Who welds?

[Tidy Max]

Yo!

I want to learn welding and was just curious to find out how many of you do there own welding? and how did you learn?

my uncle owns a welding workshop so i have access to equipment, just wondering what the score was? i notice when i look through the projects section it seems like alot of you do, but i also assume that alot of you are mechanics?

[novarally]

I went to an evening class at a local college to learn, many years ago. That course covered arc, oxyacetylene and MIG.

I'd like to learn TIG welding, but as a neighbour is fully Certified in TIG for steel, alloy and stainless, there doesn't seem much need.

[Tidy Max]

yeah, that does seem like the best bet, what was the duration of your evening class?

[bangerbrian]

Either that or have a go yourself like i did and keep practicing on scrap metals, changing setting and find out etc :)

[Tidy Max]

haha i also thought that, but then thought id have no idea where to start and end up burning my self to buggery, what type of welding did you teach yourself with then?

[draper]

if your uncle owns a welding shop surely you could practice in there for free ?

practice really is the best way of learning to weld, and dont think that because you can weld to pieces of scrap metal together you can weld a rusty old vauxhall

[Tidy Max]

yeah, but i just don't want to go down and go wild with his welding gear! haha yeah i can imagine those two things being very different!

[white2lSR]

i weld

[Pistol Pete]

I weld, to a degree. Do a fair bit of mig welding at work. Just learnt by trial and error really. Bought a small hobby type welder off a mate recently, got some scrap metal and had a play.

Use this for tips, and hints: http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/

[AlexW]

Ive been teaching myself with a mig welder. The welder has a few problems but for learning with its fine. I would suggest to just start by getting an scrap of metal and putting the setings about mid. Then play with the settings untill you dont blow holes and get a good weld.

As long as you wear a mask, and gloves if you feel you need to then there isnt much damage you can do.

[Tidy Max]

cool, so is mig welding the best type of welding to start off trying to learn then? i was just looking at arc welding kits on the bay, nomoney to buy anything at the moment but im definitely interested! i understand how arc welding works, but not overly sure about mig, i find i can do things better when i know how they work lol

[draper]

the mig weldinf forum has loads of guides/vids that explain everything :thumb:

[dan16v]

Id recommend going to some sort of an evening class, teaching yourself isnt always the best route. As most will know its not just about welding a good bead, no doubt at a good evening class you will learn material/edge prep/filler/gas options/welding angles and how to set up machines etc. And when your not getting it right there is some one there to show you where you are going wrong!
Back in the day part of my apprentiship envolved welding, so went to college and learnt mig/arc/gas and tig, most were ok to learn, ally tig took a while though!lol

[burgo]

have i missed something here?? you want to learn to weld and your uncle has a welding workshop!!! surely your uncle would be the best person to teach you ?

[dan16v]

have i missed something here?? you want to learn to weld and your uncle has a welding workshop!!! surely your uncle would be the best person to teach you ?

was thinking the same tbh, he owns the place with all the gear inside, and must know how to weld?:confused:

[Tidy Max]

yeah yeah i know, but i don't know if he would mind showing me, i will ask him if he does,

just because you know someone who has a car doesnt mean they will let you learn in it! not the best analogy but it will do,

i was just thinking about it this morning and though i would post up a thread asking how other people had learnt

[DAN-F]

im in college atm doing welding (mig, tig, arc, gas and oxy) second year now well worth it i can take bits in to weld if i need as well, my tutor is a top guy hes weldind up a wider rim on a set of steelies for me as well so wide steelies for free lol

[burgo]

well the best way to learn is practice as everyone welds slightly differently. even if you just get your uncle to give you a few tips then set up the welder o your style you'll be well away, as setting up the welder is where the skill is imo

[brainsnova]

i learnt by buying a mig welder from machine mart and i was waiting one day for a boy to weld my car and i mean hours. so i thought fuk this and ended up trying it it wasnt bad for a first attempt. i could see the weld has fused together from the other side so i knew it was solid :thumb:

[Tidy Max]

yeah, the only problems that i forsee are that my job can run on quite late (so a night course could present problems) and im already at college one day a week 9 - 8 for my apprenticeship, probably etaching myself then getting on a course to iron out all the bad habits i have taught myself would be an idea lol, ebay seems to have alot of course guides/dvds which appear to be teaching resources for actual teachers to use so maybe investing in one of those, do you all mainly do mig welding then?

[draper]

as setting up the welder is where the skill is imo

agreed, welding an actual bead of weld isnt that hard but getting the settings right can take ages for a beginner

[Tidy Max]

i didnt even realise there were settings on a welder lol

do they change depending on type of metal, or type of weld to be achieved e.g. welding 2 pieces together, or welding up a hole

[Pistol Pete]

Have a look at that link i posted up. Gives you pointers on different setings. Amps, wire speed etc.

[craig green]

MIG is most usefull on cars as the shells & panels are thin gauge steel, MIG is suitable for thin gauge metal work (Aswell as thick stuff) wheras an ARC welder would just burn the **** out of the panels.

The adjustable settings are for the heat/current, wire speeds etc.

