beginner advice

[beakie]

Sorry to interupt this area, if this is the wrong place to ask this.
I tried a search, not a lot comes up for 'learning to weld' or 'beginner welder'
I want to learn how to weld, I am as newbie as it gets. Other than spot welding using a machine at one job I had years ago I can't even say I took it in high school, wishing I had now tho.
I am moving into a house with a nice garage, and would like to start making my own bumpers, rock sliders and such. Granted this is not an over night skill I know that, but other than tech schools (none in area) what can I do to hone my skills so I can fab things months from now?
This is the arc welder I am looking at,

Lincoln AC-225 GLM Arc Welder (seen it from $275-$370)

If you have any advice, thoughts, websites or anything you feel would be helpful please let me know.

thanks in advance.

 

[Slip Kid]

find a good book, there's a lot of them. Textbooks are a good bet, if you can find a used college bookstore. A book will tell you how to set your welder for what you want to do, tell you basic tecnique and most give pictures of good welds, and pics of crappy welds to tell you what you're doing wrong. Having taken 6 welding classes, I can tell you, that once you learn how to set the machine, the only way to get good is to get a bunch of scrap steel and practice. If you know anyone who can weld, watch them work. start out just running beads across a piece of 1/4", then move on to butt joints, lap, tee, corner.... once you get a consistant bead, check your book, or show them to a good welder and find out how to make them better/dial the machine better.

That stick welder will be good for making bumpers and stuff. Stick is my least-studied area, but I think we used 6013 and 7018 rods in class, a book will tell you applications or different rods, and the differences are easy to see when using different rods as well. if you plan on doing body work, or other thin materials, consider a mig, its more versitile. Mig also dosn't leave slag to clean off. if you get a mig, definatly get the gas kit, because flux-core wire sucks IMO. TIG is fun, and gets awesome welds, but its expensive, harder to learn and slow. However you can weld basically anything weldable with a TIG. I wish I had one, by far my favorite :laugh3: I considered all of the above, and ended up with an oxy-acetyline torch. why? because I can cut with it, weld pretty much any size steel, and its just fun for me since its a similar tequniqe to TIG.

I don't have much to offer as far as advice on what home machine to buy, since we used huge, expensive welders in class. We used all Lincoln and Miller machines, and anyone will tell you that these are the best brands, either one is a good bet, and you'll be able to get them repaired or get parts easily. one thing to look at is duty cycle - this will tell you how long you can use it in a 10 minute period before you need to let it cool down. 10% is 1 minute, 100% can be used constantly. this is the main difference in the cheap machines and the big-buck ones.

If you have questions about how to weld, I'll be glad to offer up what I know or find out for you. I can dig up my books and texts if you'd like the names of them. if you can't find a class to take, a good book, and an experienced welder to critique your work are indespensible.

 

[53guy]

I really think a 110v Flux Core Mig is the easiest to learn how to weld on. You can start off with small, cheap peices of steel without burning through them or you can weld some pretty heavy duty stuff with them. I think they are way under rated, but easiest to work with. I'd learn Flux cored Mig first, then ARC and mix a bit of gas in after you've gotten those two down. Arc definately takes a bit of skill and unless you know what you're doing or have someone to show you what to do, you're gonna end up frustrated as hell. Not to mention, the video that comes with the Lincoln flux core welders is decent at showing a beginner how to start. Just my .02 hope it helps.

 

[beakie]

thanks too both of you.
I hadn't thought of books, I don't think that will be hard to track down here, however classes don't happen around here.
I can defintely talk to a welder at work (millitary guy so lots of knowledge roaming round work) and have my basic skills worked on and critiqued.

Slip Kid if you happen to have the names of your prefered books, or all of them that would be great so I know what to track down specifically.

thanks again

 

[Slip Kid]

thanks too both of you.
I hadn't thought of books, I don't think that will be hard to track down here, however classes don't happen around here.
I can defintely talk to a welder at work (millitary guy so lots of knowledge roaming round work) and have my basic skills worked on and critiqued.

Slip Kid if you happen to have the names of your prefered books, or all of them that would be great so I know what to track down specifically.

thanks again

here's another long answer to your question:

Probably the most complete book I've seen, is the text I used in my basic class, which covered all forms of welding. It's called "Welding: Principles and Practices" by Raymond J. Sacks. It's a really old book, with many revisons so it's up-to-date. It covers everything, gas welding/brazing, arc, TIG, MIG, and some specialties. Also covers some welding history. tons and tons of pictures! i found a new version of it on amazon.com, 1000+ pages, expensive - $90 US (thats what sucks about college)

If you want somthing cheaper and less in-depth, try the "Welder's Handbook" by Richard Finch. I havn't read the whole thing, but my dad told me it's pretty good. it also has plans for some simple projects to practice with. It dosn't have many pictures of good vs. bad welds, but it's definately worth the $12.89 amazon.com wants for it.


