Welding Tips and Tricks

I am about 60 miles east of pitt. I am picking up a AHP alpha TIG 200X to start learning to tig weld. I currently have a SP-175 Plus from a few years back still setup for flux core wire. I will be picking up some solid wire and gas soon to start practicing beads with it. I am hoping to some day either go back to being a coal miner or to get in to welding as a professional. I am 32 years old with 2 kids and a loving girlfriend so I am unable to travel to go to a welding school or find work. Is it possible to become a paid welder never attending any welding classes?

Welcome...

It's going to take a little more patience to get a job. Apply for any job even if it says "2 years experience or technical school" because if there is no one who has this time than they may hire you if you have the skill. It may take a while longer to get a job without the schooling or experience. Or another option is starting your own weekend company doing small fab jobs, repairs, or machinist work and bring in extra cash and if you get enough work you could work for yourself.

Thanks

bigfabdaddy wrote:... Is it possible to become a paid welder never attending any welding classes?

It is. It's not the easiest path. I'm paid quite well for my skills, and I've never taken a welding class in my life. However, I was willing to work for just barely over minimum wage for some back-woods redneck mom-and-pop shops to develop the experience to move up. Those little shops are more likely to take a chance on someone who'll work cheap, show a serious interest, and be reliable. I suppose I had about three years of working for peanuts before I started getting a half-decent wage, and maybe five more years in sweat shops before I really broke out and started getting paid good money. I had several interruptions to this process, pursuing other ventures, but those skills came home to roost, as well.

It's a hard row to hoe, but it's rewarding to reap what you've sown.

Steve S

Otto Nobedder wrote:

bigfabdaddy wrote:... Is it possible to become a paid welder never attending any welding classes?

It is. It's not the easiest path. I'm paid quite well for my skills, and I've never taken a welding class in my life. However, I was willing to work for just barely over minimum wage for some back-woods redneck mom-and-pop shops to develop the experience to move up. Those little shops are more likely to take a chance on someone who'll work cheap, show a serious interest, and be reliable. I suppose I had about three years of working for peanuts before I started getting a half-decent wage, and maybe five more years in sweat shops before I really broke out and started getting paid good money. I had several interruptions to this process, pursuing other ventures, but those skills came home to roost, as well.

It's a hard row to hoe, but it's rewarding to reap what you've sown.

Steve S

Take this mans word. He ended it with a motivational punch line I mean seems legitimate to me.

Farmwelding wrote:

Otto Nobedder wrote:

bigfabdaddy wrote:... Is it possible to become a paid welder never attending any welding classes?

It is. It's not the easiest path. I'm paid quite well for my skills, and I've never taken a welding class in my life. However, I was willing to work for just barely over minimum wage for some back-woods redneck mom-and-pop shops to develop the experience to move up. Those little shops are more likely to take a chance on someone who'll work cheap, show a serious interest, and be reliable. I suppose I had about three years of working for peanuts before I started getting a half-decent wage, and maybe five more years in sweat shops before I really broke out and started getting paid good money. I had several interruptions to this process, pursuing other ventures, but those skills came home to roost, as well.

It's a hard row to hoe, but it's rewarding to reap what you've sown.

Steve S

Take this mans word. He ended it with a motivational punch line I mean seems legitimate to me.

Sounds like a plan to me.