I tried MIG welding for myself a few months ago & got on with it quite well, it took me about 5 mins to establish what I thought was the right setting & got a good penetration through to the other side of the metal & I didnt make a mess of the welding tip or shroud which I've seen most people do.

I did read a basic book a few years ago on MIG welding & have to say most of it seemed logical & stayed with me hence my 1st attempt, 6 years later wasnt too horrific.

A great skill to have for any Vauxhall enthusiast tbh.

[dan16v]

Setting a mig set up is not to hard, but again you need to know what is 'right'. I find it easy to fine tune by noise, should give a nice constant crackle when set up right:D love that noise!

[craig green]

Yeah, cooking bacon it should sound like. (according to my book)

[Tidy Max]

im just going to be hungry all the time i'm welding then lol

[Adam]

Have a look through the tutorials on here
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/

And the forum

[dan16v]

Yeah, cooking bacon it should sound like. (according to my book)

i cook myne in the oven, so that advise wont work for melol lol

[craig green]

Aye oven cooked Bacon FTW.

Off topic, but I had bacon in my lunch & have subsequently drank about 90 gallons of water this afternnon. Still thirsty.

[dan16v]

smoked or plain bacon?

[edens-xe]

i can can mig and tig weld both mild and stainless and ive just started getting the hang of arc welding!! look out for the pigeonslol

[craig green]

smoked or plain bacon?

Might have been smoked, I had it in a french stick with Chicken/mayo.
Was grossly filling, I thought I was hungry before I had that.

[Tidy Max]

the most royal hijacking of a thread ever that lol, from welding to exponential thirst caused by bacon haha

thanks ill check out that forum, just got to get some more laquer on my wheels before the sun disappears, got away from work early for once woop

[mikey14sr]

I was taught gas (oxy/acetelene) welding and a little mig when I was at college doing my mechanics nvq (also did basic body prep, thrown in to keep us going), While I was out on placement for the last two years I ended up doing quite a bit of welding on mot failures, which is where I gained the most from it.

Since then all my welding has been purely as a hobby, and mainly on novas, lol. I used to borrow an old clarke 90 off my younger cousin, but as he got into his capri's and jag's he started to use it more than I did after a little training, prompting me to buy a nice new one a couple of years ago, which I now hardly use what with no-longer having a nova.

It still comes in handy for building exhausts and helping others out though, to coin a phrase,
" I love the smell of molten metal in the morning"

[BRoadGhost]

Mig welding is actually quite a loud and physically demanding practice.

The noise you'll notice more after you start hitting some decent welds, but nothing really helps you from keeping the hand speed / strength up. Ok access plays a big part in the ease and results of a weld; you know when you've progressed when you can weld directly above you to a good standard.

If you are serious about it the best thing I can say to a newb is trigger the torch with your main hand, grip it tight and steady / move the nozzle with the offhand in a fast zig zag along the straight of the join you wish to weld.

Also try not to have bare arms even if wearing gauntlets if you are doing more than just tacs.

[burgo]

Also try not to have bare arms even if wearing gauntlets if you are doing more than just tacs.you wimp. the splatters dont hurt after a while and it keeps your tan topped up

[mowgli]

you wimp. the splatters dont hurt after a while and it keeps your tan topped up
avoid wearing shorts though, stick with long trousers... one summers evening, a mate got me to weld his exhaust & a rogue spark got me on the knackers OOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!

[Lynsey]

I do ;) LMAO

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n225/lynz_sr/866473e0.jpg

[Pistol Pete]

I'd zip that top up though!! lol

[brainsnova]

a bit weld going down there oooouch lol

[Lynsey]

lol

That was ages ago. I did once burn my nipple with my hair straighteners though, it was the sticky out bit too :(

[Pistol Pete]

Have you got hairy nipples then??!! Eugh!! ;) lol

[belly257]

i just decided one day "i want to learn how to weld" so i went and bought meself a decent welder and started welding, that was 8 month ago :thumb:

[Lynsey]

Have you got hairy nipples then??!! Eugh!! ;) lol

No, I was just leaning forward and got distracted :roll:

[mowgli]

I'd zip that top up though!! lol

I bet they've had some spatter on them in their time....Fnarr Fnarr

[The_General_Chancer]

i taught myself. The boss said there's the welder dont burn the place down i had a list as long as my arm to do on a mini and couldnt afford to pay someone so i spent the weekend at it and it passed its mot on the monday!

[Ben]

TBH it depends what you want to weld, if its just car panels etc then MIG is more than adequate but tbh you need to be taught correctly, most people on here saying "i taught myself" cant weld, they are basically soldering patches of 1mm plate over rusty holes, thats not welding.

You need to learn about proper root pass's, fill, capping and penetration. Welding properly is a VERY difficult job to do properly, hence why the decent welders are earning £3-400 a day! It is all about practice though and certainly worthwhile doing but dont kid yourself that patching up an old nova is welding.

[batesy]

im an apprentice welder been learning for 3 and half years and still got year and a half to go to weld properly takes a lot of time and patience dont expect to pick it up straight away i am coded to weld stainless aluminum and carbon with mma (stick) mig and tig and still not got anywhere near the amount of codings you need to earn decent money

[NovaLad]

Supposed to be good money in deep sea welding...

