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/diy/ - Do It Yourself

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61534 No.61534 [Reply] [Original]

any welding /diy/ers?

as a hobby or a career, doesn't matter

I'm thinking of dropping out of uni to go to school for welding. I could make a ton of cash while actually giving something to society. Plus it looks fun as fuck.

welding general!

>> No.61536

>>61534
Oh man I wouldn't drop out of uni for welding, but I'd sure as hell learn it at some point. I'll dump my welding material in the metalwork section of DIY_ARCHIVE.
http://www.mediafire.com/?81ytjynu0dspm

>> No.61538

>>61536
agreed

Just be warned even with eye guards your eyes will deteriorate over time. Also welders are commonly (at least 90% of the ones I have met) self important dumb fucks who always claim to be the best there is. If you do get into it for a career be assertive yet humble when talking to a new employer.
If you are doing it for hobby, hey have fun with it, just be safe.

>> No.61546

>>61538
>Also welders are commonly (at least 90% of the ones I have met) self important dumb fucks who always claim to be the best there is.

So much truth in this statement it's scary. Fuck, the welding class I did in Job Corps had everyone sucking their own cocks about how good they were while the instructors would slap our shit around in TIG or stick. Don't even get me started on flame or plasma cutting

>> No.61547

diry as fuck work, depending where you go and to what level you get, pay is great (again depending how good you are), there is always work, it can be dangerous as fuck, you'll most likely be traveling.

I'm a mechanical engineer have done welding (as a job) before and a good friend of mine is a welder for a company that builds military and tanker ships.

>> No.61592

>>61547
>there is always work
i have seen this
also while learning you will have to do a lot of things in a repetitive manner. like when we practiced to use tools on metal we filed a cube of metal till it had a certain degree of smoothness. i couldnt see the end of it.

>> No.61637

3rd year apprentice welder here. It's alright, most of the guys ive worked with didnt give a shit how good you/they are, just as long as you're not lazy as fuck. And yea, always work.

>> No.61641

>>61592

Also, when I did my first year of welding, you just did two hours of theory and the rest of the day you practiced your welding. It was something like 4 weeks of SMAW , 3 weeks of GMAW and like a week of OAW while doing your cuts whenever you wanted. No filing practice or anything. Just depends on where you live I guess.

>> No.61648

Boilermaker with 10yrs exp here, its aight job.

I work in maintenance at an aluminium smelter so its cruisey as fuck and very good $'s( i earnt 80k last year, 36hr week, little overtime)

Huge $'s to be made in the mining sector here, 120k+.

Yes, im an ausfag.

>> No.61653

>All of my day at work
>Welding
>Grinding
>Get home to blow of steam
>Welding
>Grinding

Seriously it's fun. Don't drop out of uni for it though. Fuck I got a job as a welder when I hadn't even welded with a MIG before. Pays alright but don't get cocky as fuck. So many dickheads do.

Arc-Welding is my preference. My welds always look ugly as fuck but they hold.

Tips/tricks for pretty welding? Completely self-taught.

>> No.61657

>>61648
PS. Ask me anything.

Experienced in just about everything bar specialist TIG.

>> No.61660

>>61648
which mine do you work at and how did you get in the industry?

>> No.61663

>>61657
I want to get into welding (as in hobbyist, not as a career), which machine should I buy?

>> No.61664

>>61660
I work at an aluminium smelter, not a mine, doing maintenance ie. breakdowns, project work, shutdowns and general upkeep.

I got into the industry with no prior skills in the field at all as a second class welder/ labourer after completing yr 12.

After 2 years i was offered the chance to become an adult apprentice. (labourers wages- no shitty pay cut)

I Completed the 4 year apprenticeship in a large scale fabrication workshop reading drawings, working with different metals,various form work and general hands-on experience before moving onto where i am now currently located.

>> No.61665

>>61663
I'd recommend as a hobbyist, depending on the $ situation ,a small single phase mig, simply because of the ease of use, ie. no slag if welding with solid wire and the point and shoot factor.

ARC welding (stick welding) is a cheaper alternative, however it does require a reasonable amount of practice and patience!

>> No.61667

TIG & MIG hobbyist welder here (mostly TIG).
You're right - it is quite enjoyable. There's just something ultra-manly about gluing metal together with other metal. I'm not sure I'd want to do it every day though.

>> No.61668

>>61663
Have you done much soldering?
If so, you might find TIG the easiest. I know I did. MIG is nice for tacking exhausts together under cars (and welding anything that you don't have great access to). But TIG welds are generally superior.

