hello guys just passed a level 1 tig course looking to progess to level 2 on a night course basis dont work in the industry so got to make do at moment... the course will start september so before then im trying to get as much info as possible on the health and saftey side and some advice on the course itself before i take the leap dont want to pay and fail miserably. if anyone has done a level 1 and 2 would be good to hear the difference in the step up between levels anyways cheers for looking :-)
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Fazerruss
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Sorry can't help with your question but someone will be along soon to offer offer advice. I'm curious though as to where and how much the course you have completed cost you? I'm not in the industry and have no plans to be but I fancy doing night courses on welding/metal engineering in the future. You are only down the road from me, was it at the new Whitwood tech near asda by any chance?
hello fazerruss yes it was at the skills xchange 1 night a week 6pm till 9pm on multiple days course gets busy so get there early when you think to go into it
i paid the course in one hit and got a little discount for doing it was just over £700 25 weeks the discounttook it round £630hey richard we have pretty much done the basics or thats what i belive it to be 5 test peices butt weld tee fillet 90 degree tee fillet 45 degree straight beads and out side corner joint but all off theese at leval one are visual inspection only i know the level 2 requires stop start on all peices and one as a multi pass peice i think the next level is all clamped in mid air working vertical but im not 100% trying to get info so i can make something up at work to practice see if im at a level to have a go at the level 2 qualification doing it to try get into the industry have no experience upto doing the level one this year
hi
On level 2 they are far more critical of your work. I guess they think that you have level 1 you can understand and correct any issues you might have better, eg undercutting ect ect.
You will also machine cut through welds you have done and acid etch them to check for penetration. Welding dissimilar thickness's together. I also had to weld the end a short piece of tube to a flat plate of a different thickness. best thing is practice practice practice, at work or home or wherever you can.
On level 2 they are far more critical of your work. I guess they think that you have level 1 you can understand and correct any issues you might have better, eg undercutting ect ect.
You will also machine cut through welds you have done and acid etch them to check for penetration. Welding dissimilar thickness's together. I also had to weld the end a short piece of tube to a flat plate of a different thickness. best thing is practice practice practice, at work or home or wherever you can.
cheers for the input good to know an issue i will have is getting the time on a kit to get practice other than the hours at collage im going to struggle to get good amount of time to practice am i right in thinking its all clamped in the air ( other then the plate to pipe one at the end?) if its the case i think i can make something up at work and get odd bit of time in the workshop to have a bash to get better idea before the enrolement ini september.... also do companys accept city & guilds still or are the nvqs better thought of?
Richard.
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Sounds like your motoring through stuff pretty well. There is a lot to take in and it can be real in depth. The absolute basics are often the most difficult to master but once they become second nature the whole thing falls in to place. Arc length is key and should always be kept short to ensure good pool control,gas coverage and prevent the filler from melting across the arc before it's made it to the pool. Filler introduction should be consistent and the right amount is very important. Too little and you'll start cutting away at the edges, too much and you'll freeze the pool. Travel speed should be consistent and flowing. Too many times I've seen notchy travel (move,pause,move etc) its critical that been comfortable is your priority from the start. If your all twisted up and fingers and thumbs then consistency ain't gonna go well. No doubt you've got all this in hand as your moving up a level. Would be good to see some progress pics
Thanks Richard. Unfortunately not got any pictures at the moment I have binned all the progress work I was keeping and someone at work chopped a few for brackets They ain't broke yet haha... spoke to a guy who said when welding uphill there's something called a key hole that main thing is adding filler wire as you go to close it..
Richard.
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The "key hole" is only applicable on an open butt joint usually a root run. It's at the point where your burning through but still in control of the fill. If your producing a full penetration butt weld you should see the "key hole" just in front of the pool. It's a skill to keep it under control as a pause too long or a little under fill and you'll go straight through and lose it.
