Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi all! So I'm completely new to welding. Last week I started the Welding and Joining program at Gwinnett technical College, and will receive a diploma upon completion. I was in the Navy for a little over 9 years as a "Master at Arms" law enforcement specialist, and got burnt out on that crap. Got out in Dec. 2010 and for the past year I've been taking general classes, math, english, biology, etc. Taking Intro to welding, and Shielded Metal Arc Welding. Really enjoying it so far, and I'm catching on quick if I dont say so myself. Getting a good hang of those 7018 rods. Anyway, I'll be around here lurking and gathering info. Probably ask some "dumb" questions if I don't find the answer myself first. Well, see y'all around.

Welcome.

Don't be afraid of "dumb questions" here. This site has people of all skill levels from top of the craft right down to the greenest beginner, and I don't think I've ever seen a question ridiculed here. This group takes learning from each other seriously.

You might encounter a dumb answer now and then... but that's just the occasional spam-bot. Jody's working on that, and it's improved a lot lately.

This is not an "active" forum by internet standards; Most people either are working or attending school (or both), and members are distributed around the globe, so 3AM replies are not uncommon.

Steve

Thanks for the warm welcome Steve. Cool, most days I'm a night-owl so I can appreciate a 3am response. I was up til' 4am yesterday (today) just surfin the net.

Welcome Dogshark!
I'd like to echo what Steve has already said. This is one place that I have never seen people chastise someone for asking a question! Between the website and Jody's videos, and the stuff in this forum, there is a lot to learn. Lots of great people willing to help out.

Thanks!

Hey Dogshark, I'm new here also. I live in Lawrenceville and have been considering the welding course at Gwinnett Tech. I can weld already but would like to improve my skills.

Hey Russell. The course is going good soo far, I think. Few days of safety videos and intro and all that jazz. Then he showed us the shop, how to set up, and then gave us an assignment and sent us to do our thing. I signed up for the entire diploma program, but you can just take any portion for a certificate. Few people just sigend up for TIG, or MIG. US Navy is paying for mine so I'm taking advantage of the entire shabang. Do you have welding equipment? I don't. I'd like to get practice in outside of class. If you have equipment and the time we should hook up. How long have you been welding? Do you do it as a job? Know anyone in the area hiring an amateur like myself?

Dogshark, I just got my welding cert. from Cerritos college, Cal. I've been a B and C-6 for over 41 years. I wanted to learn how to weld, 'cause everytime I wanted something welded, they welders wanted to charge me a fortune. I just bought a Lincoln SP 140 T mig welder. You picked an honorable profession, if that's what you decide you want to do. The highest paid welders, are pipe welders and robotic welding. This country is gonna need welders and I mean soon. Do you know the average age of a welder in the U.S.? Two good friends of mine were hired out of my welding school who already had their pipe certs. David went to work at Bob Hill Crane at $68.00/hour and Jesse went to work at Disneyland for $47.00/hour to start. Some good advice? Wait 'till you out of beginning welding until you buy a welder. There are so many, you might end up with a welder you won't like. Good luck with your studies.

Thanks for the advice and the wishes. Yea I plan on waiting to buy my own welder until I know for sure whats good, whats not, whats cheap (both $$ an quality) and whats a good product. Yea I think I did the right thing choosing this profession. I wish I had started last year. I intended to get into the veterinarian technician program at this college and was completing all the pre-requisite classes last year, just to find out that they have changed the curriculum. You can no longer take college algebra and chemistry 101 in the same semester. Algebra needs to be completed first. Well the school only offers the vet tech program once a year in fall, and I missed the deadline this year. Welding is my plan B which I'm pretty sure it will be plan A now. I don't know a vet tech that makes $68 or even $47 an hour. I'd say thats pretty good money that will allow me to buy all the toys a grown man needs. Okay, WANTS
Congrats on getting your cert.
Next semester I'm taking, horizontal and vertical stick, oxy feul cutting, and blue print reading. Exciting!