>> No.61676

>>61665
Why not TIG? Also, I am an Ausfag too. Any specific brands I should look for? Every time someone recommends something on the internet, it's always Americans. Can't find their welders anywhere down here and when I do they're always heaps expensive.

I've heard of a company out of Cobden that makes welders. Magnum, I believe the name is. They seem to be pretty reasonably priced. Ever heard of them? Any good?

>> No.61677

>>61668
I have done a bit of soldering. What are the main pros and cons of each machine?

I don't mind getting something that is harder to use. I'm a pretty dedicated bloke, with an ungodly amount of patience and would be willing to drop down a bunch of practice to get the hang of any of the types of machines.

>> No.61678

Don't work construction, this 24 on 4 off bullshit is lame.

>> No.61680

>>61676
*Aussie brofist*

I bought my (noname brand) TIG on eBay 6 or 7 years ago and it's still going strong after some pretty heavy use. It's amazing how much cheaper they've become - you can now get an AC/DC TIG (i.e. one that can do aluminium) for the same money that I paid for my DC TIG!

>> No.61681

>>61680

AC High Frequency is the cats ass.

>> No.61683

>>61677
TIG welding is a lot different than soldering. A monkey can solder but TIG welding takes patience and practice to do it right for me MIG and ARC welding were a lot easier to do it really depends on what you are planning to weld. If you start with TIG you'll want to try the other two and even get into brazing which is awesome as well.

>> No.61686

>>61676
Well if you were to buy an ARC welder they can also be used as a TIG, barring the ability to weld aluminium, as that requires an AC circuit.

AC welders tend to be alot more expensive and are really only useful if you plan on welding aluminium.

there are mulitple machines out there which can be used for all 3, MIG,TIG and ARC.

I did not recommend TIG as it is a difficult method to get started on if you have had little experience in welding.

I'd highly recommend lesson's at your local tafe in basic welding before even contemplating learning to TIG weld.

Yes i have heard of magnum and i think we may even have had one in our workshop at sometime.

WIA, CIGWELD, LINCOLN.... all good reliable brands.

>> No.61687

>>61677
It sounds like you could learn any! Welding is kind of like golf - you can learn the basics very quickly, but you'll be practicing for the rest of your life.

As for the strengths of each machine (in my opinion):

TIG: Best penetration, best control over the weld. Most TIGs can also be used for ARC/Stick (if you're so inclined). They can be cumbersome in tight spaces though.

MIG: Can be operated with one hand and get into gaps that the TIG can't get in. If you get the power/feed settings right, you can tack without looking.

Both TIG & Gas MIG suffer in strong winds. Gasless MIG does not, but it throws shit everywhere and takes a bunch of time to clean.

ARC/Stick: Cheapest. Not vaulnerable to wind. Generally dirty welds.

>> No.61689

>>61677
Arc - Cheap and easy to make decent welds. When i first started it took me a long time to start an arc without it sticking to the metal but i found it was generally pretty easy to get a decent weld. It's a bit messy as well.

Mig - Really easy to use and makes good welds once you know how but i imagine they're pretty pricey. I don't know any hobbyist with a mig welder.

Never used a Tig and i don't like oxy-acetylene.

Also to op i wouldn't drop out of university. I did 5 hours of welding classes a week for a year at tafe and became a moderately proficient welder.

>> No.61693

>>61683
>TIG welding is a lot different than soldering.
I'll admit that TIG is certainly more complex, but soldering has the same fundamental action as TIG. Torch/iron in one hand, filler/solder in the other. Both myself and a friend came to this conclusion independent of each other.

Perhaps I'm biased becuase I taught myself TIG before I taught myself MIG, but I found the MIG to be much more difficult.

>> No.61698

>>61693
The only thing they have in common is using a filler. With TIG you have to control the heat with your foot peddle while using the right stepping motion on the gun and adding the filler at the right speed. Soldering you turn the nob where you need it hold the soldering iron in one place then add filler.

>> No.61699

>>61686
Did you ever use the Magnum? Was it any good?

I've seen those combo welders around. How good are they? I get the feeling they'd be a jack of all trades, master of none, type deal.

Having a quick look on eBay, Magnum has a 250amp MIG/Arc/Tig and a 200amp TIG/Arc for the same price ($1,090). They also have a 200amp MIG for $800. Reckon any of them are worth it?

I've looked into Lincoln and the like and couldn't find a unit for less than $2000. That's a bit more than I'm willing to pay.

>> No.61703

>>61698
Just to add I'm not trying to be a dick it just seems a little insulting to suggest that these two are the same.

