hi, new to welding

[Anthony]

hello all. im 16 and new to welding. ive been considering becomming a welder for my career. i was just wondering if anyone could post to me some beginner tips and ways to make good welds. im going to buy a welding machine. ive only used a MIG so far. so any advice on what kind to get would be nice.

post any questions and ill try to get back to you tomorrow.

sorry for poor grammar. im really tired.

[Ultrachop]

Anthony,

Welcome to the Forum! Your question is pretty wide open. You say you have run some wire from Mig gun? Do you have one? Do you have access to one? I am assuming you are still in school? If so if your school has a shop class that includes welding that would be a good place to start. If not you might try a CC class. I would highly recommend you get some basic instruction from a qualified "weldor/instructor" This will give you knowledge of the various manually run equipment, metallurgy and as well metal prep for welding. there are many different welding processes and equipment, each having a specific purpose and application.

If you have Money to spend and a place to practice (safely) you can't go wrong with a O/A setup and a basic AC/DC Stick welder, some basic power tools, clamps and a Steel table to work on.

You can find a wealth of information on this and other welding sites and learn a lot from the threads. (nothing will teach you except practice with the the machines.

Best of success,

Tim

[SultanaMidnight]

Hello Anthony....as far as advise with MIG, I guess the best advise I have is always push and only pull as a last resort. One thing I did alot when I first start MIG was I would place my wire too close to my work piece and the wire would melt off and get stuck on the tip. Then of coarse being a novice I would press the trigger over and over again until I got a "bird's nest". So I would suppose I would advise you to study how MIG machines work as much as possible because with all the parts to a wire feed can make you job more complex then the actual welding part.

[Bodybagger]

My recommendations to you are as follows:

DO-Get a 240V MIG machine and run E71T gasless flux core. Get the kit for running .045" wire.

DO NOT-Get a 120V machine.

DO-Get the Lincoln Power MIG 180 if you have the money - it has 2 drive wheels.

DO NOT-get the Lincoln Pro-Mig 180 or Weld-Pak... If you can afford that you are VERY CLOSE to having enough money to get the dual drive wheel version. The frustration of wire slippage and birdnesting are not worth the small amount of money you will save

DO-Start with flux core and then learning stick will come much easier.

DO-Test your welds by bending them backwards against the root

DO NOT-weld anything that could hurt someone or cause property damage if it were to fail. Examples are - vehicles, trailers, airplanes, overhead lifting equipment, and pressure vessels such as air compressor tanks and hydraulic components.

DO-have an experienced professional do those jobs until you really understand the whole picture (metallurgy, mechanics of materials, fatigue, procedures)

DO NOT-become a smarta$$ after day 2 of being on the welding forums. You said you're 16 and most of us have been 16 and we realize (in retrospect) how much we had to learn.

DO-take the college prep math courses. Algebra I and II, Geometry, Trigonometry, Precalculus, AP Calculus - NO MATTER HOW BAD YOU THINK YOU ARE AT MATH OR HOW MUCH YOU THINK YOU HATE IT. When I entered high school, I could not multiply 4x5. No one ever taught me any math at primary level. I decided to take charge of my future. In one semester of tutoring every day, I made up for lost time and entered college prep math second semester. Got into Calculus in college... Pi Mu Epsilon... and minored in mathematics through engineering school. Not everybody has to go that far... I'm just saying that you CAN make up for lost time if you try.

DO NOT-be fooled into thinking you don't use mathematics in the real world. This fool's notion WILL limit your options in life.

DO-Practice and pay attention to credible literature. What's credible? Well, only wisdom will show you, but AWS is a good start.

DO NOT-rely on others to do your work or your thinking for you.

DO NOT-ever steal a man's tools.

DO NOT-ever steal a man's tools.

DO NOT-ever steal a man's tools. This could shorten your lifespan dramatically.

DO-be honest and humble even if it costs you. Admit when you are wrong. Stand up for yourself when you are right (and you can support your position with reputable information). Your name- your reputation - your honor - is worth more than any bribe, kickback, or loot in the world. At your age, you'll begin making a name for yourself soon. Do the right thing.

DO-take NIGHT welding classes. At your age, they should be free. Though you'll be excited about it, don't slack off in your other classes. Your "career training" is ALL of your education. Not just this part. You can lay down the finest bead in town, but if you can't add, you'll never even figure out why you don't make more money.

DO-continue your education - in welding as well as the sciences and humanities. Proverbs 23:12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

[Ultrachop]

Bodybagger,

Very good advice and well said!! The Last suggestion was the best and the text for it will cover all the basics
"B"asic "I"structions "B"ook "L"eaving "E"arth!

