Where can I learn Welding basics?

[Slo_Stng]

Bought a mig welder a couple months ago, and didn't know a damn thing about welding. This video was very helpful with covering the basic stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzBGZaS1apw

[Chili]

Thanks for all of the info guys, and for the offer Brooks. When I get to the point where I am ready to work on the trailer I will hit you up and if you are cool with it, will hang out to watch and learn some while you do that.

[ThreeFingerPete]

Yes, exactly. I taught myself.

Then I guess that I should consider myself lucky that when I learned, I had someone to help me with it. I would gladly take the time to learn about heat ranges, wire size, amperage, etc. if someone was willing to teach. I'm not saying that you can't learn on your own, but you can definitely learn faster with a little bit of guidance.

[Sleeper]

I'm getting better, but I still suck at welding underneath. It would prob be better if I turned my wire speed down .

[sosoe]

I practice at shop, Just start welding on some scrap metal. Got better over time.. So +1 for learning at home..

[Aceman85turbo]

Self taught too...kinda of, my old man owns a welding business. Worked for him since I was 13 as labor. Never had time to learn until I was out of high school, we mainly work with 1/8" and thicker so we use mig or arc. The last couple of years I've been focusing more in the technical part of welding (gases,wires, different techniques) and it has improved my welds a lot. I talked my dad into investing in a tig a couple months ago so we can work on some of the thinner stuff.
He ended up buying a Dynasty 200 DX w/ remote switch and water cool torch. Awesome machine lots of features but I'm have a hard time laying a bead, not very pretty. All of our mig welders are miller and have been good to us. In the field, we use gas driven lincolns, which are alright. I downloaded a video called TIG Welding Basics by covell which is pretty good but I still can't lay a pretty bead. I heard everlast welding machine are pretty good too for a fraction of the price of a miller or lincoln even has a higher duty cycle. But I don't know how well they are built and no very user friendly.

that is an awesome machine and will be a HUGE band-aid to your skills when you learn to play with frequency and pulsed. On that dynasty push the pulse button and change the pulse to 20-30. now just run it like a 7018 slightly side-to-side.

[mk5.0]

Took welding in high school, but the best way to learn is just start burning some holes in metal.

[JP135]

TCC south campus used to offer welding classes. Surely they didn't drop the program.

[AgentOrange91]

I'll take you up on that offer turbostang I've do some very minuscule welding before at a steel shop but have become very motivated on learning and performing my own fabrications after all the work I've seen you do and on my car my first step is a good welder live gig aluminum and a plasma cutter could you shot me in the right direction

[Darren M]

I've always been told that if you learn on gas you can learn on anything. I have gas, mig, and arc. (Cheap versions of each.) They each have their place. However, the gas is the most fun for the small stuff, the mig for the mass production stuff, the arc for the dirty or thick stuff. I've tried TIG on aluminium and found it quite challenging. (No color....) Anyway. It is a fun hobby and something I'll never make a profit from. I find the process quite intriguing and frankly, therapeutic. Once the helmet goes down I think of nothing but the puddle.
Just my 2c. Don't let your own doubts keep you from trying it. Even w/o a "class". Hit CraigsList's tool section and you'll find a cheap "learning rig". Get some basic education on Youtube, ask questions here, and get to it.

[junior]

just picked up a small mig welder monday and picking up helmet and wire today, found some scrap metal at the yard at work,

can anyone guess what i'll be doing today after work?



i know nothing about welding except for a few tips greenbullit gave me so ill be having some fun today, only problem is ive been reading up on the little rig i bought and says that the gun is always hot (not like the nice ones that only are powered when you hit trigger) so im wondering how do you get away from the bead?

just pull away??

[JimD]

just picked up a small mig welder monday and picking up helmet and wire today, found some scrap metal at the yard at work,

can anyone guess what i'll be doing today after work?



i know nothing about welding except for a few tips greenbullit gave me so ill be having some fun today, only problem is ive been reading up on the little rig i bought and says that the gun is always hot (not like the nice ones that only are powered when you hit trigger) so im wondering how do you get away from the bead?

just pull away??

There all hot, the trigger just makes the wire go thru the tip. If you contact the workpiece its gonna spark. IMO buy you one of those auto darkening helmets, i got a cheapo solar one from harbor freight and its fkn nice. Its one of those tools you don't know how you did without.

[bcoop]

IMO buy you one of those auto darkening helmets, i got a cheapo solar one from harbor freight and its fkn nice.

And if you get a batt powered one, change batteries frequently! I've had more flash burn in my eyes than I care to remember. That shit will fuck you up.

[turbostang]

There all hot, the trigger just makes the wire go thru the tip. If you contact the workpiece its gonna spark. IMO buy you one of those auto darkening helmets, i got a cheapo solar one from harbor freight and its fkn nice. Its one of those tools you don't know how you did without.

Not in my experience - The only time the gun is 'hot' is when you're on the trigger and for a very short time after you let go of it. It appears that the large roll of wire acts as a coil and temporarily stores some energy..at least till you ground it out (makes it appear hot), or till you weld again (then it's hot after again).

For me, those autodarkening helmets are 'gimicky'. I learn a lot from an old schooler and he used a cheap, old, beat up helmet (at the time our work was not conducive to having a nice helmet). The other thing was, as Brent mentioned, I can't trust thier darkening ability because of things like dead batteries, obstructed optical sensors that cause it to not darken.. etc.

[junior]

There all hot, the trigger just makes the wire go thru the tip. If you contact the workpiece its gonna spark. IMO buy you one of those auto darkening helmets, i got a cheapo solar one from harbor freight and its fkn nice. Its one of those tools you don't know how you did without.

really? Brooks actually recommends not using one so i ordered a regular non auto from fastenal for $25

And if you get a batt powered one, change batteries frequently! I've had more flash burn in my eyes than I care to remember. That shit will fuck you up.

like i said Brooks actually likes the other one better so for right now im going to try the non auto

i also will be using flux wire so i dont have to deal with gas till i get the hang of it a little bit more.