Tuition or get stuck in?

[mattbridges]

Hi there

My question to all the experienced welders out there is this:

Sould I spend 400+ quid on evening classes on Mig and Tig welding, or should I just spend it on welding equipment and a good starter book for amateurs and get stuck in? The problem is that I can't afford to do both.

I work as a cabinetmaker, so I'm pretty good with my hands and have already tried arc welding (stick welding) - not that I'm saying MIG welding is easy, I'd just like to know if it's something you can teach yourself or not.

Any advice would be fantastic

Matt

 

[Hitch]

There has been plenty of people that have taught themselves to a reasonable standard by this forum alone.
A college course would also give you a bit more of the safety side of things, and theory behind the practical side.

A good option might be to get some half decent kit, and try and find someone to help you with the initial setup, trouble shooting etc. Malcolm, the guy who runs the forum, was thinking about offering such a service, although hes in Beds.

 

[mattbridges]

Thanks Hitch

Could you recommend a good starter kit for under 400 quid, once I've got the hang of it it will only be used occaisionaly - once a month maybe.

Do you know of any good books that can get me going?

 

[malcolm]

Indeed I could help with MIG for a fair bit less than £400, but I'm learning TIG myself so wouldn't be able to provide anything worth the petrol money on that front.

I've tested out the MIG tutorials by letting friends learn on my own equipment (portamig 181 and argoshield-light gas). I point to the welder and point to the computer in the garage and let them get on with it. The ones with a general technical ability have done well.

MIG is way easier than arc, so if you made that work I'd be inclined to suggest spending the money on nice MIG equipment that makes life reaslly easy.

 

[mattbridges]

thanks Malcum, you'd be a bit far for me anyway! - I meant a MIG welder and all the bits for 400 quid, anything you'd recommend?

 

[bush]

Having had similar thoughts to you I ended up buying the best gear I could afford, read the tutorials and practised. If you are good with your hands and can feel/see how to do things you will not need lessons (for none critical stuff). I've welded up some fencing and a few other bits, paid for the equipment anyway! You will only need lessons if you get technical.

 

[chunkolini]

I'd go
with Hitch on that one. If you have some experience of welding and are good with your hands you can teach yourself to mig weld.



It will drive you crazy, you will want to sling the welder in the canal, then suddenly it starts to make sense, once you reach that state you are in the lead.

i did a 10 week gas welding course and loved it, bought the kit and got better at it, then bought a Mig welder never having even seen one before, a week later it was going in the canal. Then I laid bead of weld. I had a note book with all my settings for very single job, refound it recently, My how serious i was, but I got it in the end.

Starter kits? buy a Clarke 150 amp mig welder, an auto dark helmet, big pair of gauntlets, flame retardent overall and there is your £400 gone. Dont waste money using disposable bottles of gas 10,000 times the price per volume of gas if I remember right, at least so many noughts that it ceases to matter. Budget for a regulator as well.

Top tip1, find a mate who can Mig weld at least a bit and have a taster session from them, that will set you up nicely.
Top tip 2, have pile of spare tips for the welder when you start, you will need them.
top tip 3, never ever offer to weld up an exhaust pipe as a favour, you will become a favour victim.

Books? welding and Brazing by Derek Pritchard is a good starter, or the Haynes manual of Welding, then again there is only so much you can learn from books.

Practice, practice practice and keep a record of it all. Oh, and come here for advice.

Another thought, a cabinet maker? dodgy game that.Cock it up and it stays cocked up; working in steel you can lop/grind it off and do it again.

Good luck
Chunko'.

 

[Steve333]

Hi Matt

I couldn't find a welding course near enough to me, so ended up having a go myself, with an afternoon's tuition from a friend who had done some MIG in the past.

I can strongly recommend the following book:

Farm and Workshop Welding

Well worth the £14, just for the photos alone.

I was originally put off this book as it covers loads of different topics (ARC, MIG, Gas welding/cutting, TIG, plasma cutting, soldering, plastic welding, basic blacksmithing), but the MIG section is comprehensive enough to get you started. It has also made me really want loads of other toys as well!

Practice on some scrap until you've got a vague idea, then get started on some non-structural, non-safety-related projects. Start with mild steel over 2mm thick - 1mm is too easy to blow through until you get the hang of it (still waiting...)

I bought the MIG welder to repair a motorbike frame - I was sensible enough to let my mate who knows what he's doing do that weld for me.

First personal project was some brackets for my sidecar screen - not pretty, but neither is the sidecar, and they look OK once hammerited.

I think next project will be a stand for my MIG welder, to get it off the garage floor, hopefully to reduce the damp getting to it.

 

[mattbridges]

Some great advice there guys. I'll go with the clarke welder and see what happens. Luckily the canal is too far away to make it worth the trip!

I'll keep you posted with my progress.

Thanks again

Matt

 

[Rivertest]

Matt,

I'm new to MIG and bought the Clarke 160TM. Difference between the 150 and 160 being a gas bottle holder and wheels I believe. Guys on the forum recommended weldequip, he can supply everything you need at a good price plus hes there to ask questions if you need to. Drop him a private message when you've decided what you want and he'll quote you.

The auto mask is a must, like you I'd done a little arc and gas, and I mean a little, and have picked MIG up ok, can put metal on metal anyways

My advice, for what its worth, is if you can't afford both, go with the gear and not the course. Happy to share my gas, power and wire speed settings with you to get you started.

BTW the tutorials are brilliant, follow them to the letter and you wont go far wrong.

RT

 

[Coo]

If you're unsure of any of your welds....take a pic and bung them up on this forum to get advice.....or read other peoples 'How am I doing' threads