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re: I want to learn to weld..
Posted on 5/15/24 at 5:44 pm to saintsfan1977
Posted on 5/15/24 at 5:44 pm to saintsfan1977
0
Posted on 5/15/24 at 5:48 pm to hwyman108
quote:
Cut it in half with a matabo or any grinder with some 4in cutting wheels. Fit it
This is the other thing about welding ^. You have to (obviously) be able to cut and fit the metal together before you can weld it.
Again, seems/is easy to a certain point but the better your fit is, the better your weld will be.
I’m talking stick welders.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 5:54 pm to WalkonQB
The prep work is key, especially with the first pass or root.
And more so with Heli Arc. You’ll damn sure know it if you didn’t clean right.
And more so with Heli Arc. You’ll damn sure know it if you didn’t clean right.
This post was edited on 5/15/24 at 5:57 pm
Posted on 5/15/24 at 6:01 pm to Pandy Fackler
quote:
I want to build a BBQ grill for kicks
This is easy actually. Tack welds.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 6:02 pm to Pandy Fackler
As someone who just taught myself a year ago. Yes. A couple videos and a couple hours of practice is fine for making things around the house if you’re already a little handy.
$100 135A flux core welder on Amazon is fine for most things you’d do. You’ll want a chop saw and I’m assuming you have an angle grinder.
My only newbie advice is do not get a cheap automatic helmet. Welding is super easy to learn only if you use the right settings and you can see what you are doing. The $50 self adjusting ones don’t always show the puddle too well.
$100 135A flux core welder on Amazon is fine for most things you’d do. You’ll want a chop saw and I’m assuming you have an angle grinder.
My only newbie advice is do not get a cheap automatic helmet. Welding is super easy to learn only if you use the right settings and you can see what you are doing. The $50 self adjusting ones don’t always show the puddle too well.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 6:12 pm to beerJeep
My podnuh taught himself to weld. He made a wok from a disc off a John Deere disc harrow. But he's handy with stuff like that. If I really wanted to learn to weld I would take a trade school class.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 6:13 pm to Pandy Fackler
Go take some ABC night classes and see how you like it.
The test that the most welders fail is the drug test.
The test that the most welders fail is the drug test.
This post was edited on 5/15/24 at 6:15 pm
Posted on 5/15/24 at 6:18 pm to Pandy Fackler
You want a mig welder for what you are wanting to do. Local vo-tech should have welding classes.
The instructor there should be able to tell you which welders right for your needs.
Hope you still get your lifestyle board.
The instructor there should be able to tell you which welders right for your needs.
Hope you still get your lifestyle board.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 6:20 pm to Obtuse1
quote:
Just so no one gets confused MIG, TIG, and stick all need shielding gas to work correctly. The shield gas in stick welding comes from the flux on the outside of the stick vaporizing. MIG and TIG (the IG stands for inert gas) get the shield gas from a separate tanked supply, usually CO2, Argon, or a mix of the two. If you use MIG or TIG wire without shield gas you will get a shitty looking weld that is almost certainly contaminated. What you are generally seeing when a person uses a MIG welder and no separate shielding gas supply is them using flux core wire. Flux core can be used in a MIG welder but is basically stick welding where the stick is replaced with feedable wire and the flux (which provides the shield gas) is on the inside versus the outside of a stick welding electrode.
What Obtuse says here ^. The flux/shielding gas creates the environment for a clean weld whether it comes from inside or outside of the stick/wire.
Edited to add- you weld in a “cloud” basically.
This post was edited on 5/15/24 at 6:21 pm
Posted on 5/15/24 at 6:27 pm to Pandy Fackler
Basically it’s one thing to weld stainless pipe overhead = big bucks.
It’s another thing to weld a grill together.
You can do this. Post pics when finished.
It’s another thing to weld a grill together.
You can do this. Post pics when finished.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 6:30 pm to Pandy Fackler
Ok I have read through this entire thread and there are a good many people in here that just like for others to read what they type because most of it is dead wrong.
If you are just wanting to build your own pit or just want to play around with welding find a friend that has a set up you can play around with. Have them teach you. For what you are wanting to do it will be easy for you to learn enough skills to do that. Make no mistake you will be disappointed, it absolutely will not look like a store bought pit.
If you don't have a friend and are dead set on buying your own set up you can get everything you need at Harbor Freight. Don't let anyone talk you into going and buying a Lincoln, Hobart, or Miller machine set up. This is professional level stuff and for what you want, why spend that kind of money. Plus, you might hate it ( this is why you try to find friend with a set up first )
LINK
Any of these will work, even the cheapest ones. You do not need a set up with a shielding gas. You can use a number of different wires in these, fluxcore and hardwire that do not require gas.
This is all the welding shield you will ever need. I see professionals use this. It is auto darkening which will freak you out your first time using it being as you are a novice. You can even put a cheater lens ( magnifying lens ) in if you wear glasses.
LINK
Also, do not listen to these guys telling you to buy a leather jacket, that is a waste of money.
This is the most you will ever need
LINK
In fact in your case I would just wear a button up denhim shirt and a set of these.