Underwater stuff lol

Anyone know anything about this?

[stevenf]

Supposed to be good money in deep sea welding...

Underwater stuff lol

Anyone know anything about this?

my uncle does this on the oil rigs. really good pay as well. seen one pay cheque accidently and asked ma aunt if it was a months wage and she said no thats just a week!!!!!!

[brainsnova]

im a self taught spot welder lol lol lol

[Ben]

Supposed to be good money in deep sea welding...

Underwater stuff lol

Anyone know anything about this?

Its one of those things if you need ask you need not apply!

But yeah it is great money, same as us we get paid well for diving work but it is a very limited field and is enough work out there but not worth chasing can earn more than enough on dry land.

[mikey14sr]

TBH it depends what you want to weld, if its just car panels etc then MIG is more than adequate but tbh you need to be taught correctly, most people on here saying "i taught myself" cant weld, they are basically soldering patches of 1mm plate over rusty holes, thats not welding.

You need to learn about proper root pass's, fill, capping and penetration. Welding properly is a VERY difficult job to do properly, hence why the decent welders are earning £3-400 a day! It is all about practice though and certainly worthwhile doing but dont kid yourself that patching up an old nova is welding.

I have to say I agree with you, anyone can learn to use a welder well enough to patch over a hole in a sill within just 30 minutes, but learning how to do it properly by cutting out a larger area, making the patch to match the shape out of sheet and welding it in so that all it needs is a quick flap-wheeling and a skim takes quite a bit of practice.

I've done at least a dozen sills just on nova's, and though they've been easily up to mot standard, getting it to look 100% like it's not been touched (without a tin of filler) is still a goal for me.

I would have to completely re-learn it all working on anything more than 2mm thick, as that's as thick as I'm used to.

[draper]

ive got 2 sills and rear 1/4 to do in the next few weeks :cry:

[LEWI007]

ATM I'm actually trying to get into learning welding and going onto oil rigs havent got a clue where to start though :p but id like to be a good welder for when i start collecting novas :thumb:

[ade]

I bought 2 books from amazon - "how to weld" and "mig welding for beginners".

I then bought a Clarke 110e mig welder, helmet, gloves, wire and got some metal (an old wing), cut it up and just practiced

[Tidy Max]

when i started reading your reply i thought it was going to say


I bought 2 books from amazon - "Deep Sea Welding for Dummys" and.....

lol lol

[ade]

pmsl!

I always believe in jumping in at the deep end! Although deep sea welding for dummies now that would be feckin hilarious! (pictures a nobber junping into the sea with a mig welder plugged in)

lol

[BRoadGhost]

Oi Burgo I said this because an exposed close arm will take 4HRS worth of sunbed UV in more like 14Mins.

I've had weld drop on my chest, burn through 3 layers inc overalls and the scars are still there a year on, then there was the time some went into my ear canal.

Put simply you get better results the closer you are to what you're working with ~ just be warned :)

[burgo]

yes i know that. my left arm has got an awesome tan line lol

[Ben]

ATM I'm actually trying to get into learning welding and going onto oil rigs havent got a clue where to start though :p but id like to be a good welder for when i start collecting novas :thumb:

You need to be a excellent welder before you think about going offshore or working on pipelines, the amount of guys that turn up on the pipelines for a job and last 30 minutes is unreal, 90% of the guys doing this kind of work are in there late 40's-60's and have been doing it a long time, it is definately worth considering for some serious cash but you need to be at the top of your game before applying as you need to pass a welders qualification before your even considered and if you cant manage to weld a pipe in a vice the chances of you doing it lead on your back in mud in a trench is unlikely.

I will post a couple of pics in muppet...

http://www.pngclub.com/forum/showthread.php?p=991617#post991617

[The_General_Chancer]

Somehow i think the thread has wandered off. The chap only wants to weld his car not build a bloody oil rig! :)

[Pistol Pete]

Somehow i think the thread has wandered off. The chap only wants to weld his car not build a bloody oil rig! :)

lol welcome to png!!

[Ben]

He said he wants to learn welding! didnt specify what on, but same as anything your better off doing it properly!

[The_General_Chancer]

jump in at the deep end and think about it later. i want to make beans on toast but aint going to go on a cooking course to do it.

[Sturge]

I did a little bit of mig, tig, gas and stick at college, bought a mig when i needed some seam welding doing, practised a bit, and now work fitting and welding roll cages into rally cars. Apart from a couple of evenings at college and the odd pointer when i was doing something daft I learnt it all myself and 5 years later I have the most consistent and strongest weld test results in the company and my strength record's yet to be beaten, even by outside samples

[Sturge]

Oh and I've always got bare arms and they're only slightly pink :)

And welding rusty cars is a hateful horrible job, especially when you're welding above you.

Bare shell work ftw

[Mike]

Bare shell work ftw

Amen :cool:

[dan16v]

Cannot believe the people saying they weld in bare arms etc, stupidity at its best! bring on the skin cancer!

Just to add, any people thinking of taking up welding, always keep your limbs/face/chest covered, not worth the risk.