Welders and Fabricators, is it a taught skill or something you can learn alone?

[Vicinity]

Is welding something you can just kind of jump into or does it really require an instructor to go over the details?

I have access to a fairly large welder (Don't know if size matters), but its a mig, has a autodim facemask, already set up.

Is it something I can plugin and just start tacking stuff and teach myself or should I really find someone to teach me these skills?

I watched a few instructional videos on youtube, and I've watched my friend (owns the welder) weld before, so I sort of have an idea of what to do.

I dont need to do anything intricate, I need to tack a bolt to my ebrake cable, and cut out and weld back in new mounts for a seat belt.

[72nova]

You are probably going to get so many different answers to this question, but here is what I did. I am by no means a professional. I am slef taught but I did take an adult ed class just to familiarize myself with the theory behind it. I just practiced, practiced, practiced. I kept all the scrap metal I could find, all different thicknesses and I would weld experimenting with different settings till I felt comfortable with what I was doing. I also would write down what settings I used for the different thicknesses. I still wont do anything structural, like the frame of my car. When I built the frame I just tacked it in and called a friend of mine, who is a welder by trade, to come over and do the finish welding. But I feel comfortable enough to do brackets, exhaust and things like that. I leave the welding of things taht if broke could cause a wreck or injury to someone to the professionals. Maybe thats me being to cautious but that is just how I am. I would say just practice, read what you can never turn down any advice or criticism.

[The WidowMaker]

im self taught. it would be much easier to learn with help, but almost all of welding is practice. theres only so much a pro can show you and a lot of guys do things differently. prep and setup is key, so whether you get that from the internet and videos it doesnt really matter. and like was said above, start with small projects and work your way up. obviously dont just start welding brackets on your rear.

[NJSPEEDER]

I was taught how to weld and picked up most of my basic fabrication skills from a few local old timers. Once I had been around the local cruise nights for a while I knew who did their own work and I just asked if they would help me learn and let me use their equipment.

Biggest thing is to talk to every guy that does their own work and read whatever you can get your hands on. Formal class room training is a great thing but seeing the happenings and headaches in person or hands on is more useful than anything. I still remember the first thing I ever welded, boxed in a set of control arms for my 91 Camaro RS.

[XLexusTech]

you can learn it... an Franky can master it... practice...

[Eric Howell]

I was taught how to weld and picked up most of my basic fabrication skills from a few local old timers. Once I had been around the local cruise nights for a while I knew who did their own work and I just asked if they would help me learn and let me use their equipment.

Biggest thing is to talk to every guy that does their own work and read whatever you can get your hands on. Formal class room training is a great thing but seeing the happenings and headaches in person or hands on is more useful than anything.Couldn't agree more. I started by welding scrap together then cutting it across the weld to check penetration. Then I met some 85 year old man and he showed me how to angle the gun to put the heat into the weld. He also taught me how to watch the puddle...

[mpozzi]

The good thing about taking courses at a junior college is you get to use their equipment, metals, rod, wire, etc. My insructor is/was a Certified Welder and the instruction was excellent. Dave learned "on the job" growing up and can weld anything to anything. Believe me when I say I'd take his welds over most anybody else's ...

There's many ways to learn and practice is key. Take courses and you can practice on their dime ...

Mary Pozzi

[Modo Innovations]

I agree with Mary's post, you can go to a junior college, learn from an instructor and it's fairly cheap. Bad habits are easy to get into and can be hard to break, so it is easy to learn the correct way and avoid the bad habits from the start. Once you get the basics down it is practice, practice and more practice. I learned in high school on a cracker box, MIG and torch. Got my practice on the job and on the farm. I was very fortunate and had two old pros show me how to TIG on the job years ago.

[SparkyRnD]

I would recommend downloading some entry-level basic welding manuals. Then, read them and learn about the different types of welders, types of metals and what kinds of welders you should use, etc. Then, find a local Miller or Lincoln Electric distributor, and contact them to see if their location offers the free welding classes for groups. Sign up for one, and you will spend a little time in the classroom, then more time in the shop using their equipment (same as the junior college, but usually free or up to a few hundred). That way you'll have an educated & experienced welder helping you and correcting your mistakes. With all that said, the BIGGEST thing is to practice, practice, practice. Spend a lot of time honing your skills and fine tuning your technique. Listen carefully to the noise the welder and the arc is making as you weld, as many times you can hear the problem before you see it. The more time behind the spark you spend, the better you'll become.

Also, know that just because someone can weld two pieces of metal together, that doesn't make them a good welder. To do it right, you have to research and know the types of metal, the thicknesses, how to join them in the best method, how to prep each type of metal and more. If you want to get into it and be good / safe, then follow those steps above. If you however want to just dabble, then fire up the welder and start playing (still download the manuals and watch some of the technical videos on Miller & Lincoln's websites).

[absintheisfun]

Learned (but by no means an expert on the matter)

I bought a book, read it and bought a video from northern tool. Other than that TONS of videos online.

I still punch holes in things from time to time, and my welding may not always reach perfect penetration but, I would say that I am proficient enough to feel safe in a car that I put together.

Last bit of advice: Get a mig/flux welder and start welding with flux. If you get to where you feel as if you are pretty good with it, go get some gas and start mig welding--a world of difference, and it is SOOOOOOO much easier to weld with gas! I'm sure many say get on the gas as fast as possible, but struggling through the flux I think actually helped me become better, faster.

