need to get into welding

[Guest Badog]

Would like to learn how to weld. Tired of not being able to fabricate what I need. While I am an engineer, it's only in software and wetware, not HARDware.

 

Any suggestions on how to get into it?

[Dave1647545494]

check into some of the local technical schools like eastland career center they used to offer classes on welding in the evenings. or some of the guys on here weld you might be able to talk one of them into teaching you weldings a skill I'd like to pick up too but I gotta get a welder first.

[Science Abuse]

If you want to start cheap and basic, we'll goto lowes some time, pick ya up a gas/mix/flux like I have, expect to spend 300-400-500 bucks. Start you out on flux steel, pretty basic, pretty easy. If oyu get something like I have, lets you do flux, then convert over to MIG so you can do pretty stuff, and do things like aluminum and stainless. With mine, you can just plug it into your wall, but you''re limited to .035 wire, lucky to penetrate 1/8 inch steel, 1/4 inch aluminum.

[Doug1647545489]

Talk to tinman. He offered to show me a few thigs when I get my own welder.

[Guest Ranger_Man]

iirc, columbus state has welding classes, and being columbus state, they are rather cheap. they should have night classes too, or saturday classes that should allow you to work around your work schedule.

[Tinman]

Originally posted by Doug:

Talk to tinman. He offered to show me a few thigs when I get my own welder.

I'd be happy to show you a few things.

[Guest Badog]

Originally posted by Tinman:

I'd be happy to show you a few things.

Thank you Timan, Dave, Doug, Aaron, and Eric.

 

So here is my plan:

Shop for a MIG welder (use Eric).

Stare at it until I hit Timan and Eric up or "enlightenment."

Look into CS night classes.

 

Boy, can you see me trying to get my work to pick up the tab for the class?

 

Here is how the conversation would go:

Me "Yeah, I would like to pursue the MBA+JD at capital...but I need to take a class at Columbus State."

Boss "Hey, great news Tony! What class is that at Columbus State?"

Me "Molecular Binding of Metals"

Boss "Welding?!"

Me "Yeah. Careful, or I'll weld you car doors shut!"

[Akula]

Lincoln has a welding class, take a weeks vacation and be a pro.

[rl]

Practice practice practice!

 

I've been welding for ~4 years now, I'm good 80% of the time.

 

Buy a NICE welder. I was using a cambel hausfeld POS welder and didn't realize how much it sucked until I got a NICE welder.

 

I've also had problems welding using outlets in newer houses. Trying to use the cambel hausfeld welder at Doug's house was a disaster, every time I would try and weld I would loose power to the welder, the feed would slow WAY down and it wouldn't weld for shit. Part of that was the welder, but I never had issues like that in my (30 year old) house.