Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi guys,
I've been given the task of setting up a new welding shop in a brand new high school. I'm looking for some input as to what power sources to get, drill press, light gauge break and shear, plasma cutter...you name it. This is a NEW shop nothing in it now except 6 welding booths and ventilation.
Material covered in curriculum is GMAW, SMAW, FCAW, GTAW. Mild steel and "some exotic metals"(aluminum). Some projects will be joint with a robotics class so we will have a lathe and mill. I would even look at a small water jet if budget allows.

I appreciate all input, please mention brand names with equipment if you would.

Thanks,

Mike

At my school we have a miller matic 252 and 211 I would recommend. For tig, maybe a Lincoln squarewave 200 or a dynasty

I'd reccomend hypertherm power max 45s for plasma cutters

If they will be used all day, each class period, go industrial size.

For example: Syncrowave 250 or 350 instead of a Lincoln square wave 200 for aluminum tig.

Millermatic 252 as mentioned is a good choice but you may want a power source like an XMT 350 instead.

One XMT in each booth will cover stick and and DC tig. Pair it with a good wire feeder and FCAW and GMAW are covered.

The millermatic 211 is a toy when given to high school kids (in my opinion).

For stick only it's hard to beat the durability of a Miller Dialarc or a Lincoln Idealarc - but the XMT 350 is more bang for the buck in my opinion.

A mixture of stuff would work good too. Dialarc, XMT, Syncrowave. Since the last 2 have more than one use, a mixture works well. That's how my class is set up - several types of machines. Some are multiprocess, some are not.

HOSSFELD BENDER SCHOOL KIT !!!

Dave has a valid point I didn't think of. How intense are these classes. Are they general metal classes like we have here and do a bunch of stuff in a shorter amount of time including sheet metal, machining, and welding. Or are they more focused in welding and doing posistion welding and more focused on booth work and only booth work. That will help decide what you want.

Farmwelding wrote:Dave has a valid point I didn't think of. How intense are these classes. Are they general metal classes like we have here and do a bunch of stuff in a shorter amount of time including sheet metal, machining, and welding. Or are they more focused in welding and doing posistion welding and more focused on booth work and only booth work. That will help decide what you want.

Is "booth work" code for puffin the chiba?

exnailpounder wrote:

Farmwelding wrote:Dave has a valid point I didn't think of. How intense are these classes. Are they general metal classes like we have here and do a bunch of stuff in a shorter amount of time including sheet metal, machining, and welding. Or are they more focused in welding and doing posistion welding and more focused on booth work and only booth work. That will help decide what you want.

Is "booth work" code for puffin the chiba?

In this case no...but damn it Jeff. I swear every other time you post something I find myself learning new vocabulary and searching strange things. Booth work is strictly welding. No machcing or other stuff like that. A sole welding class. Another question is to. Are you doing each process as an individual class?

Farmwelding wrote:

exnailpounder wrote:

Farmwelding wrote:Dave has a valid point I didn't think of. How intense are these classes. Are they general metal classes like we have here and do a bunch of stuff in a shorter amount of time including sheet metal, machining, and welding. Or are they more focused in welding and doing posistion welding and more focused on booth work and only booth work. That will help decide what you want.

Is "booth work" code for puffin the chiba?

In this case no...but damn it Jeff. I swear every other time you post something I find myself learning new vocabulary and searching strange things. Booth work is strictly welding. No machcing or other stuff like that. A sole welding class. Another question is to. Are you doing each process as an individual class?

Don't try changing the subject The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem. The first thing every welder needs to learn is to how to pass a piss test. Should I come up there and teach you guys about welding?

Hey... I can pass any test you give me. I stay away from all of those things. I know I get addicted to things way to easily so I stay away from everything. Hell I don't even take Advil or Tylenol for any reason because I fear addiction. Just my mindset. I guess that puts me above a lot of guys heading into the workforce.

So to tie it back to the thread... Teach students to not do drugs so they can get a job.

If you want a water jet that's affordable or at least to show students this is always an option

https://www.wazer.com

Some good suggestions guys. Unfortunately some of you just have BS to say. Are there no moderators on this forum?

