Welding Tips and Tricks

Hey everybody, I'm new on the forum, Ive posted a short introduction the other day.
So basically the situation is, I'm a new apprentice in an aerospace company,
Been practicing TIG now for about 6 months.
However my company (despite the size of it) has 8 welders within a 500 staff workforce.
basically they jumped in the deep end... employing an apprentice welder (first in 25 years)
so the problem is they don't really know what to do with me, except give me scrap - which there is very few of for a decent practice binge :p.
I'm very keen so Id like to ask you guys what would be the best sort of stuff to practice on in terms of material thickness, joints, practice techniques, as-well as possible practice that would give me abit of flexibility if I ever had to move to a different industry or company.
- Infact ANY advice at all would be appreciated since im really just starting out.

At the moment I'm just practicing stainless steel butts, laps and t-joints (1.25mm thickness), as-well as messing about with cutting tubes and re-welding them, but I seem to get nowhere with that lol !!!

Anyway , any responses will be very much appreciated !!!

Yikes, quite the predicament that you're in.

I can't offer any real welding advice, other than if I was in the position you're in, I'd be practicing whatever types of joints that the other 8 welders are doing, albeit even if it isn't the same metal. Try to weld up the same type of joints that they are welding, in the positions they are welding. I say this so you can get used to reading the puddle in the same form. So long as the scrap they are giving you is somewhat similar to what they are welding, it might get you started in the right direction. Also try to inherit the same "best practices" that they are doing with regards to weld practices/quality control. Practicing a lot don't mean squat if it doesn't pass some stringent quality control procedure. What ever they do (the 8 welders), they are likely doing it for good reason, so try to see why they are doing things a certain way, and how to test the welds afterwards. Good luck.

.030 and .080 plates in the materials you'll be welding. When I did this it was aluminum, stainless, inconel, titanium, and Haynes 188. These were the most common where I was, with inconel being one of the most dominant. Also if you can do the thin stuff, the thick stuff gets easier.

For your situation I would ask for materials in the thickness of the joints you will be welding, and simulate the joints. Seems strange that they would hire you this way without something in place.

I suggest asking one of the eight if you can hangout a little. Watch what they do. How the weld. Learn as much as you can from those with the position you want!

A prep class geared towards AWS 17.1 would help as this is the new Aerospace gtaw spec. You'll do fillets, laps, butts and vertical up which is good...and plenty of prep/practice materials avail.


Like already mentioned I'd practices in the joint config you'll be welding. A pad of beads will also help you learn heat control and allow you to get some consistency with your bead profile.

Thanks for the advice people
I will be mentioning this stuff to the guys in the work to give them abit of guidance to training me,
and Ill do abit of research on that AWS 17.1
Ill maybe take a break from the joints the now and just do a pad of beads for the next while.

Cheers !