I recommend that you look into MIG welders. They're very easy to use, and make good clean welds. Flux core is cheaper and basically the same, minus the inert gas. Most flux-core machines have the option to add a gas-kit so it can be a true MIG welder as well. I've heard lots of people say they had good luck with 110v flux-core machines. Again, Lincoln or Miller are the best brands, but there are cheaper brands, I've heard Hobart is decent. 53Guy can probably tell you more about flux-core than I can.

If you decide to go MIG, I had an excellent textbook for that as well. "Gas Metal Arc Welding Handbook" by William H. Minnick. He also wrote a good TIG book (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Handbook). From looking on Amazon, he has a book about flux-core as well (Flux Cored Arc Welding Handbook), though I havn't read it. These books have probably the best illustrations of weld defects and how to fix them. Unfortunately, I can't find a stick welding book by this guy. these books are around $30 on amazon.com

Those are the books I've used, but there's many many more out there. So get on amazon, or go to a bookstore, and start reading. Most books will also help in choosing a welder. Your friends at work will be a great help to, choosing a machine, and setting it up. A good welder will be able to look at your work and tell you exactly how to make it better. once you start, keep with it, and don't get discouraged, because it takes making a lot of bad welds to finally get it right. I certainly started out making some seriously shitty welds, and I still do sometimes. :laugh: You should see me try to TIG aluminum - uke:

 

[old_man]

goto www.abebooks.com for the cheapest prices on books. The first book runs about $12 with shipping.

 

[Slip Kid]

Wow that makes me want to take more classes

 

[beakie]

dang, seems I have to come on here more often just to say thanks to you guys.
I will definitely look into the books.
now I have another question tho, in response to what you wrote.
If you advise getting a MIG welder to start, is that something I will be able to fabricate bumpers, rock sliders and such with, in time and with practice that is? I had thought an Arc was the way to go so, but I have been hearding now from you, and people at work, and others that a good MIG welder can tackle these tasks. I don't plan to go any thicker than 1/4", and had thought Arc would be more appropriate for this task. I am intrigued by the MIG idea tho, and in the future can add an Arc if I feel the need.
I expect to have (or add) a 220V outlet at the new house, but is a 110V ok to use?
getting very ancy about going and grabbing one soon. But it will be another 2 months before I am completely moved into the house, after moving in I am gone for a month on a course down east... argh. So this is something I can read up on for now, maybe practice at work a bit, and when I get back be ready to find and buy the one I want.
thanks again

 

[Slip Kid]

MIG can easily handle 1/4" steel. 220V will help if your worried about overloading it. my buddy has a 110V MIG and says he has to use it turned all the way up for big stuff, but it gets the job done. Right now I have a whole blown-up 4.0 sitting on a stand (made from 1/4") that he made with that welder, so I guess it penetrates fine. I however have never used a 110V welder. in school we used 220, and we even got to play with a 3-phase unit "spray arc" is just plain fun

definately look for that GMAW Handbook I mentioned. It has a chapter on auto-body welding, and yes, even a chapter called "Truck-Trailer and Off-Road Vehicle Welding Procedures" it talks about welding channel-to-tubing, tubing-to-plate, and stuff like that, which would be useful making bumpers.... and it's a textbook so it's well-organized.

 

[beakie]

well I am all set than, 2 months hence I will find and buy a 220V MIG welder and since I am tracking down that book I'll have lots of guidance to get me started.

thanks again, I'll leave you be on the subject now for a while, I think I have narrowed down what I want, time to learn from what I can use at work until I get my own.
really appreciate the advice and help

 

[bj-666]

if your realy gonna build bumpers and sliders invest in a good mig. they are by far the easiest to learn on. buy one that lets you operate it near a 100% duty cyclye. many of the smaller migs will work but arc stability and weld quality usually suffer when operatiing them at max output. the machine you pointed out is a ac stick welder will deff weld the bumpers and such buy takes some getting used to. rember to buy a machine that you can grow into and not be left wanting more in 6 months as you will with a small 110v mig.

 

[beakie]

if your realy gonna build bumpers and sliders invest in a good mig. they are by far the easiest to learn on. buy one that lets you operate it near a 100% duty cyclye. many of the smaller migs will work but arc stability and weld quality usually suffer when operatiing them at max output. the machine you pointed out is a ac stick welder will deff weld the bumpers and such buy takes some getting used to. rember to buy a machine that you can grow into and not be left wanting more in 6 months as you will with a small 110v mig.

yeah thats a good point, thats why I am going to go with the 220V MIG welder.
I will find a good one in my price range, I'll spend the extra on one thats worth it tho, and let the fun begin.

 

[woody]

Miller's Student Training Package is a great deal at $25 US

It's down at the bottom of the page in this link. The CD-ROMS are probably great too, but more $$$...

http://www.millerwelds.com/education/tools/