Hi Mike,
Over here in Oz, Miller are keen to fill up school/college booths with good gear at really cheap pricing. The logic here is the students get used to using Miller gear and grow to love it (who wouldn't) and when they go out into the real world they are likely to buy Miller. Win for everybody.
When I was going through certs in our local TAFE college some years ago every stick/tig booth had a Dynasty 350, every mig booth had a 300 or 350 power source (I can't remember which) and they have a 500amp power source they used for air/carbon gouging. The equipment was traded and replaced every few years to keep it cutting edge. I asked how they could afford it given the penny pinching going on with consumables and other things. They said Miller made it so attractive they couldn't say no.
Might be worth a call.
Also don't cheap out on the press if you are going to be breaking/bending coupons.

lil'bones wrote:Some good suggestions guys. Unfortunately some of you just have BS to say. Are there no moderators on this forum?

Yes, there certainly are. Quite busy and active, too. However, you've entered a neighborhood. A community of like-minded friends. There will be some horseplay, as you would see at a neighborhood barbeque. Someone's getting pushed into the pool with all his clothes on. That does not stop questions from being answered. It's comic relief for those willing to enjoy the joke, and posts to ignore for those who prefer "all business". Welding is the ONLY thing we've collectively agreed to take seriously. Not ourselves or each other, certainly.

If we held this forum to a "strictly business" standard, participation would go straight in the toilet. Our best and brightest have great sense of humor, real humility, and a genuine desire to contribute to helping each other learn.

It's up to the reader to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Steve S

lil'bones wrote:Some good suggestions guys. Unfortunately some of you just have BS to say. Are there no moderators on this forum?

Yes there are a few moderators but we kind of figure that it will get back to the actual conversation at some point. A lot of good advice can be hidden in these side tangents and some humor. And we figure that if we build up all of the random crap that goes through our head it turns out bad for a lot of others. It is what it is.

As Coldman said, major manufacturers love to get students branded early. Esab gave the college I attended a plasma cutter, Bug-o- systems provided a track cutter, and Lincoln hooked it up with a DEEP discount on 36 brand new multi process machines and vent systems. You just have to call them and let them know what you're doing.

Speaking of vent systems- how do they capture the dankness of that sticky icky? That stuff is virtually impossible.

PeteM wrote:As Coldman said, major manufacturers love to get students branded early. Esab gave the college I attended a plasma cutter, Bug-o- systems provided a track cutter, and Lincoln hooked it up with a DEEP discount on 36 brand new multi process machines and vent systems. You just have to call them and let them know what you're doing.

Speaking of vent systems- how do they capture the dankness of that sticky icky? That stuff is virtually impossible.

Well and a school also may buy 50 machines at a time so a company can afford a little price deduction. Only thing is if you have a lot of machines I reccomend a couple of brands. Typically a solid combination of Miller and Lincoln helps get students from getting attached to certain machines. In he real world they don't have all Miller or all Lincoln.

Hey Exie, you've been elevated to communal comic relief. Good score.

Li'l bone... if you have a issue with bs you are gunna have a baaaaadd time here. BTW this wasn't anywhere near the quality standard of BS we have on this farm.

PS There are regularly two mods here. Myself and Otto Nobedder.

Coldman wrote:Hey Exie, you've been elevated to communal comic relief. Good score.

And I was waiting for a good ass-chewing too

weldin mike 27 wrote:Li'l bone... if you have a issue with bs you are gunna have a baaaaadd time here. BTW this wasn't anywhere near the quality standard of BS we have on this farm.

PS There are regularly two mods here. Myself and Otto Nobedder.

Aussie Rules !

exnailpounder wrote:

Coldman wrote:Hey Exie, you've been elevated to communal comic relief. Good score.

And I was waiting for a good ass-chewing too

Yer, tell me about it. No good smart assing goes unrewarded.


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MinnesotaDave wrote:That's how my class is set up - several types of machines.

Just for clarity, when Dave says "my class" he means the one he teaches, so he's got some perspective on this one.

Artie F. Emm wrote:

MinnesotaDave wrote:That's how my class is set up - several types of machines.

Just for clarity, when Dave says "my class" he means the one he teaches, so he's got some perspective on this one.

Thanks, I likely did not make that clear...oops