Want to learn how to weld

[currylager]

I reckon you should just get some sheet metal, pop to your local library and get a book on welding and practise the techniques involved. With all this s*** weather its sometimes nice to tinker with something like this in a garage (providing you dont burn it down). Most the welding on the panels you want to do will be plug welds (spot welds) anyway so just drill a load of holes in one piece of metal, place this piece over another piece, press the trigger and pretend you are pushing a mister whippy and just practice your technique. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!!!, most of the skill is also involved in panel removal and getting the replacement panel to fit accurately. Yes ok, you will burn holes and blob at first, but when you start getting better runs you will probably get into it a bit and probably get satisfaction as your skills develop. The other thing is you cannot always get perfection on vehicle welding repairs because the conditions are not ideal ie, rust, paint, poor access, upside down. A lot of professional welders look good because they have their nice booths and Jigs which provide ideal working conditions, believe you me if they were lying under a 40 year old vehicle in often cramped conditions they probably wouldnt do much better!!!.

 

[Shaggy]

Thats a good point, thank you for saying that, I guess im just after a solid job and I feel if I do it myself least I know how its done and done right

Can some explain the difference between Arch, Mig and Tig welding please, also can anyone suggest a good welder

 

[currylager]

ARC welding uses electricity and a glorified sparkler (electrode) which is best used for industrial steelwork, too crude for bodywork, as i found out 16 years ago when attempting to restore a ford anglia.

Mig welding uses steel wire fed though a gun under a shield of Co2 to prevent oxidisation and stops spattering, or flux coated wire without the shield of gas which also prevents oxidisation. (Most commonly used option)

Tig, as far as i know uses a tungsten tip to strike up an arc which metal wire is fed into to produce a weld and join the panels (requires a lot of skill apparently) (thats me f***ed then!!)

There is also gas, which requires a lot of skill, a portapac set of bottles and believe it tends to warp panels more easily.

I'm sure someone else is gonna tell me a lot more about this now i've stuck my neck out :lol:

 

[Alzy]

i have been welding for about three months now and still haven`t grasped it yet!! Ive had some helpful tips of a friend but i havent seemed to get the hang of it!! Good fun, though i have probably spent more on wire, gas, and grinds than panels for my van :lol: :lol: :lol:

:shock:

I don't want to offend, really I don't, but it shouldn't take that long! Perhaps there's a prob with your welder that's holding you back? Perhaps a lesson from a local welder might help?

If its a case of sticking two pieces of metal together then yes i can weld but me being a bit of a stickler i keep trying to get better!! :roll: I think its because the person who taught me is really good i am trying to hard perhaps

 

[Till]

i have been welding for about three months now and still haven`t grasped it yet!! Ive had some helpful tips of a friend but i havent seemed to get the hang of it!! Good fun, though i have probably spent more on wire, gas, and grinds than panels for my van :lol: :lol: :lol:

I've been told that Mig welding was invented during the second world war so women could weld while the men were away fighting.Dunno how true this is :?: It's tricky at first but once you've got it,it can be addictive.You'll find yourself trying to improve on every weld you do.What you're looking for is a nice even 'crackle' sound which is obtained by getting the wire speed just right,if you have a mate with you get them to turn the wire speed while you're arcing up on a piece of scrap metal,you'll know when you've hit a sweet spot ,then scratch a mark on the dial.At first tack the piece of metal which you're welding on with small spaces between each tack and join up the tacks like dot to dot, as you get more confident you can do longer and longer runs.Get yourself an automatic mask and keep the screen clean,whilst doing a run keep your eye on the end of the wire at all times you can then react to what the metal is doing, as currylager says it probably won't look pretty no matter how good you are.Clean the metal as much as poss,as with most jobs,good preperation is the start of a good job. Hope this is of some help,just keep at it! your skills will make you many friends and bring you riches beyond your wildest dreams :lol: Oh yeah be warned inhaling lots of welding fumes and gas can make you dellusional :shock: