I want to learn to weld

[hammerdrop99]

I have long wanted to learn to weld, but have never pursued it. I would like to tackle a few projects that welding will make easier. Are there any resources in the Nashville area where I could learn basic welding? I'm not looking for a full blown trade course, just basic welding skills. The projects I have in mind would be 1/4 inch mild steel or smaller. I'm not opposed to just getting a welder and some scrap steel and learn by doing, but a little basic knowledge in equipment and technique would get me headed in the right direction. Any advise would be appreciated.

[Photoguy67]

I am a truck driver by trade and was delivering to a welding shop once and asked that very question. His advice to me was to find a small shop near home and talk to the owner and see if he will let you volunteer weekends in trade for learning. He told me he has taught about 3 men like that.

[RED333]

Welding 101 in Lebanon  615-453-8651

Good guys, my son went there.

Edited December 25, 2012 by RED333

[Sam1]

Just about any tech/trade school will have it.

[Guest Field Boss]

Go to youtube, a lot of good tips there. Buy a good wire welder with gas and practice . Lots of info on the net.

[zapfbroad]

Miller-Motte in madison has a 10-12?week certificate course a couple of buddies of mine took. I'm sure there are some others around town.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2

[Tempest455]

Start here first:

 

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/basicMIG/index.htm

[Handsome Rob]

What type of welding? MIG, TIG, Gas or Arc (MMA)?

 

For general home projects, MIG welding will give you the most versatility. I welded for 14 years, 99% of that was mild & stainless MIG. If you have access to a machine, some scrap & 15 minutes I can show you everything you'll ever need to know about MIG welding! The actual welding bit is easy to learn, but getting good takes practice. Lots & lots of practice.

In my experience, the difference between a poor welder, a good welder & a great welder is time behind the mask.

If you decide to buy a MIG welder for home use, the main thing to remember (actually, the ONLY thing to remember) is Amps. Lots & lots of amps! You may only ever need to weld at a 120A rating, but a 250A machine running at 120 will always, always run smoother & cleaner than a 120A machine running flat out. All machines will weld low amperage, but thicker material requires higher output. Generally speaking, higher amperage machines will also have far better internal & external components. A good liner, good rollers & a good wire tensioner system are vital to a good, clean run. The ability to change between wire sizes is an advantage, but 0.8mm wire will do just about anything you'll ever encounter.

Oh, and at all costs, avoid 'Gasless, flux-core' wire & the welders that will run it. It's passable if you need to repair something outside in a high wind, but even under perfect lab conditions, still produces a crappy weld with very little penetration & lots of spatter. If outdoor work is your thing, a cheap MMA (Arc or stick welding) machine will serve you a lot better.

[runco]

I dove right in by buying a Lincoln mig welder (120v) at Home Depot and lots of you tube videos. That was 8 years ago, and none of my welds have failed, and they do look quite professional, at least my weld job #3 and thereafter, #1 and #2 wasn't that hot.  

[101]

Miller welders are the only machines worth buying. If you're serious, spend the money up front for at least a 212 or bigger. You won't regret it.

[pcrc11]

Hears a few tips. Make sure you pant legs go over the top of your shoes. Dont weld in shorts when your sitting and welding something just below waist level.

[Guest bkelm18]

Welding is actually quite easy. It just takes lots of practice. I learned how to do it in about half an hour at my old job and was proficient enough to do small projects that I needed for my main job (electrician). My welds looked like garbage but they were solid.

[runco]

Miller welders are the only machines worth buying. If you're serious, spend the money up front for at least a 212 or bigger. You won't regret it.

My brother is a professional welder and says the same thing, Miller is the only way to go, however its funny he has borrowed my little Lincoln 120V many times, he gripes and complains about what a crappy welder it is, but he still borrows it. The metal gate he welded, the lawn mower deck, and a repair made on a trailer by the less than desireable welder sure did work. I use it for round the house items, it works for me. Edited December 26, 2012 by Runco

[1morethan8]

Welding is a craft you can go from basic to advanced.

 

Sounds to me you want just the basic?

 

As for learning the basics without going to class, you need to find someone who will teach you the basic welding as well as the safety. And you need to be SAFE!

 

Sounds like you are thinking about buying you own equipment?

For "basic" I would start with an AC/DC "stick" welder.

Yes.. MIG(wire welder) is the easiest to learn, but it comes at a higher price. Unit cost, wire, and gas is higher than coated welding rods. If you will be welding just ever now and again... The AC/DC welder is the way to go!

You will see welding machines sold cheap and this type is AC only... this isn't the machine. Make sure it's a AC/DC machine!

 

A very good choice for a home welder is the Miller Thunderbolt AC/DC machine... my choice for the money!

 

 

This machine will weld all metals.

 

But why do you need a machine with BOTH AC and DC?

 

Your basic rods will burn using AC only... but most rods burn best using DC Reverse Polarity(ground negitive).

 

One other thing and many novice don't know this??? You can TIG weld using DC current! And weld 90% of all metals using this method!

(TIG welding aluminum you need to use AC/with high frequency)

 

Tig welding with the Miller Thunderbolt AC/DC machine requires a TIG torch(dry rig) and a bottle of argon gas.

 

One small note... COVER ALL SKIN!! You will see "cowboys" on TV welding without their arms covered... this is pure BS!!

 

I'm sure someone might disagree with my suggestions... But, I'm NOT a "cowboy" welder! :up:

[hammerdrop99]

WOW! Tons of useful help from TGO'ers. Always find a wealth of knowledge here.

 

Thanks for your guidance, you've given me some great advice. Thanks to all.  :up: 

[1morethan8]

One more "little" thing to watch for...

