LOL, I'd blow a fuse

I welded some of my kart parts today...as important practice lol. I realised that if I get down to work level I get usable fillet welds, not consistent and still with some slag inclusions, but after a pass with the angle grinder and another weld they are easily strong enough for anything I throw at them..... So, I learnt to weld at home

 

[rabies]

high school class

 

[bighead]

I picked up a Lincoln mig with bottle and tought myself watching Youtube vids. I have stick welded in the past though. I thought the Lincoln mig was really easy to learn.

I can weld Okay. But not good enough to say weld a race car chassis or cage. Karts and stuff sure.

 

[OzFab]

Very humble of you, bighead

 

[machinist@large]

With 25 years in the trades as a Machinist/ Machine Builder, welding has always been one facet of the job; training has always been ongoing.

First brush with gas and stick welding was in High School as an aside to getting a 2yr. certificate in Machine Metals from the county career tech center.

On the Job training (Just a little bit!) in mig learning how to build automated assembly lines. (When there was machine work to be done, I was a machinist. When there wasn't, I got handed off as a helper to every other trade in the shop).

Associates degree in welding technology from the local community college. Started taking welding classes for fun; declared for the degree after someone with a piece of paper with his name on it (but no other usable skills that I could see) totally FUBAR'ed a very expensive welding project at work and I had to pick up the pieces for him; ALL THE TIME, HE WAS WAVING HIS PIECE OF PAPER UNDER MY NOSE, telling me how he had already forgten more about how to do MY JOB than I would ever know!!!!

All of that was to tell you this; Apiece of paper with your name on will open the door for you. Whether or not you make it once you are in will come from what you can actually do.

Welds don't look so great? Guess what, we all started there!! Don't like the way your current teacher does things? If he/ she is teaching at the high school level, they may not have been trained properly either. It's not their fault; K-12 hasn't seen any reason to teach it in almost 40 years. Big mistake; skilled trades have work. A lot of other jobs don't.

Having said all that, keep trying. Even better, try to find a dedicated welding class. A GOOD welding instructor will save you so much time and grief on the path to getting better. If that's not an option, hit the library. Most good welding manuals have a ton of info on diagnosing what you are doing/ not doing to get the results you are looking for. It's better than going comando and wondering WTF?

Every one has to start somewhere..Good luck!!!

 

[machinist@large]

Folks, IAM NOT, HAVE NEVER BEEN, AND NEVER, EVER WILL BE THE FOUNT OF ALL ________( insert ???&&!!! here) This thread has asked some good questions; don't let it go now.:toetap05:

 

[pipehack]

At my Union Plumbers training school. Yes, young guys there's a lot more to plumbing than just taking a crap. You would be surprised at what there is. I do quite a bit of welding at home. I have a great Lincoln 180c. I also have an older Purox aircraft oxy/acetylene welding set-up.Oxy/acetylene set-ups are what I recommend for first time weldors. ANYTHING can be welded with it. It's rather inexpensive and uses NO electricity. Once you master O/A you'll be a better weldor with everything.

 

[jman231994]

Haha welding a pipe with electricity could end bad if someone at the other end decided to turn on a tap, lol I never thought of that

 

[pipehack]

Haha welding a pipe with electricity could end bad if someone at the other end decided to turn on a tap, lol I never thought of that

Not exactly like that. Sometimes big racks for piping systems need to be fabricated on the job. Brackets need to get welded on to hang pipe or on steel deck pans. I'm not exactly the type of Plumber that walks into peoples houses and fixes their f-ups. I work on commercial and industrial plumbing systems. I did how ever serve my appreticeship in a bungalow (residential) shop. I got my Journeymans card and promptly quit that schlock type of construction. Glad I did. Economy took a dump and I'm still working because of my Union training.

 

[alteran]

if your in high scoole lots of scoole's have the program for it that how i weld mig / ark / and nex year tig and is very easy to weld mig wonts you know how to set it up

 

[OzFab]

WOW! I can't believe this thread has died so quickly, 100s of members but only 32 posts; not 32 different members either, some of us have 3 or 4 posts.

Thanks to those who have posted, maybe this will pull in a few more...

 

[raposak]

Picked up a Lincoln 135 and just practiced. I'll weld anything up to 1/4" with no problem. One of these days I'll get a nice 220v and use gas but for now, flux has served me well.

 

[exenos]

Anything under 200 amps is only good up to 6mm (1/4")

The same principles apply with fillets though; work in small circles or zig zag as you move along.

I'd have to disagree with that. I've done single pass on 7/16 plate with a 180 amp arc and in the process of testing the strength I tore the vise out of the work bench. Before that it took repeated blows with a 10lb sledge hammer.


And for where i learned to weld, my garage. My dad helped a bit but mostly self taught. It took two five found boxes of 6011's and a box of 7018's though.

 

[SCK]

My dad taught me how to weld stick!

 

[OzFab]

I'd have to disagree with that. I've done single pass on 7/16 plate with a 180 amp arc and in the process of testing the strength I tore the vise out of the work bench. Before that it took repeated blows with a 10lb sledge hammer.

In case you missed it we were referring to MIG, not ARC. ARC is a much stronger process.

And for where i learned to weld, my garage. My dad helped a bit but mostly self taught. It took two five found boxes of 6011's and a box of 7018's though.

Lol, you get that, but at least you now have a useful skill


Oh, &, yay, it's alive

 

[BeginnerBuilder]

Im only 16 and i learned to weld from school and have been in the class for 2 years. i was taught how to oxy/acetylene weld, arc/stick, MIG, and am looking forward to learning how to TIG weld

 

[exenos]

In case you missed it we were referring to MIG, not ARC. ARC is a much stronger process.


Lol, you get that, but at least you now have a useful skill


Oh, &, yay, it's alive

Arc is not stronger than than MIG, the results that they give will be almost identical to the point of being negligible. The only difference is that MIG is harder to get a truly solid weld because turning up the heat does not guarantee better penetration, whereas with Arc more heat=more penetration directly. MIG might look good but many MIG welds are not solid because it is harder to tell a good weld from a bad one with a MIG.

Just so you know I have nothing against MIG

 

[realfast89gt]

Bought a mig welder 2 years ago and my bro and me taught ourselves. I had never welded before, he had used a stick welder. After 2 years of hobby type welding at home we are good enough to weld everything we have tryed.

Not going to tell you the welds all look perfect, but they are quality welds that are strong and have no chance of seperating. We recently welded his go kart, and it has been rolled twice since and welds held up fine. (rollbars are bent and crooked, but welds are great)lol.

Also welded the rusted through frame on my mustang, and it is probably stronger than the original frame.