[WVhotrod]

I learned how to tig at college. For 6 weeks i sat there for 5 hours a day practicing. It's great to get instruction from someone who is good at it. My teacher was very good and could tell us exactly what we needed to do to get more penetration or if we needed more gas etc. I don't know how to mig but was told if you can tig that mig would be a walk in the park.

[Vicinity]

Learned (but by no means an expert on the matter)

I bought a book, read it and bought a video from northern tool. Other than that TONS of videos online.

I still punch holes in things from time to time, and my welding may not always reach perfect penetration but, I would say that I am proficient enough to feel safe in a car that I put together.

Last bit of advice: Get a mig/flux welder and start welding with flux. If you get to where you feel as if you are pretty good with it, go get some gas and start mig welding--a world of difference, and it is SOOOOOOO much easier to weld with gas! I'm sure many say get on the gas as fast as possible, but struggling through the flux I think actually helped me become better, faster.

The welder I have access to is gas.

[Tig]

If you can sit down with someone who has experience to give you the ins and outs of welding, that would be the way to go. Whether its going to a continuing education class at a local community college or hanging with some buds at a fab shop. Practice practice practice.

[WVhotrod]

Forgot to mention about fab. I think welding is easier to learn. I also had a fab class in college and it can be confusing learning which machines to use. I learned to use a mill, lathe, bed rollers, benders, and some other tools. Mill and lathe are a lot of fun. I am by no means an expert on any of them, just comfortable enough to use them if i needed.

[David Pozzi]

Mig is pretty easy to learn if you have someone to review your welds & give pointers. The main thing is to have the correct settings & wire size for the welds you want to do, -the rest is hours of practice. Weld up some shop equipment like an engine stand or a welding table to get some practice. When welding thicker steel, it's very easy to make fair looking welds that lack penetration & will snap right off when a load is applied.
David

[Randy67]

I taught myself, with some guidance from a good friend with many years of experience. I also bought some books to help as well. The rest is just practice. Good idea on welding together scrap pieces and cut them apart to see how you are doing.

[rustomatic]

Dude, apply to the college of the world: YouTube! Second bit of advice from the crappy, new welder that I am: Weld something that won't make you crash when/if it breaks.

Third, but perhaps most importantly, are these words: You are controlling/pushing a "molten pool of metal" (Thanks, Australian YouTube welding guy!). This was the best physical/visual advice I got from anyone.

[Bigblue73]

Go to your local welding gas supplier. Some, Like Linweld (Mathews) have guys on staff that are great instructors. They know there stuff because they have to trouble shoot the welders if there is a problem. The hand dexterity is a learned behavior (TIG). MIG is set-up and go, however, everything is based on the materials that you are welding. The welding wire that you buy has specific set-up points for best use. This takes the guess work out of it. They are even available on line as well.

[MonzaRacer]

Also check out www.weldingtipsandtricks.com Jody has a great sight and LOTS of honest, real world welding experience.
Since getting my tig I learned a lot from his sight and relearned a lot I forgot from high school.
Good luck.

[1969CamaroRS]

Recently started taking a TIG class at a local JC, very good way to learn to weld. Nothing like having someone that knows how to weld showing/helping you with your welds. Had previously taken a oxy acetylene welding class.

[SShep71]

Its self taught and learned at the same time. I bought a wal mart mig welder when I was 18 and figured it out. The knowledge is good as far as you want to go with it, I wanted to know more so I started working at a metal fab shop while I was in college, that lasted awhile then I wanted to know more. Almost 10 years later and I have all kinds of certifications and I have experience working with just about every single type of welding process except "explosion welding" ..yes...Explosion welding. I have done them all from your basic mig/tig/stick to position underwater wet welding certifications. You think that you only wanna do that much until you do it and you want to or other people want you to do more.

[John Wright]

I have experience working with just about every single type of welding process except "explosion welding" ..yes...Explosion welding. that's about the only way aluminum and steel can be joined besides bolting or using some glue.....LOL
Some of the aluminum framed wheelhouses were welded to the steel deck on the ship with that process.

[SShep71]

Yeah, its not really welding its more pressure fusing. Its for fusing any dis-similar metals together with extreme pressure. Its technically not welding, but its technically welding. Either way its pretty damn cool.

[Kamikaze Sy]

I was around it as a kid. My family either did aerospace work, boats or race cars.
I thought, "Hell! It looks easy!" and for the most part, it is just a higher level of soldering and brazing.
But with more attention to details.

When I was a teen, I was doing scraps and making brackets as training.
When the person I was working under took all the parts and cut through them to inspect my welds, it was then the true learning began.

I had a great many teachers including a wicked fabricator that could do one handed MIG welds, upside down under a car, and seamlessly running a continous bead around a sway bar mounting pad! All of these people showed me the tricks and their skills from experience! But the best thing was to go to a class and get hands-on training with a certified instructor and one-to-one critique. It by far was the most value to have this so I can learn what to watch for in my puddles, and how the arc is affected by the hand position or sheilding gass pressure and how to make adjustments in position to adjust the H.A.Z. (Heat affected zone).

Practice all your can but also take the time to get direct instruction! You should never regret addition to your education of hands-on skills!

[507caddy]

I did not see anybody mention it but go down to your local scrap yard and buy scrap for practice. I do not know what it is gong for but it is cheap, just ask which pile, I think the last time I bought some it was 20 cents a pound. When I start a project I typically stop by the scrap yard to see if they have anything that will work for me prior to going to a typical metal source.