Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello
I am in my second semester of welding school. Hoping to find a lot of useful information here.

Welcome, roadwarrior84.

You will. Damn near anything that could interest you is represented here.

You will find us more conversational if you give us a name. Make one up, if you wish, but we tend to communicate like friends at a barbeque.

Steve S

Did someone say bbq?

Welcome to the forum.

Welcome roadwarrior84! Don't be afraid to ask questions out here. Some students post pics of their welds. Don't be afraid to do that. No one, and I DO mean no one out here is a pompous ass! If they are, they just don't last. Enjoy!

Since you meantioned pictures, here's one of my first bend test. I'm in my second semester of school and this is a second career for me. I have been in food service management for about eight years. I took welding in high school but that was years ago. I'm hoping to get into a job making more than I do now to try to provide better for my family. Anyway this is 3/8" plate 3G with 7018. 1/4" root opening with a backing strip. Root bend. I did have a small discontinuity in the root. It was a restart and looks worse in the picture than it was. But my instructor said I passed.

Roadwarrior84 - Learn what you can! Go as far as you can in school! Remember that actual welding is only a part of what it takes to be a welder/fabricator. You first jobs are likely to suck, but keep looking! If you have a great work ethic, you will end up in a shop that challenges your skill set and is fun to be in.