Learning to weld? Anyone taught themselves?

[arrfep]

Garage seemed most appropriate for this topic.

For a few years now I've wanted to learn how to weld, but never really pursued about it. Last summer I bought a vintage motorcycle and want to get into some light-modding, so I'm now more serious about learning. Problem is I can't seem to find anywhere to do it. The two local community colleges offer courses on a semester basis, but, I learned this morning, the classes fill up literally on the first day of registration. There's a trade school nearby, but it only offers welding as a full-sequence, i.e. you become a certified welder to the tune of $2k tuition.

All I want to do is learn some basic MIG or maybe torch welding. Should I just go get a welder myself and watch some youtube vids? Anyone done that? I'm just afraid I won't learn properly. I see it as akin to taking the MSF course; you can't imagine the things you'd never learn until you are taught by a pro. Anyway. Any suggestions/experiences?

 

[exdeath]

Borrow a welder, get a bunch of scrap metal, and start experimenting.

I assume due to self interest you've read up and you're already familiar with basics like safety, gas selection, wire type, basic operation of a welder, what it means to "lay a bead", different welds (butt weld, etc), and know not to allow the weld pool to be exposed to oxygen, etc. In a proper class you'll learn all the details like different gases, wires, cups (torch end), different techniques and materials, AC vs DC, tig/mig/etc.

Either way it's still one of those things that's more an art form that takes experience to do right no matter how much technical knowledge you soak up.

 

[MasterAndCommander]

http://www.motorz.tv/blog/1480/learn-how-to-weld/

 

[kornphlake]

it's probably something you'd learn just as well on your own, as long as you've got some good reference materials. Most of the "learning" you'd get by taking a course at the college would be experience in the welding shop. That said, welding isn't necessarily as simple as globbing metal between two pieces, it wouldn't hurt to have someone who knows how to weld visually inspect your welds. Once you've got good looking welds a destructive test can be very revealing, cross sectioning and polishing the weld then etching with nitric acid will show you how much penetration you are getting and can give some clues to make your technique even better.

I wouldn't want to learn on a motorcycle or any other project where I'd be welding joints that could be considered load bearing. It isn't too difficult to make a weld that is cosmetically acceptable to the untrained eye but has poor penetration or adhesion. A broken weld at 60 mph is pretty serious, a broken weld on a barbecue will only cost a couple burgers.

 

[arrfep]

I assume due to self interest you've read up and you're already familiar with basics like safety, gas selection, wire type, basic operation of a welder, what it means to "lay a bead", different welds (butt weld, etc), and know not to allow the weld pool to be exposed to oxygen, etc. In a proper class you'll learn all the details like different gases, wires, cups (torch end), different techniques and materials, AC vs DC, tig/mig/etc.

I've been watching a good amount of videos and read some good descriptions of the differences between types of welding and the tools. The only problem, and why I'd be interested in a class, is that some of even the basic tutorials seem a bit esoteric, like a few bits in the vid below.

http://www.motorz.tv/blog/1480/learn-how-to-weld/

Thank you! That's one of the better vids I've seen. Wish he'd have explained what the numbers mean that he was referencing, though I'm sure I'll figure that out.

I wouldn't want to learn on a motorcycle or any other project where I'd be welding joints that could be considered load bearing. It isn't too difficult to make a weld that is cosmetically acceptable to the untrained eye but has poor penetration or adhesion. A broken weld at 60 mph is pretty serious, a broken weld on a barbecue will only cost a couple burgers.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not planning on modifying frames or anything like that. But I would like to be able to fab simple mounting brackets of the non-load-bearing sort, for gauges or whatever, or modify a fender, etc. Thanks for all the other tips. I've been looking into metal-fab shops in the area, after I practice a bit I may ring one up and see if anyone would be willing to give a few pointers for some side cash.

 

[mztykal]

I bought a MIG welder and taught myself on a project car I was patching rust holes on. On the first few tries I honestly made more work for myself by warping panels and blowing through the thin ass metal.

It was worth it though, I welded a bunch of other stuff now and am decent at it. No where near good, but good enough to do what I need to do.

EDIT - BTW get gas, flux is by far the shittiest thing I have ever tried to use. HORRIBLE!

 

[Entity23]

Like the above poster said, buy yourself a MIG welder and go at it. I learned how to weld through work, basically the guy training me said weld that together and I tried until I got it right. The hardest part about welding, for me, was getting over the fear of the torch and how it reacts. After that just make sure the surfaces are clean, you have a good ground and the rest is practice. I believe we use both gas and flux cored wire. You can definitely tell a difference in using gas. It's just so much easier.

Try buying a used Miller or borrow someones, if you know someone. Don't skimp out on a good mask either. You'll regret it.

 

[JCH13]

Garage seemed most appropriate for this topic.

For a few years now I've wanted to learn how to weld, but never really pursued about it. Last summer I bought a vintage motorcycle and want to get into some light-modding, so I'm now more serious about learning. Problem is I can't seem to find anywhere to do it. The two local community colleges offer courses on a semester basis, but, I learned this morning, the classes fill up literally on the first day of registration. There's a trade school nearby, but it only offers welding as a full-sequence, i.e. you become a certified welder to the tune of $2k tuition.

All I want to do is learn some basic MIG or maybe torch welding. Should I just go get a welder myself and watch some youtube vids? Anyone done that? I'm just afraid I won't learn properly. I see it as akin to taking the MSF course; you can't imagine the things you'd never learn until you are taught by a pro. Anyway. Any suggestions/experiences?

