BlazerBud
1/2 ton status
Don't forget old weldors don't die, they just pass the torch. Anyone who is skilled is more than happy to teach. learn from an old guy. Old Heads know more than anyone else.
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Learning to weld
- Thread starter redbeast24740
- Start date
87blackblazer
Registered Member
I'm pretty much in your same situation. Just ordered a HH 187. I'm trying to find a night welding class, but they're all geared toward becoming an industrial welder/fabricator. I'm looking more for the weekend-welder course.
Here's a link for some online training http://www.millerwelds.com/education/etraining.html
Here's a link for some online training http://www.millerwelds.com/education/etraining.html
blazin_blazer
1/2 ton status
i just can't see learning to weld online, you can learn anything they would teach from a beginners book! practice is what it takes...i take for granted that i'm a 3rd generation welder...i grew up around it, and by 12 was fabbing up my own gocarts and at 16 built my first trailer to haul my lawn mower that i financedand paid for by mowing in 1 summer! in my engineering classes i did my semester of welding activities in a week 1/2 but i had worked 8 yrs pipelineing, food grade shed. 10 ss to 6 inch thick carbon steel....i think the most nervous i've ever been was when i was watching a ??? ton dmag(only 5 in usa largest in states at time...1995-6?) and a 60 ton sum'n together lifting a 880,000 lb extractor that i had welded the lifting lugs on! vivid 15 min memory.. :-),
for your stated use i would go mig w/gas shield then you don't have to worry about learn what liquid flux looks like next to your puddle, you only puddle the steel and w/gas shield thats all you see and practice...thin stuff is harder to weld than heavy weight stuff, if you want the ultimate on your cage learn the tig and its easier to weld the thin stuff with the tig imo....but is tough to learn on, but once you do, its the strongest easiest to weld w/imo....better heat control and add filler as needed, so you can sit there and arc w/o puttin metal down that forces you to move forward, some thin light weight stuff, like when i shortened a truck bed, i didn't use hardly any filler, just puddled the sheet metal together
i have an old forney welder, that you move the cable to change amps, bottom of it is batterycharger:-), and my tig w/ diff % tungsten "needles"(the proper name eludes me) and a bottle of gold or tri mix gas and weld everything w/ 1 of the 2
for your stated use i would go mig w/gas shield then you don't have to worry about learn what liquid flux looks like next to your puddle, you only puddle the steel and w/gas shield thats all you see and practice...thin stuff is harder to weld than heavy weight stuff, if you want the ultimate on your cage learn the tig and its easier to weld the thin stuff with the tig imo....but is tough to learn on, but once you do, its the strongest easiest to weld w/imo....better heat control and add filler as needed, so you can sit there and arc w/o puttin metal down that forces you to move forward, some thin light weight stuff, like when i shortened a truck bed, i didn't use hardly any filler, just puddled the sheet metal together
i have an old forney welder, that you move the cable to change amps, bottom of it is batterycharger:-), and my tig w/ diff % tungsten "needles"(the proper name eludes me) and a bottle of gold or tri mix gas and weld everything w/ 1 of the 2
misterfnygy
1/2 ton status
One good benefit of welding with gas is owning the torch. If you start with a torch set you can cut, bend and weld just about anything. Then I would say a good 220 mig would be the best bet for a home shop. Once you get the bug you would want a torch anyways.... oh yeah and a plasma hehehe
i agree with from an experienced point of view, but for someone who is new to welding, proper gas welding is right up there with tig welding. mig welding doesn't take nearly the amount of practice that the other processes take. i think we all need to take a look at the original post in this thread and answer what the guy was really asking, not our personal preferences in welding.
Do not buy anything yet. Take a class at the local community college. I know 3 guys who spent bucks on welders and are frustrated with their results. I was lucky and my dad was a master welder. Too bad it did not rub off. But I do all right. Take classes!!!!!!
Randy92782
1 ton status
Yup my dad can weld and someday i'll ask him to teach me to stick. I can MIG but it's been like 4-5 years or longer. Hope it's like riding a bike 
What he said. I had a highschool class, a college class and then last winter took another Night Advanced Welding class at the college.
Its amazing what little bad habits you can fall into. When your starting out it helps to have someone watch your technique and review your welds. The handgun position was hard to for me to get just right with the mig at first.
+1 for taking a class...
I've learned to weld by working at the machine shop and its been great...
Find someone to teach you or take a night class and then buy one for yourself...
I've learned to weld by working at the machine shop and its been great...
Find someone to teach you or take a night class and then buy one for yourself...
Streetgliderx
1/2 ton status
i weld on natural gas pipelines for a livin. and i use stick ALOT. i like stick because of the versatility of it plus its super strong if you get good penetration and make sure you tie in your welds to the materials
