welding

[turbojolt]

Ive applied for a even course in welding, it a basic course -3268 intro to welding skills,

what i want to know is how i would go about progressing with it if i enjoy it, as far as i can see I'm to old for a apprenticeship (not that i could live on that wage anyways), would it just be a case of phoning about looking for someone willing to take on a novice and train them up?

i see there is another course after this one which is also a basic level 2 intro to gas welding, only problem with that is the courses run from September for Weeks so it would be nearly a year from one course to the next!


any help or advice would be great cheers

[MK999]

Look at TIG, guessing your basic course will touch on it, most people can MIG and you can get odd jobs even without certificates in some places, but with MIG you're looking at low end fabrication, best thing you'd get would probably be roll cage installs. So basically the odd engineering firm here and there, and chances are they can all MIG weld to a decent standard (or teach themselves within a day) if you can TIG to a high standard though it's a much rarer skill, and you're then looking at anything from FIA spec cages to pretty much any one off aluminium manufacture and probably even some batch production/smaller mass production.

[Andy]

Teach themselves within a day eh?
Are you selling any of that stuff your smoking?

[Pistol Pete]

Do the course by all means. Then buy a cheap welder and crack on.

[GRUNT 16V]

I have 3 city in guilds in welding lvl2 mig lvl2 alloy tig and lvl2 arc did it over the 3 school terms in the evening so it took me 3 years

[meritlover]

Teach themselves within a day eh?
Are you selling any of that stuff your smoking?

I agree with MK999

If you cant MIG to a reasonable standard after a day of practicing then its not for you, and you will deffinately struggle with TIG if thats the case.

TIG takes ages to crack. especially aluminium welding. but its made a bit easier with a H.F start. Youll be sick of re grining your tungston after touching the workpiece after a couple of hours but you will get the hang of it.

buy a stick (arc) welder and some thick bits of scrap MS but no thinner than 1.5 or you'll blow holes in it as a beginner. arcs are cheap (about £40 for a cheapo) and so are rods. practice the prep and running beads for a basic appreciation. you get away with murder with MMAW as theres loads of flux and heat to burn away the dirt. MIG is forgiving and great for car bodies but TIG needs to be spotless and have near perfect prep.

MIG is quite an expensive tool to have if you dont use it often, bottle hire/purchase and initial cost is relatively significant. dont bother with gasless unless you weld tracktors in a windy field.

Plenty of Youtube tutorials to get you started.

Obviousy you will need a course/certs to prove competent and demonstrate you can achieve a recognised standard.

[_Jake]

ive got lvl 3 diploma in MIG TIG & MMA (welding in flat/vert up & overhead) gas welding is obsolete now, TIG has pretty much replaced it so i wouldnt bother with that. & @MK999 you cannot teach yourself to mig to a safe standard in a day, you might be able to drop some bird poo on some 3mm plate in a day, but thats it. are you looking at getting into the welding trade Turbojolt?

[Andy]

You cant teach yourself to weld in a day,no chance.I dont care who you are.
You might "weld" after a day,but none of them would pass any tests.
Theres very different angles to weld and different types of weld,different thicknesses etc etc

[turbojolt]

ive got lvl 3 diploma in MIG TIG & MMA (welding in flat/vert up & overhead) gas welding is obsolete now, TIG has pretty much replaced it so i wouldnt bother with that. & @MK999 you cannot teach yourself to mig to a safe standard in a day, you might be able to drop some bird poo on some 3mm plate in a day, but thats it. are you looking at getting into the welding trade Turbojolt?

its one of the many things im looking into right now mate, seems like a good trade from what ive seen it pays alright money and i cant see a time when welders will not be needed!

thats why ive applyed for this course to get a taste for it, even if i dont take it on as a trade its bound to give me some good tips for welding on my own cars etc

[meritlover]

how much does the course cost?