Welding Tips and Tricks

It's been a while since I started watching the videos on youtube, and just realized that this forum is also around so figured I'd join up.
I'm relatively new to welding, doing occasional "on-the-job" learning/practicing with guys who aren't keen on helping new people much really. Have found a lot of useful information on the forums though, and I look forward to learning more in the future.

Mike, welcome to the forum.

Mike2076 wrote:It's been a while since I started watching the videos on youtube, and just realized that this forum is also around so figured I'd join up.
I'm relatively new to welding, doing occasional "on-the-job" learning/practicing with guys who aren't keen on helping new people much really. Have found a lot of useful information on the forums though, and I look forward to learning more in the future.

I've worked many places like this, where people guard their knowledge as if it were gold. These same people will stab you in the back over a $0.25/hr raise or a preferred position under the boss' desk.

These are not welders. These are production workers who can weld. BIG difference, as you will learn here.

Steve S

[/quote="Otto Nobedder"] I've worked many places like this, where people guard their knowledge as if it were gold. These same people will stab you in the back over a $0.25/hr raise or a preferred position under the boss' desk.

These are not welders. These are production workers who can weld. BIG difference, as you will learn here.

Steve S[/quote]

YUP! Glad to say I can avoid people like that now.

Thanks for the welcomes everybody.

Otto Nobedder wrote:

Mike2076 wrote:It's been a while since I started watching the videos on youtube, and just realized that this forum is also around so figured I'd join up.
I'm relatively new to welding, doing occasional "on-the-job" learning/practicing with guys who aren't keen on helping new people much really. Have found a lot of useful information on the forums though, and I look forward to learning more in the future.

I've worked many places like this, where people guard their knowledge as if it were gold. These same people will stab you in the back over a $0.25/hr raise or a preferred position under the boss' desk.

These are not welders. These are production workers who can weld. BIG difference, as you will learn here.

Steve S

You hit the nail on the head there, really.
It's I guess a good entry level job, where most of the guys learn to weld there and all of the tests are done by the company and whatnot. The majority of them do half-assed welds because there are people whose job it is to clean and fix it for them. (Getting rid of buckshot, undercut, even just buffing the welds of slag. Some can't even add the proper amounts of weld a lot of the time.)
My intention is to learn where I'm at, get some experience and then find a better place to work long-term.

Good plan. I am in a place that is opposite (thank you Lord) as any opportunity to help or offer advice is usually the norm. I work with welders who are proud of their trade and craftsmanship and want to pass it on. You will find the same thing here.