Veteran Advice For Newbie Welders

[MC]

Those of you who are veteran welders, what advice would you give newbie welders just starting out? How can we benefit from your mistakes?

 

[welding seabee]

Good, even fair, welders are diligent at practicing, it takes many hours to become proficient in all positions no matter the media; don't believe all the stories you hear or read about a certain procedure or rod being a panacea. Be safe, steel moves easily on other steel, use wood separation when moving pieces around; situational awareness is a must to be safe (eyes in the back of your head); make safety a habit. Ask questions of us old timers, we cannot second guess or armchair problems w/o seeing the problem so send pictures.

Ron

 

[Buster Weld]

Make every weld as though it were going to be inspected!

 

[stech64]

Sometimes you need to know what material you are welding ,you may need a different rod or wire to properly weld to hold better. Make sure you clean your material before welding , one of the things I see alot people try to weld something with rust or dirt try to grind alittle before starting it will help your weld alot.

 

[MinnesotaDave]

Never practice on the part. Practice on scrap.
The headache saved is huge. Even if it takes an hour to practice up for one weld, it's better than spending that hour trying to fix the messed up part.

 

[California]

Never practice on the part. Practice on scrap.
The headache saved is huge. Even if it takes an hour to practice up for one weld, it's better than spending that hour trying to fix the messed up part.

Amen that. I don't recall his name but long ago there was a welder on TBN who said
"First you learn to be a good grinder. [digging out poor welds].
Then you begin to be a good welder". [ after you realize how much work it is to clean up a mess].

 

[StuckRod]

ABC: Always Be Comfortable

So many times I see people struggling because they are trying to weld one-handed or something. You cannot make a good weld when you are not comfortable.

 

[Xaviour_Onasis]

it takes many hours to become proficient in all positions no matter the media

Aha, the Kama Sutra of welding?
I'd buy that book!

As mentioned here, practice on scrap, it will save you from a lot of angst.

Using arc welders, warm the rods in the oven, they strike much easier. I clamp a piece of scrap to the job for striking an arc when I'm worried about the overall finish of the job.

The best tip I was ever given, clean the surfaces to be welded, like painting, the cleaner before starting the better the finish.

I had a friend recently tell me how much trouble he had welding over greasy steel which he was adamant he got it to hold. I told him I could probably crack the weld with minimal force.
This after he watched me do a job and said "it looks great but you spend so much time preparing"
Weld does not burn old paint and galvanised coatings off, they simply contaminate the weld and weaken it, along with the toxic fumes they create.

 

[Durned Ugly]

The most useful lesson I ever got from accomplished welders is that joint preparation is about 80% of getting good results.
In other words, spend most of your time getting everything set up before striking an arc.

 

[Eagleron]

Those of you who are veteran welders, what advice would you give newbie welders just starting out? How can we benefit from your mistakes?

I don't really consider myself a veteran or the best, didn't go to a school. I did grow up on a farm and farmed after college. When you are on the farm you learn by doing and believe me things break on the farm all the time. Started out with stick welder and now have a wire. I do a better job with the stick laying a good bead. Just practice and you will get better.

 

[Old Irish]

I will echo sea bee, protect yourself ALWAYS. I hate working in gloves and have the scars to prove it, I try to wear them but I am one of those people who is always in a hurry and forget sometimes. safety glasses, don't even take them off while taking a break in the shop, get used to wearing them just as if they were prescription, I had to loose an eye to learn that one. welding jacket, I have set 2 shirts on fire grinding tool steel without a jacket, I was alone both times and both times the flames were licking up under my hood before I realized I was on fire, now that's focus take your time on your layout and fit up, it saves on back tracking. If someone is determined to have your attention stop working until you can see them off, I was building a vice and had a visitor and tried to pay attention to them and work at the same time and after they left I found I had welded the traveling end to the base, fun. Watch lots of welding tips and tricks videos and spend all the time you can practicing what you see. Don't get hung up on having the best of everything, or everything for that matter, there are work around's for most things. I started with hand tools and a old 7 inch B&D grinder that weighs a ton and a few cutting, grinding and sanding discs for it and built and repaired a lot of stuff with that. my first saw was a 50 dollar no name wood cutting miter saw with an abrasive blade in it, I built tree stands with that saw for probably 20 years and the only reason I quit using it was that the arbor bolt broke off in it. If money is tight don't be afraid of that a/c buzz box, 7014's and 7018 a/c rods will work fine for you and while I don't like to use them much 6011's can be used where 6010's would be used with d/c. entertain yourself while you practice, build gadgets for the shop, gifts for friends and family. Horse shoes can make many things from gun racks to bowls, coat hooks, etc'.

