JLP
Member
- Messages
- 253
- Location
- Beds - UK
As I have now posted elsewhere on the forum and only just found the intros section I thought I should write one!
My names Jonny, I have been welding for approximately 7-8 years now and do it as my full time job. I started out with an apprenticeship at a local educational establishment and turned my hand at machining and welding. They had me bench welding sheet metal for a few months with an ancient BOC TIG welder (best welder I have ever used, such an amazing power curve to it) until I had grasped the concept. I was then shown how to stick weld and MIG weld, both of which came to me very easily due to how I had been taught to TIG weld. My colleague who taught me was amazing and really was the fountain of all welding knowledge, a real old school guy, whom I still hold as the best welder I have met and I have met a fair few now.
So once a bit of time had passed and I knew what I was at they moved me into another department as part of the apprenticeship and I was shown pipe welding. Something that took a bit of adaptation of my skills, mainly as no foot pedal and awkward positions. But I did enjoy this.
After my apprenticeship finished I was offered a place at the company working on 3D printing via welding based processes. Here I worked on projects for a plethora of high profile companies in aerospace and defence and also worked to help students studying for MSc or phD qualifications, so I learnt a lot about the theory of welding. In my time I mainly focused on plasma welding of titanium alloys (Ti6Al4V) but also dabbled in steel and aluminium via MIG or CMT (cold metal transfer) processes. Through this role I aided in the production of the largest 3D printed component in the world.
Times began to change, the recession hit the business, people left, I lacked motivation through lack of enjoyment and ended up getting a job at a UHV (ultra high vacuum) company. Here I produced stainless and titanium components that went to the likes of NASA and CERN through TIG welding. I actually have some parts I have made now on the space station, which is a gut wrenching feeling. My main focus at this company though was producing valves for the semi-conductor industry the ones I produced mostly went to Samsung to fill their LED screens with gas.
The management here was terrible and the company looked like it was heading for bankruptcy, especially when they attempted to sell the company. So, that left me looking like I needed a new job so I started looking and eventually landed one with Mercedes making their F1 and hypercar engines. Here I produce battery packs for energy recovery systems and also the spark plugs via laser welding.
To be honest it is not the most enjoyable job I have done, heck its great for CV boosting and the prestige that comes with working at such a place but laser welding just doesn't have the same kicks as I get from TIG or MIG welding. As such I am beginning to turn my hobbyist garage setup into something more professional so I can start to run it as a proper (tax man aware) business. I intend on doing it as a side thing to begin with to see if my returns are good enough to go full time with it but I have a spare 40-50 hours if I ignore the missus for a couple evenings a week at present due to her working commitments.
I know that was a long ass post, but any questions feel free to ask I have a wide variety of knowledge in welding. However I don't know everything so may be useless!
My names Jonny, I have been welding for approximately 7-8 years now and do it as my full time job. I started out with an apprenticeship at a local educational establishment and turned my hand at machining and welding. They had me bench welding sheet metal for a few months with an ancient BOC TIG welder (best welder I have ever used, such an amazing power curve to it) until I had grasped the concept. I was then shown how to stick weld and MIG weld, both of which came to me very easily due to how I had been taught to TIG weld. My colleague who taught me was amazing and really was the fountain of all welding knowledge, a real old school guy, whom I still hold as the best welder I have met and I have met a fair few now.
So once a bit of time had passed and I knew what I was at they moved me into another department as part of the apprenticeship and I was shown pipe welding. Something that took a bit of adaptation of my skills, mainly as no foot pedal and awkward positions. But I did enjoy this.
After my apprenticeship finished I was offered a place at the company working on 3D printing via welding based processes. Here I worked on projects for a plethora of high profile companies in aerospace and defence and also worked to help students studying for MSc or phD qualifications, so I learnt a lot about the theory of welding. In my time I mainly focused on plasma welding of titanium alloys (Ti6Al4V) but also dabbled in steel and aluminium via MIG or CMT (cold metal transfer) processes. Through this role I aided in the production of the largest 3D printed component in the world.
Times began to change, the recession hit the business, people left, I lacked motivation through lack of enjoyment and ended up getting a job at a UHV (ultra high vacuum) company. Here I produced stainless and titanium components that went to the likes of NASA and CERN through TIG welding. I actually have some parts I have made now on the space station, which is a gut wrenching feeling. My main focus at this company though was producing valves for the semi-conductor industry the ones I produced mostly went to Samsung to fill their LED screens with gas.
The management here was terrible and the company looked like it was heading for bankruptcy, especially when they attempted to sell the company. So, that left me looking like I needed a new job so I started looking and eventually landed one with Mercedes making their F1 and hypercar engines. Here I produce battery packs for energy recovery systems and also the spark plugs via laser welding.
To be honest it is not the most enjoyable job I have done, heck its great for CV boosting and the prestige that comes with working at such a place but laser welding just doesn't have the same kicks as I get from TIG or MIG welding. As such I am beginning to turn my hobbyist garage setup into something more professional so I can start to run it as a proper (tax man aware) business. I intend on doing it as a side thing to begin with to see if my returns are good enough to go full time with it but I have a spare 40-50 hours if I ignore the missus for a couple evenings a week at present due to her working commitments.
I know that was a long ass post, but any questions feel free to ask I have a wide variety of knowledge in welding. However I don't know everything so may be useless!