How did you learn to Weld.

[Sabre]

my dad gave me a 5 min show on how to mig and left me alone! i was at the time building my forge so some of my beads suck but it all holds.only thing i dont like bout my forge it the side draft hoods made from 8th inch plate and weighs 70 pounds and same with my forge...angle iron and plate... i have not learned to stick or o/a or tig but my dad does have an old lincon so i just need to find it somewhere in his old messy repair shop...its older than me!

[longhunter]

I started in high school first with a torch then stick when on to tech school and bought a old westinghouse ac welder from a local Texaco gas station for a few bucks think it was 40 yrs old when i got it and used in Dads barn for awhile . Went to work for a company doing other things for 20 yrs and decided I needed a change and landed a job at another company after six months I took on a welding (mig) and tig most of the tig was for repair work and some lite gauge fabrication steel . As of now I'm working with robotic welding equipment and doing smaller sub assembly work mig welding and repair .

[mcraigl]

In my early teens, my folks both worked out of town. I had a good three or four hours each night to kill and it only took about half an hour to do my chores so I spent the rest of the time in my Pop's shop. He had O/A and the proverbial lincoln tombstone. My uncle Rick was a pipeline welder at the time and gave me a few pointers, and the first real project I built was for a platform on the front of dad's boat trailer. He was so impressed that he always had me do his welding for him after that (cause he sucked at it :-). Then all my buddies who had nasty old rusted out cars and exhaust systems would come to me for patch up jobs. I got pretty good at welding rusty, dirty old exhaust pipe with o/a and a coat hanger. My mom yelled at me about burning up all her clothes hangers, so I told all my buddies they had to bring their own rod over if they wanted me to weld on their cars! Got several certifications in the early 90's TIG welding aluminum and stainless as I was working in a large glass and window shop building all of their skylights, large fixed windows, and some of the commercial storefront installations. Good fun stuff.

[stixman55]

My Daddy was a Pipe fitter so I used to watch him weld as a kid but he never let me touch his tools. I became a Union Electrician. One day the Union (local 59) put out a notice that they were going to hold there first ever welding class so I signed up the first day. Went to the 2 week class and fell in love with it (strictly stick). A few months later I was on a GM shut down and the outfit I was working for asked if anyone knew how to weld cause there were a lot of Electrical pipe racks that had to be welded up... again I voulintered. Then they asked if I could weld SS... I said sure (there was work in the paint booths), didnt have a clue how to do it but one of my Harley bubs was a welder on site and he gave me lessons on how to set my gas and etc... Away I went.. Aint looked back... I just love it. reciently bought a Lincoln mig welder and now I'm teaching my wife and daughter... they love it! Taught them both how to weld Aluminum just last week.

[TASMITH]

Learned welding as part of my apprenticeship as a Blacksmith back in the 80's.Worked the day shift and took evening classes at the local College. Took courses in welding, Fabrication and layout, blueprint reading, math, metrics and mechanics. Courses were three hours a night, two nights a week, and took three years to complete them all. Had to pass them all to get my ticket, as well as complete 7,280 hrs of work. All that to make a level one Blacksmith. Then another two years of work to become a journeyman. Almost thirty years later and still Learning......LOL

[MIKE MC]

I learned how to stick weld in the Iron Workers apprenticship back in "72". From then on I was lucky enough to get my hands on a Mig machine and taught myself. After that, I bought a Tig machine to weld aluminum and just started after it. When I had a problem, I got in the books and asked all the questions I could.

[kovacija(blacksmith)]

I am maybe a kid but I learned stick welding last year and it is better weld than my dad s (who is electrician occupation) so I am cook still in school but in summer work I get good sallary so I bought O/F torch still need oxygen tank I spent 1000$ (my month sallary) I think next year I will buy mig/mag for sure

[Chris P]

Well, I'm still learning and doubt I'll ever stop. But as it is, I'm teaching myself arc and hoping to move onto Mig in the semi-near future. Mostly, I've just been reading books, reading forums and practice, practice, practice. I've gotten pretty good with making strong welds and avoiding burn throughs, but the welds are still pretty ugly.... all things with time I guess

[irnsrgn]

Good answer Chris, I welded for a living for 55+ years and I was still learning when I was forced to quit my shop, but I still do the occassional welding job that others refuse to do or say that it can't be done.

Respectfully

Irnsrgn

[Mills]

I had a semester of welding in college, but nothing til I had bought a tombstone and asked a welder friend how to do it. He gave me scrap rod and I got busy welding drums together to make a pontoon raft. I turned those drums every which way sorting through the piles of rods looking for those that were alike. mystery metal in the finest sense. I did mostly horizontal with one drum sitting on top of another but tackled all postion including laying over the drums and welding upside down. Had try it all.

Now I use MIG most of the time but still burn the sticks as needed. And am still trying to be a welder.