 

[Red Dog Forge]

Protect your eyes and watch what you breath in. ( think and plan)... Gather tools and material first, have a plan, then clean then weld. Sure will save you time in the long run. No plan or thinking the job out..... will get you hurt and will make you a master grinder.

 

[welding seabee]

Here is some stuff on used Arc Welder electrical supply: The older machines have up to four different plugs on the end of their cords. The 200+ amp machines many times have a 30 amp cord and a 50 amp plug. Others have a 30 amp plug. Never seen one with a 50 amp cord even though at 200 amp welding output the transformers use 40+ amps, too much for sustained ops, that is why they only have a 20% duty factor. Machine overload quits before the cord gets too warm. Or is it the other way around. I have 5 machines setting in my garage right now and there are four different plug NEMA configurations. They are all 3 wire 250 Volt type. No 4 wire with neutral.

When you buy your used machine you will need to match your existing receptacle to the plug or replace the plug and or receptacle. None will match a current code house 30 or 50 amp receptacle as dryer and range outlets are now required to be 4 wire. Making a short adapter cord is what I do. If you do not intend to weld at greater that 150 Amps you can get by with 30 amp cord. When I use a machine for an extended time I install a 50 amp 3 wire range cord on the machine and plug into my 50 amp outlet/extension cord. Oh, 50 amp is #6 wire and 30 amps is # 10 wire. I recommend you get a NEMA chart off the internet rather than me explain all the possible configurations.

Some of the configurations are available at hardware or big box stores, some are not. Amazon also has most of them. Just today I stopped at an electrical supply store for a NEMA 6-50 plug, their price was 3 times what Amazon wants for the same brand and part#. Some of the plugs are set up to configure in either 30 amp or 50 amp by rearranging the prongs to that configuration. One I just did was NEMA 6-30 and 6-50. CAUTION, make sure the green ground is on the right prong.

If this is confusing please ask more questions or send a personal. Some of the configurations are not in common use anymore.

Ron

 

[California]

Re cords and adapters - long ago when I was a teen I installed a then-modern 3 blade dryer outlet in the barn workshop. Now retired, I've been making adapters for various welders using the 'pigtail' (cord) from retired dryers. Your local appliance place will likely sell you a handful of these outdated 3-blade cords real cheap. Buy and install the receptacle you need on the opposite end of the pigtail.

My next adapter will likely be for an EV charger if that will run without the fourth wire. Or that may be the point where I have to re-wire the outlet to modern spec - and make one more adapter to plug my existing adapters into.

 

[cwby]

WATCH THE PUDDLE! NOT THE ARC!

 

[Flatfoot 2282]

I've always wanted to be able to weld on my farm or for hobbies. I'm retired LEO and have time on my hands now.

I took a general welding course at the local junior college, was the best time and money spent. Not only did I learn about safety, but they also taught several different processes of welding, rods, preparation, etc. I burned all their rods and used various welders to learn. There was always someone there to answer questions or critique.

This by no means prepared me for any type of certification but gave me a working knowledge of what to do and identify my weak spots.

Like others have said; practice, practice, practice, then some more practice. Get a good grinder.

 

[Sherwood]

The best advise I got when starting was " your going to be a good grinder before your a good welder " ~lol~

 

[welding seabee]

I still keep my grinders handy. 1/4" wheel, cut off wheel, coarse wire brush and fine wire brush. 4 grinders stay plugged in at the welding bench all the time.

Ron

 

[Toby Von Snaefell]

Lots of great advice here already, i would just re-iterate:

When it comes to welding (i.e. preparation) "cleanliness is next to godliness"
Positioning, comfort, gloves, wear them dang gloves when welding!

If you're just starting out, get a cheap buzz box, learn to weld 'stick' (coated electrode) on plain uncoated steel and as has already been said, watch the puddle to get the best results.

I learned to weld in a sheet metal shop. They had an old Forney A/C welder (buzz box) many years later we graduated to an A/C - D/C welder, still stick only, really opened up our capabilities. Not long after that we got into tig and mig welding, but the best foundation for a welder's skills is to master the stick welding.

 

[PILOON]

You will be an accomplished grinder operator B4 you become competent welder!
Don't ask!
(but those welds looked good!)