Welding Tips and Tricks

Here are a few resources to help read welding blueprints.
http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/wel ... chart.html
http://www.weldersuniverse.com/welding_symbols.html
http://www.wcwelding.com/welding-symbols.html
http://www.welding.com/weld_symbols_welding_symbols.asp
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazin ... ymbols.htm

How to Read Shop Drawings (Lincoln Foundation)
http://www.jflfoundation.com/ProductDet ... ductCode=H

This book is easy to digest, hardback, and a good value for the $10 price. Their shipping costs online are unreasonable - you have to ask them to ship "USPS media rate" instead.

I'd like to add that, aside from just learning the symbols, one needs to read the drawing as a whole.

Read any notes that may be there. Chances are the notes will answer some questions you may have.

Also, make sure the math is correct, and then have someone else check your math. A fresh set of eyes may catch something you don't.

And don't assume the engineer that made the drawing knows anything about welding. They might, but probably not.