Topic: Welding - Best DIY Advice

[Ghost65]

I know a few of us are welders (pro/shadetree/self taught), and looking down the tunnel of this off road trailer project, I can see the need to at least learn the basics.

So fellow SCCX stick wielding bretheren...where does one start?

I've looked at some DIY tutorials on YouTube - seems intriguing, but safety concerns hold me back from firing up CL and grabbing the first Tig/stick welder I see and start laying beads.

Is the ROP/Adult school/Juco class route the best bet?

Six packs of XX and commuter miles to Monrovia or Mira Mesa?

What is the safest and most efficient route to learning how to fab and weld with metal fellas? 

[valentin36]

Just for shits and giggles. Since I am a self proclaimed welder hahaha

[knightrider]

Adult classes at the local college are a good start with little startup investment.   It's really just a skill you learn by messing with scrap metal.

Palomar college - San Marcos has a class(51143,51144) for the summer session, it started yesterday...

IMO I would not start with a Tig machine, it's the hardest to learn(both hands and a foot pedal) and a bit overkill for a trailer. Stick is ok but I would still go for flux core wire feed over it.  I would start out with a machine that can do 120v and 240v, flux core and GMAW MIG.  Flux core will penetrate thicker materials better and works better outside where its windy as alot of times the shielding gas on MIG will just blow away with a little breeze, MIG produces a prettier weld with less cleanup after.

[Toro]

x2 on a Mig rig. Lots of time on youtube, read a few books...and spend lots of time with scraps.
    I friend once told me..."I can teach how to weld in a couple hours, but it'll take you months to get good at it."

[ultrapc40]

Take a course. And scrap practice..... Lots of it. Make a trip to a local fab shop and see if they will give you some scrap.  Also get a good auto dimming helmet, you only get one set of eyes.

Flat surface weld is not so bad, practice welding it from different angles. There are plenty of cheat sheets out there for material, V and line speed.

Upside down tube is the one that I can't seem to figure out.

[OffRdX]

Adult classes at the local college are a good start with little startup investment.   It's really just a skill you learn by messing with scrap metal.

Palomar college - San Marcos has a class(51143,51144) for the summer session, it started yesterday...

IMO I would not start with a Tig machine, it's the hardest to learn(both hands and a foot pedal) and a bit overkill for a trailer. Stick is ok but I would still go for flux core wire feed over it.  I would start out with a machine that can do 120v and 240v, flux core and GMAW MIG.  Flux core will penetrate thicker materials better and works better outside where its windy as alot of times the shielding gas on MIG will just blow away with a little breeze, MIG produces a prettier weld with less cleanup after.

X2

I prefer gas, Luckily I have enough space in my garage I don't have to worry about environmental factors.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Celt]

I learned to weld in High School shop. We started out on Oxy/Acetylene learning how to heat metal and run beads, cut, bend metal etc then went onto Arc and Mig/Tig welding. It was a really good program to where some of the local ranchers would order custom built stock trailers from the class. The guys already chimed in on a lot of really great ideas that I would second. Check your local ROP classes as they provide a great curriculum for adult learning around busy schedules. You never know, a trailer might just be the perfect class training program? One of the things I did in the beginning was to go out and get scrap out of the pile and start welding varying size/thickness metals to each other and run beads at weird angles. In no time you will really get a great grasp on how metal works and reacts to heat, what a good bead looks like that's nice and strong, where you will need to tack it prior to final welds etc. If you want to take it a step further there is a very respected Smithy in San Marcos.

[occupantX]

If you don't have a full workshop but need one...check out http://makerplace.com/ where the I8 and I5 cross downtown area.
They also have classes and training sessions. 
Lots of skilled guys run small private manufacturing businesses from there, so if you are in the workshop and don't know how to do something or just want someone to do it for you...find the guy that can do it and subcontract.  How do I know?  Company I work for needed some one of prototypes, and none of us nerds could make it (we could plan and draw it, but not make it)...MakerPlace to the rescue

[Celt]

If you don't have a full workshop but need one...check out http://makerplace.com/ where the I8 and I5 cross downtown area.
They also have classes and training sessions. 
Lots of skilled guys run small private manufacturing businesses from there, so if you are in the workshop and don't know how to do something or just want someone to do it for you...find the guy that can do it and subcontract.  How do I know?  Company I work for needed some one of prototypes, and none of us nerds could make it (we could plan and draw it, but not make it)...MakerPlace to the rescue

 Super cool! I need to get a aluminum plate schematic made up to attach to a dash board and this might just be the ticket.

[knightrider]

I actually had a membership at makerplace last year, when work slowed down and I had to cut some corners, it was one of the extras that got cut.  They do have an awesome shop with everything including CNC plasma cutter table, 5x10 CNC router table for wood and plenty of welders along with a full shop of tools to pretty much do anything you could want with metal, wood, electronics, and cloth as they have a full sewing shop as well.

I have been thinking of rejoining or just buying my own equipment...  I could buy a welder, or pay for makerplace for a year.

[Jayrat]

I have been thinking of rejoining or just buying my own equipment...  I could buy a welder, or pay for makerplace for a year.

OR you could use mine and teach me some S#!T

[knightrider]

We should do a welding day at Jayrat's house   what welder do you have Jay?

Sent from my RTT while stargazing

[Jayrat]

We should do a welding day at Jayrat's house   what welder do you have Jay?

Sent from my RTT while stargazing

Lincoln Pro-Mig 135

[Ghost65]

OR you could use mine and teach me some S#!T

LMK on this...I'll spring for some practice rods/scrap/etc.

Jay, if you don't have the space LMK and we could use my 3rd car garage?

[Jayrat]

LMK on this...I'll spring for some practice rods/scrap/etc.

Jay, if you don't have the space LMK and we could use my 3rd car garage?

All I have is a street and a backyard, your more than welcome
But it's  easy to put in the Rig and transport
Just let me know