Hi, I'm looking to learn to weld to a safe and competent level, mostly automotive, but I might want to try and get in touch with my creative side at some point too.
So far I have a small Clarke 109E MIG welder that I brought a few years ago that I have used to patch up a couple of motorcycle exhausts, and some other small repairs that have come up over the years. I also picked up a new Clarke stick welder a couple of months ago for next to nothing, but not had much chance to use it yet. I gained a basic knowledge of welding from youtube, and this website (Thanks! ), but I still very much consider myself a novice.
At the moment I don't have plans to become a full time welder, but I would like to be able to competently and confidently take on work here and there, and start my own projects.
Are City & Guilds qualifications the best place to start? Level 1 would be 3 hours 1 day a week which I think runs for 10 weeks, and I think about the same for level 2 & 3. Each level of the course costs £680 and I would want to at least do the first 2 levels. Worthwhile? The alternative options that I have found are a 1 day course (£150), distance learning (£?), or go to college full time for a year or 2 (£630py) but is probably a bit unrealistic really.
Thanks
So far I have a small Clarke 109E MIG welder that I brought a few years ago that I have used to patch up a couple of motorcycle exhausts, and some other small repairs that have come up over the years. I also picked up a new Clarke stick welder a couple of months ago for next to nothing, but not had much chance to use it yet. I gained a basic knowledge of welding from youtube, and this website (Thanks! ), but I still very much consider myself a novice.
At the moment I don't have plans to become a full time welder, but I would like to be able to competently and confidently take on work here and there, and start my own projects.
Are City & Guilds qualifications the best place to start? Level 1 would be 3 hours 1 day a week which I think runs for 10 weeks, and I think about the same for level 2 & 3. Each level of the course costs £680 and I would want to at least do the first 2 levels. Worthwhile? The alternative options that I have found are a 1 day course (£150), distance learning (£?), or go to college full time for a year or 2 (£630py) but is probably a bit unrealistic really.
Thanks