Hi all,
I'm looking to teach myself to be a half decent welder. I have tried the local college and they want £700 for the course I then tried a company but they want £250 a day. I can't afford either so I thought I'd try teaching myself by buying a car door from a local scrap dealer I was going to cut it up and weld it back together.
Eventually I'd like to be able to weld my own chopper frame but that's a long way off I don't really have any welding experience.
Is this a good way to start or is there an easier way
Learn to weld
-
bugs789
- NewB
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:04 pm
- SELF INTRODUCTION: 34 year old working in IT Support in the education sector, just starting out I have some knowledge of bikes though and have owned maintained and ridden them for the last 10 years, but would like to get more into building modifying and metal work.
-
Jeff L
- Contributor
- Posts: 691
- Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:09 pm
- SELF INTRODUCTION: Hey...I live in South Jersey (the Super Fund State) work as an Operating Engineer local825.Besides bikes I love to fish the surf.I have my current & seemingly endless project a BSA 750 Rocket3, a 72 Honda CB750,79 Kawasaki KZ1000, 48 Simplex, & a 62 Norton Atlas engine
- Location: South Jersey
Re: Learn to weld
I would just get some 1"x1/8"x3' steel.You can practice running beads on top of it with filler rod.Then cut it up in sections.You can butt weld, do inside & outside corner welds with the cut up sections.Donthe same with some 1/8 tube.You'll also be able to practice prepping the joints.You really cannt go wrong taking a class though.
Changing the shape of the Earth...1 bucket at a time...IUOE local 825 top of the food chain
-
rakeNtrail
- Lurker
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2011 11:28 am
- SELF INTRODUCTION: Just a grumpy old welder/chopperhedd Spent far too much time burning wire for a living but hey, one does have to pay the bills ya know! Worked shipyards and fab shops welding about everything stick, mig, tig and sub-arc. Both hand held and automated. Worked weekends in a Honda shop in the late 70's and in an all bike shop in the late 80's thru early 90's. Likes? Choppers, rock-N-roll, NRA and boobies! Dislikes? PC, VD, AARP & NAACP I'm pro business and totally against big government interfering in our daily lives. Live free or die baby and you'll have to pry it from my cold dead hands. Do love little children and puppies though. Both of them can turn me into a 300lb. old softie!
- Location: North By God Carolina
Re: Learn to weld
Seat time is very important but technique is also important.
Practice a lot but also ask a lot of questions. Spent most of
my career welding or teaching others to weld. The guys that
would listen and practice usually made it into the field faster.
Here's a site that is full of great info. http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/
Practice a lot but also ask a lot of questions. Spent most of
my career welding or teaching others to weld. The guys that
would listen and practice usually made it into the field faster.
Here's a site that is full of great info. http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/
-
triker_chewie
- Lurker
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:30 pm
- SELF INTRODUCTION: chewie from perth western australia. i'm triking up a vw and chopping up a yamaha and repairing broken tools. jeez 200 characters is a lot. GOT A WIFE AND KIDS SPENDING ALL MY PLAY MOEY ON FOOD AND CLOTHES AND OTHER USELESS SHIT sorry bout the caps put them on for the code thing
- Location: gosvegas western australia
Re: Learn to weld
http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/ is how i learned!
his youtube channel is ace.
the course would be money well spent. the car would be a waste of money
his youtube channel is ace.
the course would be money well spent. the car would be a waste of money
-
riceburner
- NewB
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2011 8:49 pm
- SELF INTRODUCTION: I am a motorcycle repairman, artist, fabricator, machinist, welder, bender, fitter, eater, lover, fighter, I live in eastern denial. A man sought to see the Dali Lama he climbed the mountain to find he must spend 5 years in contemplation before he can see the Dali Lama, after 5 years past the man was taken to see the Dali Lama he asked him "what is the meaning of life?" the Dali Lama looked at the man, smiled and said "well my son, life is like a bean stalk, isnt it?"
Re: Learn to weld
Spend the money and go to the local college, you will learn more faster and you will learn the right way and how to tell difference between good and bad.
-
rakeNtrail
- Lurker
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2011 11:28 am
- SELF INTRODUCTION: Just a grumpy old welder/chopperhedd Spent far too much time burning wire for a living but hey, one does have to pay the bills ya know! Worked shipyards and fab shops welding about everything stick, mig, tig and sub-arc. Both hand held and automated. Worked weekends in a Honda shop in the late 70's and in an all bike shop in the late 80's thru early 90's. Likes? Choppers, rock-N-roll, NRA and boobies! Dislikes? PC, VD, AARP & NAACP I'm pro business and totally against big government interfering in our daily lives. Live free or die baby and you'll have to pry it from my cold dead hands. Do love little children and puppies though. Both of them can turn me into a 300lb. old softie!
- Location: North By God Carolina
Re: Learn to weld
That's not always true. I've seen some guys who graduated from both beginners and intermediate welding courses at local community colleges thatriceburner wrote:Spend the money and go to the local college, you will learn more faster and you will learn the right way and how to tell difference between good and bad.
couldn't pass a simple 3G short arc mig test if their life depended on it. Hell some of the instructors probably couldn't pass one either.
some continuing education programs are simply money makers for the college and they could care less if you really learn anything. Very few
community college welding students ever passed the welding school at the shipyard.
-
BigBoy
- NewB
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 1:17 am
- SELF INTRODUCTION: 33 Yr old Mrine Veteran. I ride a 2000 FXDX. From the great country of Texas. I was a member of the prevoius chopper builders Handbook forum. I also have purchased the chopper builders handbook dvd. I am looking to build a new frame or two for my Twin Cam A motor and trans.
- Location: Great Country of Texas
Re: Learn to weld
damn good site. thanks for posting.
triker_chewie wrote:http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/ is how i learned!
his youtube channel is ace.
the course would be money well spent. the car would be a waste of money
-
riceburner
- NewB
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2011 8:49 pm
- SELF INTRODUCTION: I am a motorcycle repairman, artist, fabricator, machinist, welder, bender, fitter, eater, lover, fighter, I live in eastern denial. A man sought to see the Dali Lama he climbed the mountain to find he must spend 5 years in contemplation before he can see the Dali Lama, after 5 years past the man was taken to see the Dali Lama he asked him "what is the meaning of life?" the Dali Lama looked at the man, smiled and said "well my son, life is like a bean stalk, isnt it?"
Re: Learn to weld
Do your homework on the programs and instructors at the school that you are looking at.rakeNtrail wrote:That's not always true. I've seen some guys who graduated from both beginners and intermediate welding courses at local community colleges thatriceburner wrote:Spend the money and go to the local college, you will learn more faster and you will learn the right way and how to tell difference between good and bad.
couldn't pass a simple 3G short arc mig test if their life depended on it. Hell some of the instructors probably couldn't pass one either.
some continuing education programs are simply money makers for the college and they could care less if you really learn anything. Very few
community college welding students ever passed the welding school at the shipyard.
NOW - if you take classes will that automatically make you a welder? no. Any welding class will only prepare you to go into the world as a beginner that knows basic skills, I say go get the basics with some instruction that will help keep you pointed in the right direction.
BUT - what makes a good welder is practice, practice, practice