Tim

[fjk]

One Strong Agreement with Bodybagger's advice, one quibble, and one
addition...

The Strong Agreement; education is a good thing. You can never be
too educated. The reverse is not true however. Education is not only
"knowing stuff" but it's also knowing how to know new stuff... Over
the next 50 years, the world will change dramatically. If you can't
adapt and change, you will lose.

The quibble -- getting a 240v machine is not a MUST. 120v machines
have limitations, but within their limitations they are ok. They also
can be cheaper (most 16yr olds are on a tight budget). Learn about
those limitations and make an educated decision (remember that
point about education?). That said, if you can, go with the bigger
machine.

The addition -- Always Safety First -- not just in what you weld
(no trailers, etc, until you get the experience) but in how you
go about doing things. Always wear eye protection, watch
out for bystanders, handle gas cylinders with care, and so on.

Frank

[J hall]

My advise would be to become proficient with Oxy Acet before moving to arc processes.

Oxy acet will teach you how to watch and control the puddle, and how the metal reacts to heat, etc.


AND, if someone calls you out for a mistake made, don't take it as a personal insult. Take it as someone offering their time and experiance to help you.

[Ultrachop]

It would be interesting to see how many HS and CC and private TS classes still teach OA as a bases for "all" other welding processes (aside from maybe plastics) I enrolled in a local community college class (did not continue it) and was excited to see a large lab designed for the teaching of OA, a "huge" state of the art gas storage and mixing system was obvious. This was the first day of class so I listened to the orientation, explanation of the class syllabus, and then was given the tour of the classroom and lab facility. I was disappointed As an ole man with a lot of experience in OA I was saddened to hear the "professor" explain away the use of the OA torch as welding process and that it was no longer "taught" or used except for cutting and heating. This was unfortunate.

Perhaps one of you computer guys could start a poll on the subject?

Thanks,

Tim

[fjk]

It would be interesting to see how many HS and CC and private TS classes still teach OA as a bases for "all" other welding processes

The adult-ed course that I took a couple of years ago taught O/A
to start. We were not rigorous or formal enough for it to be taught
as the "basis for all other welding processes". I liked it; I felt that
I could control the heat separately from the filler metal which I
thought was kind of cool. The only thing I didn't like about it was that
it sometimes needs too many hands -- one for the torch, one for the
filler, one to hold the pieces together...

The course was taught in a local vo-tech high school and they also
teach O/A in their regular program. I have no idea whether it's
"here's yet another welding process" or "here's a process on which
you can build all your other skills".

Frank

[UpperCanadaTree]

Welcome to the forum Anthony. I would recommend putting your location into your profile. You never know who's just around the corner from your house and can give you some first hand help.

P.S. At our local CC, You have to take the Basic Welding course before taking any other welding classes (mig, tig, stick) and Oxy Fuel welding is the first thing that you have to learn in the basic class.

[nfinch86]

I think Anthony went Bye- Bye's, He Disappeared ???

...............Norm

[Anthony]

back

thanks for all the info. i cudent get to a computer for a while. and im in grapevine TX to whoever said i shud post my location.

[Craig in Denver]

thanks for all the info. i cudent get to a computer for a while. and im in grapevine TX to whoever said i shud post my location.

What he meant was: go to the upper left side of the page, to User CP, and fill in your location there. That way it will show up on all your posts; where mine says Colorado.

[patrick]

new to welding

hi anthony welcome to the HOT world of melted metal
you have already gotten some Great advice. LISTEN to them. they have been there and done that and hopefully gotten paid for it ( that is the good part)
I was a little ahead of you at a point in time (14 )and bought my first welder and have not regretted it since ( 62 now).I was self taught with the help of a few GOOD welders that were willing to spend their time trying to teach a dumb kid and i will always be gratefull to them.now to shorten my bs and get to the point at 58 i enrolled in a CC welding course to fill some time and did i get lucky.I am a much better real welder now.i will highly recomend you talk to these people. they are in your area as i am. just a little north.
Grayson County College
Alan McAdams
welding technology professor
email [email protected]
CELL(903)271-0722
anthony give him a call or mail you will be glad you did he is as good as it gets tell him pat sent you/my mail is reederrd @ aol .com tel/fax 9037865888
good luck
pat from tx

[patrick]

new to welding trying again

anthony
please try
Grayson County College
Allan McAdams (the best of the best)
(he has the asw stamp and can cert. you)
welding technology professor
email:[email protected]
Cell(903)271-0722 (who else gives you his cell #)
he will answer all your questions/tell him pat said to call
the school is cheep and has all the machines to play with and not that far north
call or mail me for info or help
mail reederrd @aol.com
tel /fax 9037865888
luck pat from tx