What do you want to do with welding? Many chopper/bike mods (from what little I've seen) would be suited to a TIG welder, not a MIG so much. If you want to do bodywork on a car, however, MIG would be the way to go. My method when I was teaching welding was to start my students on TIG welding 0.050" aluminum, that way they don't know that they're learning the hardest (supposedly) type of welding.

I taught myself how to TIG, more or less, after having the very basics explained to me. The most important thing you can do is be your own harshest critic and not settle for "meh, they stuck together." Practice practice practice, nothing beats torch time for sure. I have no doubt that with patience and practice you could teach yourself.

If you haven't already, go to Welding Tips and Tricks. The guy who runs the site is a great welder, has a metric crap-ton of good information on his site, and answers odd-ball questions quickly via email.

Feel free to PM me with questions when you get into the nitty-gritty of it. Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[Dirigible]

If you're wanting to play around and weld non-structural things, I'd just get some equipment and practice.

I took a local class and it was a little instruction, and a lot of tool access and practice. It was fun, but with a bit of reading and a few internet videos it seems like you could do it yourself just as easily.

That or register on the first day at the local community college.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

What do you want to do with welding? Many chopper/bike mods (from what little I've seen) would be suited to a TIG welder, not a MIG so much. If you want to do bodywork on a car, however, MIG would be the way to go. My method when I was teaching welding was to start my students on TIG welding 0.050" aluminum, that way they don't know that they're learning the hardest (supposedly) type of welding.

I taught myself how to TIG, more or less, after having the very basics explained to me. The most important thing you can do is be your own harshest critic and not settle for "meh, they stuck together." Practice practice practice, nothing beats torch time for sure. I have no doubt that with patience and practice you could teach yourself.

If you haven't already, go to Welding Tips and Tricks. The guy who runs the site is a great welder, has a metric crap-ton of good information on his site, and answers odd-ball questions quickly via email.

Feel free to PM me with questions when you get into the nitty-gritty of it. Good luck! :thumbsup:

Thanks for the link... that should keep me amused for a while. Aluminium isn't too bad (unless you forget to turn the welder to AC, which I have seen happen at the college class when I went), thin stuff is trickier...

 

[JCH13]

Thanks for the link... that should keep me amused for a while. Aluminium isn't too bad (unless you forget to turn the welder to AC, which I have seen happen at the college class when I went), thin stuff is trickier...

Ha! I've picked up stainless welding rod and tried to weld with that, derp! :whiste:

I wrote a page or two for welding tips and tricks, see if you can find them

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Ha! I've picked up stainless welding rod and tried to weld with that, derp! :whiste:

I wrote a page or two for welding tips and tricks, see if you can find them

Test piece? (another reason to do them!!) Did it just crack apart when cold/cooling then?

I will try... not sure I have read enough of your posts to recognise the guides though.

 

[JCH13]

Test piece? (another reason to do them!!) Did it just crack apart when cold/cooling then?

I will try... not sure I have read enough of your posts to recognise the guides though.

I was doing tack welds on a final part :'( I had to use a plasma torch to slice out the SS. It was after a long day at the end of a long project at the end of a long semester.

The page (he condensed the two it appears) will be obvious, but is buried

 

[franksta]

Last year I bought myself a TIG welder for my birthday. I'd only seen them before, never even touched a TIG torch. I had done some casual MIG work before though, FWIW.

Lincoln Precision TIG 225, right after I took out out of the crate.

This is a bird feeder rod that my dad had. It has a support leg on it which snapped off and I reattached. Steel is pretty easy with the TIG for me.

Some of my latest beads on aluminum. For me, Al is much more difficult, some people pick it up quicker. I've yet to do anything beyond just the beads though.

 

[JCH13]

I've got a Precision 225 at work. It's a solid unit that, like you said, is really good on DC-neg. It struggles with aluminum because you can't adjust wave balance, shape, or frequency. Try using sharpened lathanated or zirconated tungsten and, if you can get it, 50ar/50he shielding gas.

Steel welds look nice though!

 

[franksta]

I've got a Precision 225 at work. It's a solid unit that, like you said, is really good on DC-neg. It struggles with aluminum because you can't adjust wave balance, shape, or frequency. Try using sharpened lathanated or zirconated tungsten and, if you can get it, 50ar/50he shielding gas.

Steel welds look nice though!

I'm using 2% Thoriated (red bands). I've heard the Lanthanated ones are good as well and they didn't look too much more expensive so I may give them a try.

 

[Gillbot]

Borrow a welder, get a bunch of scrap metal, and start experimenting.

This is what I did, though I just went for it and grabbed an ARC welder on ebay. Arc is probably one of the hardest to learn but are typically the cheapest.

My only word of caution is to have someone who knows anything about welding check them. I thought I was doing a good job but my father-in-law who's certified showed me how weak my welds were. Enough to hold an exhaust together? Yeah, but if I did anything that needed strength, it would have been disastrous.

 

[JCH13]

I'm using 2% Thoriated (red bands). I've heard the Lanthanated ones are good as well and they didn't look too much more expensive so I may give them a try.

Thoriated tungsten electrodes work well, but the radioactive dust they throw off isn't so great D:

I use zirconated or lanthanated tungsten electrodes for carbon/alloy steel, stainless, titanium, and aluminum, for what it's worth.

 

[exdeath]

^ TIG is just so awesome. Clean stable laser-like arc and visible pool.

PS: for op if building anything requiring strength while learning, buy extra material of whatever it is you are welding, do a few test welds, and then cut the piece into cross sections to see how good the weld is to get a feel for what current, torch speed, etc. works.

 

[Joel Olstein]

I learned the hard way goggles V. Facemask always facemask