Learning to weld

[kiltedpict]

Hi folks.

Looking for advice on behalf of a colleague. She has a daughter who is very arty and wants to learn basic welding so she can start making sculptures. She has looked at college, but the only option seems to be a year long welding course which is 1) not practical for her and 2) probably far more than she really needs.

Would be extremely grateful if anyone had any tips or pointers on how she can go about learning basic welding.

Cheers

KP

 

[spandit]

1) buy an arc welder + PPE
2) practice

There are no doubt tutorials on YouTube etc. and plenty of forums to help. I'd recommend an auto-darkening helmet, makes things much easier

 

[shaggystu]

1) buy an arc welder + PPE
2) practice

There are no doubt tutorials on YouTube etc. and plenty of forums to help. I'd recommend an auto-darkening helmet, makes things much easier

these http://www.ebay.com/itm/4pc-MAGNETI...868148396?pt=Clamps_Vises&hash=item20cc655cac are really useful too

cheers

stuart

 

[cbr6fs]

Wouldn't bother with arc to be honest, MIG is a LOT easier and a half decent MIG welder is not to bad these days price wise.

There really is only so much you can learn by watching and reading though, best way to improve is to practice and get someone that knows what they're doing to have a look at the welds after.

 

[tenderfoot]

I think she will find if she wants to weld anywhere other than at home eg at college or workplace she will need to get a course under her belt cos of the health and safety aspects:- hot things... gas etc,but there are hobbyist courses rather than the full "coded" welding courses.Maybe one evening a week. They would cover this stuff:- probably at the start of the course and maybe having done so she could blag it elsewhere off the back of this.you can teach yourself and i have known many farm lads and the like who have done so but she might not like the scars that some of them picked up along the way! like many things in life a little training goes a long way.

 

[Stew]

Find a local fabricator and see if they'll show the basics in exchange for a bit of beer money. Worth a try.

What size stuff will she be welding? That'll influence the whole MIG or Arc choice in my eyes. Thin stuff - go MIG.

 

[Andy T]

If all she is going to be making is small sculptures with thin material then mig would be the way to go. She could even get away with using a few tacks to hold them together. Mig maybe slightly more difficult to learn to start with as you have two variables to consider, wire speed and power. Once they are sorted mig welding up to the standard she would need is very easy.
The only real advantage arc would have in this case is the fact that she would only need to buy rods as opposed to wire and gas.

 

[kiltedpict]

Thanks for all your advice folks.

I will pass it on tonight at work!

ATB

KP

 

[WULF]

Ive used both and my opinion is the mig,found it much easier than using the arc.Couldn't get any control on arc due to the length of the electrode wereas the mig i can.

 

[Fat Rog]

Welding is a big subject, but it's pretty easy to learn to stick two bits of metal together. It becomes a bit (ok, a lot) more involved if you're doing "coded" work, but I don't think there's any need to look at that here.

MIG is by far the easiest welding process to learn quickly. TIG gives a better weld and looks better too, but really takes some practice to do it well. It's also slower and the machines can be pricey compared to MIG machines. Arc welding (AKA stick welding) gives a good looking and strong weld, but it is an art form that takes a long time to perfect and probably would be a bit too much for the gauges of steel you're on about. Gas (Oxy/ Acetylene) is hardly used now, mainly 'cos of the risks involved but also it's slower than MIG or arc. It is still a good process but workshop safety has to be taken seriously of you're going to go that way - there are many horror stories where oxy/ acetylene is concerned. My advice is to go with a MIG set.

In the lower voltage (dip transfer) ranges, MIG works well in all welding positions i.e. horizontal, vertical, horizontal/ vertical, upward vertical, downward vertical and overhead. In the higher range (spray transfer) vertical up and overhead become difficult to control (but not impossible, it's all about practice), but this range is usually only used for heavy gauges of steel anyway, so don't worry about it. From experience I can tell you that downward vertical is easier than upward vertical, but it doesn't give as much penetration into the parent material. Again, for thin gauges of steel it's not such a big issue. If the work was structural it'd be different, but if you're doing structural work then you really need formal training.

You can get gasless (flux cored) wires for MIG, but I find them a bit messy compared to a solid wire and separate gas set up, and IMO the flux cored option doesn't work out any cheaper in the long run. You will probably start using CO2 as the shielding gas, an argon/ CO2 mix gives better results but is more expensive. As with all things though it is better to learn to walk before you run, if the set comes with CO2 then use it, it'll do fine for now It may be that CO2 gives you the kind of results you want anyway.

As others have said, the right PPE is essential, and even then expect a few burns here and there. Non flammable overalls, welders gauntlets and a welders cap (always worn back to front or you're not a proper welder ) and a good pair of steel toe capped boots. +1 Also for a photo sensitive mask, they aren't that expensive nowadays (used to cost a couple of hundred quid for one, now I think they start from about £40), and they're a lot easier for beginners to get to grips with. A pair of safety goggles and ear plugs are essential for grinding the work down.

I'd also agree that it would be a VERY good idea to ask a local welder/ fabricator for some pointers. Not only will you learn a heck of a lot faster than by reading books/ watching demo videos, he/ she will also be able to show you the correct procedures for starting up and shutting down and also how to care for your machine properly to get the best out of it, and they'll be able to show you how to use other fabrication equipment safely.

HTH.

 

[Schism]

No matter how tight the gap always ware PPE or you end up looking like this and it is horrendous !! Should know better after 14 years!!!

 

[kiltedpict]

That's some excellent advice guys, really appreciated!

Schism- hope the has healed / is healing ok!

 

[Jared]

Just watched this not a hour ago about learning to weld.

http://www.tested.com/videos/328199-jamie-hyneman-welding-his-workshop/

 

[Imagedude]

I always wear clear safety goggles under my mask for 2 reasons

1) to protect against flying slag when cleaning the welds
2) polycarb glasses will protect against UV so reducing the chances of arc eye.

Learning to arc weld is well worth doing. I like MIG but it's so much more convenient to use arc (or MMA as it's now called). There's no messing about changing wire, gas, wire speed etc with arc welding.

 

[johnbaz]

As already said by a few people, Mig welding is easiest but Mma is less fuss and can be used in windy conditions!

To use Mig in windy conditions cored wire has to be used, this is OK but tends to produce a lot of spatter (larger dia nozzles are needed too)

Years ago when I bought my first Mig welder, my eldest son was 14 years old, I set a couple of bits of steel sheet up in the vice in my cellar and told him what to do...
He produced a perfect bead straight away!!

Welders are commonplace at the bootsales near me, i've bought three or four over the years..

Here are some of my welders..

Two Tig sets..

bagging/guns, regulators..

Here's a couple of Mig sets (at the back)

The pocket mig is a cebora (snap on), I bought it new over twenty years ago and is still fine, the other is an SIP 140, this one is set up wit flux cored wire, the other is set up for use with gas..

Also, Tig inverters use electronics rather than a heavy transformer and so can be slung over the shoulder and carried to awkward places, ie, up ladders etc, they are much lighter than other transformer welding sets..

Try to get a speedglass screen, they're much easier and lighter than the old 'dark' glass screens..

I would say go for the highest duty cycle that you can but if the workpiece is to be spot welded then a lighter duty set will probably suffice..

Oh, you'll be needing other stuff like gloves, leather apron, cramps etc along with citting/grinding tools..

Hope your daughter enjoys her art and does well at it

Here's a piece of art that was comissioned by the owner of our company, it's Pan,a greek god, it's very good too!, mind, it should be as it cost around £12,000/£14,000

Cheers, John