 

An arc from a welder will give you a "flash burn" to your eyes in a second or two at close range!

 

You won't notice it for the fist hour or two...

 

Then your eyes will seem to be real dry....

 

Then the burning starts....

 

It seems as if someone has thrown ground-up glass in your eyes...

 

If you're lucky, this will only last 5 to 10 hours...

 

But.. if you're not lucky... you won't be able to see....

 

Why? Your eyes will be swollen shut...

 

The good news is, if it goes this far...

 

You maybe able to see again... in three or four days!

[Guest polishprepper]

Welding is the easy part I've welded for the last 20 years....stainless mild aluminum galvanized structural stick mig and tig anybody can be taught how its the fabrication part of things that take planning instruction and know how.....when you tack a piece of metal on one side it will pull to the side of the tack mild steel once it cools becomes hard to move stainless is malleable and can easily be tapped with a hammer back to square a mig is the easiest to use and tack with using a tigor stick welder can require a third hand hope that helps

[Guest polishprepper]

Also always wear poly carbonate safety glasses when tacking I've never had flash burn but have always worn the clear safety glasses poly carbonate blocs 99.9% of UV rays which cause the burn just like the sun close your eyes for sure too

[Jesse]

Who taught the first welder to weld? I like to learn things on my own. I like to learn by trial and error if i have the time. I say get a good welder and start laying beads. Youll soon learn how it works.

[1morethan8]

Metal working is a "combination" of many different crafts.

 

And I do know several welders after 20 years who still can't weld! Many might think metal fabrication is easy, and it comes easy for some and hard for others. We all know people who are great shots with a firearm, and also many that are not after many years!

 

One of the biggest problems people have is knowing the difference between metals and each has different characteristics the way they are worked and welded. Like most everything else... it's easy if you know how!

But what works for regular mild steel... won't work for titanium. And many metals come in several different grades in the same base metal and fabricate different.

 

Metal fabrication and welding to be learned to any high degree needs both "book learning" and "hands-on experience".

[seez52]

Metal working is a "combination" of many different crafts.

 

And I do know several welders after 20 years who still can't weld! Many might think metal fabrication is easy, and it comes easy for some and hard for others. We all know people who are great shots with a firearm, and also many that are not after many years!

 

One of the biggest problems people have is knowing the difference between metals and each has different characteristics the way they are worked and welded. Like most everything else... it's easy if you know how!

But what works for regular mild steel... won't work for titanium. And many metals come in several different grades in the same base metal and fabricate different.

 

Metal fabrication and welding to be learned to any high degree needs both "book learning" and "hands-on experience".

The "knowing" is just as important as the "doin'"

 

But a MIG outfit will cover a lot of the unknown. A stick machine will irritate the crap out of you. Sign up for the place mentioned in Lebanon. I've heard lots of good from it.

[1morethan8]

seez2...

"The "knowing" is just as important as the "doin'"

 

That's the reason for my statement...

"Metal fabrication and welding to be learned to any high degree needs both "book learning" and "hands-on experience".

 

But It's better to know the unknowns than to cover them up!

 

If you can learn basic "stick welding" then learning MIG or TIG becomes easier.

In most welding schools they may teach oxygen acetylene welding... then stick welding... then MIG welding... then TIG welding.

 

Yes, if you have the money, MIG welding is the easiest to learn for a "home welder" for basic work using regular steel.

But a regular AC/DC "buzz Box" is cheaper and more versatile than a MIG rig.

[Guest capt usa]

My 16 yr old son is learning on his own right now, he bought a MIG welder and started welding. He's been doing it off and on for a couple of months and has gotten pretty good. I'm getting the pipe and he's making some nice looking corral panels for me to work cattle through. It's nice to be able to make one exactly the length you need it. Just takes practice.

[hammerdrop99]

Who taught the first welder to weld? I like to learn things on my own. I like to learn by trial and error if i have the time. I say get a good welder and start laying beads. Youll soon learn how it works.

I agree, getting your hands dirty is the best way to learn. I just don't want to fry myself or the homestead in the process. I'm gonna do some reading to make sure I do it safely.  \From the TGO guidance I've gotten on this post, I will probably get a MIG unit. It will probably meet my simple needs. Thanks to all.

[1morethan8]

It's a good idea to find a friend to start you off learning welding. This will save time trying to learn on your own... doing it the wrong way won't give you the best results.

Also check the price on a bottle of gas if you do go with a MIG machine, They come in several sizes and you can rent them or buy a lifetime lease. I have a lifetime lease on a large Argon bottle. I haven't checked but it maybe around $175 now? I paid $50 the last time I had my bottle filled(swapped). For mild steel the common gas is 75/25 also called C-25. It is 75% argon and 25%

carbon dioxide. Most will run .035" wire.

 

I've run most brands of welding machines and Miller seems to be about the best I've used. If you buy a Mig welder... buy new!

Mig can be temperamental and require a little more attention than other type welding machines.

MIG has got two things going for it... it's the easiest to learn and it is the fastest hand-held welding. That is the reason most manufacturing companies use this method.

 

How fast is it.

 

I retired in July, my last job was maintenance/welder. Maintenance Department did all the welding in the plant, ever floor production. We used Miller welding machines, running .035" ER70S-6 solid wire, the gas was 95-5. Wire speed was about a foot per second. Amps was run at 240... volts near 35... ER70S-6 wire is only rated at a max of 150 amps! Sometimes!

We made 1/4 fillet welds, 2" long in 4 seconds... and 64 welds per unit in 9 minutes. On average we would weld 12-14 units a shift... which is about 150 feet of weld per shift. This is called "turn & burn"!!

Edited December 28, 2012 by 1morethan8