Learning to weld from the tutorials

[Rich.C]

Fellas, would like to hear your success stories about learning from Malc's very helpful tutorials on here.

There does not seem to be any part time College welding courses around Northants any more, so it looks like being a case of trial and a lot of error

Have just got hold of a welder and one of Steve's new masks will be arriving shortly so there will be no excuses then.

Anyway I guess putting some pics on here soon will give everyone a good laugh

Cheers,

Rich.

 

[shenion]

Read the tutorial, they are good.

I struggled with it until I carefully listened to the wire speed video. Then had a good feel for what was right. I was under the impression that the wire should not really touch the weld pool, so I used a too slow speed.

Heh, there have been some horrid, chicken-poop picts of newbie welds. Don't be shy, we were all there at one point

MIG is real easy. Like all welding it is getting to know what a good weld looks, sounds and feels like.

Managing the weld pool is another factor. The term "laying a bead" is good analogy. It is like using a caulk gun, too slow and you get big globs, too fast and it is erratic.

Also check utube and search for MIG welding, some good tutorials there, but the one here. There is also Miller's site: http://millerwelds.com/resources/improving-your-skills/mig/ There is a good "Guidelines for MIG welding" and troubleshooting guide.

 

[steve202]

I have enjoyed the tutorials immensely. Been welding for a while but my technique was just eye-openingly awful! I now understand about the weldpool and how torch direction effects things. The settings thing is great too, but infortunately I dont have the equipment at the mo to take advantage of it. (auto speed).
Now when welding I take the time to think about what is happening instead of just getting on with it. I have really got 'into' welding recently since finding this site which coincided with me getting a crap new welder. I try not to get in the way and pillage the knowledge of those clever blokes here. HA!

 

[Stuggi]

Yeah, these tutorials are the best I've found, and they've really improved my welding. I have really great equipment for a beginner (not all guys gets to start out on a shop-class welder), but these tutorials improved my technique very much, and I'm now just starting to appriciate the great MIG-welder I have, and to do it justice! I'm just sad there's "so few" of the tutorials, I want to read more!

 

[malcolm]

Glad the tutorials have been helpful. They were the first bit on the website, but once the forum got going they were altered substantially. Forums where all the real info is - tutorials are a compressed version with more photos.

 

[Smiffy]

I'm new to this game

Hi folks
Hoping to get going soon with a MIG to fix up a rusty old Austin A35. Have not welded for years (did a bit of arc as a student) and have found the tutorial really useful. Difficult to find welding courses here in Hampshire, as there are too few folk registering to make them viable. Guess I'll have to buy a machine and make a start

 

[HasBean]

Same here, did an evening class about 7 or 8 years ago but they stopped running them shortly after
Found the tutorial, especially the video, really useful. To be honest the mig would still just an ornament if I hadn't found this site.