LINK
Remember you are not trying to be a pro, so why invest a ton of money.
Now if you legit wanting to really learn to seriously weld. Again if you have a friend who has the equipment, I would tell you to learn TIG first. That is the only process that can have a very large learning curve but if you learn it the rest are very very easy.
I have taught more welders than I can ever begin to remember. First thing I do is make them watch me for a period of time, then I turn them loose and tell them to do exactly what they watched me do. Then after awhile I will tell them to now take what you learned from me and adjust it for you. Everyone welds a little different and has their own techniques. I leave them with this, I can teach anyone to weld in a short period of time. What I cannot teach you is what to do when things go wrong and they absolutely will and you will only learn that with experience.
If you are just wanting to build your own pit or just want to play around with welding find a friend that has a set up you can play around with. Have them teach you. For what you are wanting to do it will be easy for you to learn enough skills to do that. Make no mistake you will be disappointed, it absolutely will not look like a store bought pit.
If you don't have a friend and are dead set on buying your own set up you can get everything you need at Harbor Freight. Don't let anyone talk you into going and buying a Lincoln, Hobart, or Miller machine set up. This is professional level stuff and for what you want, why spend that kind of money. Plus, you might hate it ( this is why you try to find friend with a set up first )
LINK
Any of these will work, even the cheapest ones. You do not need a set up with a shielding gas. You can use a number of different wires in these, fluxcore and hardwire that do not require gas.
This is all the welding shield you will ever need. I see professionals use this. It is auto darkening which will freak you out your first time using it being as you are a novice. You can even put a cheater lens ( magnifying lens ) in if you wear glasses.
LINK
Also, do not listen to these guys telling you to buy a leather jacket, that is a waste of money.
This is the most you will ever need
LINK
In fact in your case I would just wear a button up denhim shirt and a set of these.
LINK
Remember you are not trying to be a pro, so why invest a ton of money.
Now if you legit wanting to really learn to seriously weld. Again if you have a friend who has the equipment, I would tell you to learn TIG first. That is the only process that can have a very large learning curve but if you learn it the rest are very very easy.
I have taught more welders than I can ever begin to remember. First thing I do is make them watch me for a period of time, then I turn them loose and tell them to do exactly what they watched me do. Then after awhile I will tell them to now take what you learned from me and adjust it for you. Everyone welds a little different and has their own techniques. I leave them with this, I can teach anyone to weld in a short period of time. What I cannot teach you is what to do when things go wrong and they absolutely will and you will only learn that with experience.
This post was edited on 5/15/24 at 6:32 pm
Posted on 5/15/24 at 6:45 pm to Pandy Fackler
I like the idea of learning at a community college or somewhere you can learn about health and safety procedures in addition to doing things "right". I attended evening classes at a community college to learn stick and oxy/acetylene and glad I did.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 6:51 pm to Macfly
quote:
and oxy/acetylene
And to OP, here is another poster talking about cutting/fitting with an oxy/acetylene torch.
Granted, you can do the same with an angle grinder but the point is make sure your fit is good before welding.
Cut
Fit
Weld
Posted on 5/15/24 at 6:53 pm to Ponchy Tiger
I was an instructor for 8yrs myself. Some ppl could pick it up fairly quick as far as the basics and some never could.
You have to be extremely patience, watch the puddle and be able to see the puddle, carrying the metal to put down a consistent bead. Constantly adjusting your speed and and angle from over head to vert to flat welding a bell hole on a 45 degree angle. And that’s left and right handed also.
But that’s getting into some serious welding where everything is X-Rayed. Welding exotic metals etc… it takes yrs to master it.
You have to be extremely patience, watch the puddle and be able to see the puddle, carrying the metal to put down a consistent bead. Constantly adjusting your speed and and angle from over head to vert to flat welding a bell hole on a 45 degree angle. And that’s left and right handed also.
But that’s getting into some serious welding where everything is X-Rayed. Welding exotic metals etc… it takes yrs to master it.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 6:58 pm to hwyman108
quote:
be able to see the puddle,
This right here ^. Not easy to see a puddle through a welding mask.
It starts with being able to see the puddle.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 7:00 pm to hwyman108
And ultrasound was the word I was looking for.
As a structural steel erector our welds were inspected by ultrasound with a Vaseline like substance just like your wife’s belly.
As a structural steel erector our welds were inspected by ultrasound with a Vaseline like substance just like your wife’s belly.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 7:02 pm to Pandy Fackler
im learning myself, i borrowed a small 120V welder and i'm going to try making a burner for crawfish boils
This post was edited on 5/15/24 at 7:03 pm
Posted on 5/15/24 at 7:02 pm to WalkonQB
Best lens that was made imo, is the American Optic Cobalt Blue. I still have two of them. Almost impossible to find now.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 7:04 pm to Ponchy Tiger
quote:
Also, do not listen to these guys telling you to buy a leather jacket, that is a waste of money.
Unless you’re welding overhead. You’d like one then.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 7:05 pm to hwyman108
You know of what you speak sir!
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