Query on Welding Course (well, 1 day!)

[robtheplod]

Hi all
As a newbie welder I am keen to go on a course to learn the tips and tricks etc... I've signed up for a one day beginners course for £70. I've just had the itnery through and the day is split into three - Oxy Acetylene, Manual Metal Arc and MIG/MAG. As I'm learning MIG welding, would this have enough to warrant me going do you all think - can I gain anything useful from the other bits???

 

[Paul.]

Its a lot to pack into a day, but oxy acetylene welding is a good way for beginners to get used to melting metal, by comparison to mig or mma its like welding in slow motion,

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

it'd also help if you later went onto TIG, as I understand it the method is similar in that you feed a rod into the weld pool as you move along.

However it'll be pushing it to learn any of the three methods from scratch in a day.

One day each would be more of a course!

Regards
Peter

 

[robtheplod]

that's my worry in that i'd probably end up not really leaning anything!

 

[Barney1973]

There is a 1 night a week course that covers MIG/MAG,MMA and Oxy/Actylene welding,i took it myself many,many years ago and you end up with a City and Guilds certificate.As far as i know the course is still active and is probably a better bet than just 1 day.You can sign up for as many terms as you like and it gives you a better understanding of welding processes.

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

that's my worry in that i'd probably end up not really leaning anything!

well, don't let us put you off, you'd learn /something/ but you'd maybe also learn some bits that aren't currently much use to you.

If you had, say, two hours in MIG, you'd get the basic idea and then it'd be down to practicing to get better. The arc and OA stuff would be mostly useless, and the same would apply if you really wanted to just learn one of the others.

For that sort of money you may be better off finding someone locally who can give you six or so hours playing on their kit with a bit of training thrown in. You'd get 'targetted' training that way.

Regards
Peter

 

[robtheplod]

....for £70 I think I might not go and practice more myself - not keen on paying to learn things I did'nt really need to know...

Pity as courses on welding this way seem very few..

£70 would buy me a mini wing anyway!!

 

[irondarren]

The local college around here runs welding courses. They are on one form of welding, resulting in a City and Guilds part 1, and a follow on course part 2. 9 weeks each part course and about £150. far more useful if you ask me

 

[Rubber Duck]

I did a one day welding course here in Dorset, it covered MIG ARC and GAS. I'm not too bad with ARC so I asked if I could just cover MIG and GAS.

Was told that wouldn't be a problem at all. I took my own welder and got shown how to set it up properly for thin metal and thick.

The course was very informative and gave me the confidence to practice practice practice.

I would say phone them and ask if you can tailor the course for your needs I'm sure they'll sort you out if they are worth their salt.

 

[Amit]

I doubt you will learn anything you couldnt pick up by messing around and asking questions here.

All they will show you is how to setup a welder.. and then will let you practice welding on some scrap laying catapillars.. worms.. or what ever you want to call them.

Amit

 

[excossack]

I enrolled at the local college for a 12 week evening course. I had the choice of, TIG.MIG or MMA. I went for Mig as i have one.£180 for the course. The tutors are all good, with plenty to offer. Scraps of metal to play with.
They show you various welds and leave you to get on with it and practice away.
The course is a C&G Level 1. Hopefully it will be well worth it. Ive certainly learnt more in the class environment than i have on my own in the shed.

 

[Mad Mick]

Hi Rob,£70 for one day is ott,suggest you would be better off putting cash towards a longer course because you will pick up next to nothing in a day ,there is too much to take in.I spent about 8 years on C&G evening classes and have worked as a welder for longer than I care to think about,and even now I come across loads of stuff that I'm unfamiliar with and have to work out for myself.The thing is that the more time you spend at college,the better your personal fund of knowledge becomes and the better able you are to sort out welding & fabrication conundrums when you come up against them.I hope this helps,good luck,Mick.

 

[zardoz]

I enrolled at the local college for a 12 week evening course. I had the choice of, TIG.MIG or MMA. I went for Mig as i have one.£180 for the course. The tutors are all good, with plenty to offer. Scraps of metal to play with.
They show you various welds and leave you to get on with it and practice away.
The course is a C&G Level 1. Hopefully it will be well worth it. Ive certainly learnt more in the class environment than i have on my own in the shed.

Thats sounds like the same course i do at Capenhurst, exccept at level 2 C&G on a Tuesday evening, with Alf as the tutor. Man that guy could weld blindfold in MIG, TIG, Arc and Oxy. I have got to know him quite well over the last 3 years. Were lucky to have him as a tutor, especially as he lets you work on your own projects, as long as your exam work has been completed.

This type of evening class is far prefferable to any one day course, so if anyone can i recommend a night class instead of a single day "crammer"

 

[gavuk]

Wiltshire college run a beginners course for 9 and 10 weeks ,covers gas welding/cutting ,arc ,tig,and mig,2hours a night ,£94 for 9weeks and £104 for 10weeks+£15 1 off payment ,better value than a 1 day £70 course if you can attend every lesson ,still think the gas should be optional as most of the places i've worked gas welding isn't used ,although it is interesting .......Gav

 

[excossack]

Im doing level 1 on a Thursday at Capenhurst! Weve got Brian and some other bloke who i cant remember. Last week was T Fillet welds?

 

[robtheplod]

I have tried to find a good course but can't seem to see any around these parts (Norfolk). That one day course was all I could find. Anyway, cancelled it and decided to practice more...

 

[excossack]

Dont know if you've seen this link or not
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/courses.htm

 

[robtheplod]

Dont know if you've seen this link or not
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/courses.htm

i have yes. the course in norwich is the one day one. Nearest college is lowestoft, over 40 miles away.. ;-(

Seems crazy no college in Norwich city does anything useful...

 

[flazz]

FAO irondarren

Are Central Sussex College still doing the c&g welding courses?
I applied for the level 1 course in August 2008, but was told I was put on the waiting list - I've heard no more since. Are there that many people wanting the course? Do you know anything about Arun Welding - the website says they offer courses?
Thanks,
Andy.

 

[stevenheley]

I've been doing an evening course at Gateshead Automotive College, in ermm Gateshead. It's a top notch place, well recommended. Even though i'm only doing this for a hobby they still take my interest very seriously.

I've attached a couple of pictures of the verticle mig welding i've been doing there. The teachers there would kill me if they knew i couldn't remember what the joints are called!..

The one with the 2 pieces bent was tested to see if it snapped.

http://www.gateshead.ac.uk/document.asp?id=303