>> No.61705

>>61534
diy/hobbyist here...... being able to weld when I need to is great, but i dunno if Id want to do it all day long 5 days a week

i like acetylene torch for hobby stuff. a lot of people overlook it but it is the most versatile for the money. in some countries you can't store welding tanks in the home at all so those people are stuck picking an electric welder

where i live (central USA) its very unlikely to get any kind of a job with just gas torch experience though. most job ads ask for arc/mig/tig

pay varies, as I've heard: shitty if you won't travel, better if you will..... the MAIN factor though is if there's an industry in your area that needs a lot of welders. in the USA for example, there is a oil boom in the northern-US states. but there is no housing, so many oil workers are living in their cars:
http://job-library.classifieds1000.com/oil_boom/20100718-19379-North-Dakota-Many-Jobs-No-Housing

>> No.61707

Im kinda confused, welding as in essentially gluing bits of metal together(i know its more complex)? how is this an enjoyable hobby/ a well paying job, surely it would just come under other parts of jobs such as builder or whatever?

>> No.61712

>>61707
It's fusing the two metals together and it takes a lot of practice to be able to do it right. As my instructor once told me the weld should be stronger than the metals used.

>> No.61714

>>61699
Yes im 90% sure i did, however it was just a simple MIG setup, welded just fine if i recall.

I checked them out on ebay and they are a fairly good deal, i think the 3 in one 250amp would suit you just fine if you are not looking to use it for aluminium tig welding.

You should not see any difference between that and the TIG/ARC 200amp combo.

Duty cycle is an important thing to look into before purchasing a welder and it is fairly decent on this machine.

I'd recommend it if you are seriously considering.

>> No.61719

>>61714
Alright, sweet. Thanks for all your help, man. I'll probably wait for another warm day and drive down to Apollo Bay, then pick up that 3 in one on the way back.

>> No.61726
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61726

how's this for oxy-acetylene?

>> No.61724

>>61719
No problems mate. Enjoy!

>> No.61725

>>61698
Not all TIGs require a foot pedal. You can 'set and forget' the current in the same way that you set the heat on a soldering iron. Most of the time I weld without the pedal. If I want to do something complicated or really neat, I'll use the pedal, but most of the time it sits there.

>>61703
I agree that suggesting they're the same is insulting, and that's the last thing I would want to be to a fellow welder.

I believe is that TIG welding is a much more complex task, however, soldering seems to provide the foundation for learning to TIG.

It's similar to how learning to ride a bicycle gives you the foundation for learning to ride a motorcycle. Sure, you could just go straight to the motorcycle, but there are some valuable skills than can be learned on the bicycle first.

>> No.61729

>>61726
Just simple fusion.

>> No.61739

i see

>> No.61740

>>61664
Wouldnt be in QLD by any chance?

>> No.61760
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61760

I have a question for the guys who have been through welding school.

When going to school for welding, if you literally have NEVER welded and know nothing about it, are you going to catch lots of shit and have a hard time? Because I gather a lot of people that go to school for it have already welded a lot on their own. And I wonder if the people who don't get looked at like people in mechanic school who have never touched a car or something.

I've welded, though, a little. Used have a little stick welder that I did things with. But I'm inexperienced enough I'd worry about being lumped in with those types.

>> No.61762

>>61534
im currently AT a uni doing welding.my cc offers a great cert program im doing when i graduate, but for now im getting 2 degrees and weld erry day.

Shits great though.

>> No.61774

How long before welding becomes a career with no jobs?

>> No.61778

>>61774
I had a certification when I went to school so not exactly in your position but the classes are generally designed for people who haven't welded before.
>>61760
Welders today are a lot like carpenters, they fill the role of fabricator and joiner.

Recent Welding School Graduate here, 3G MIG/TIG/Stick certified, currently running my own shop. Feel free to ask questions.

>> No.61814

>>61778
How much debt are you in?
How much do you expect to make, yearly?
Do you worry about your job becoming obsolete and outsourced or paying too little to be worth it?

>> No.61951

Can any of you recommend me a portable welder to weld locks / other metal shit off?

>> No.61986
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61986

>>61951

Welding Locks? I can't think of any use for that but if you mean cutting them or destroying them or whatever an oxy-acetylene with a cutting torch would be best. There are probably easier ways though.

>> No.62226

hey wow thanks for all the tips guys

What I meant about dropping out of uni though, is that I really hate it and I've only done one semester so far so it wouldn't be that much of a waste of money. It's more "I'm dropping out of uni and welding might be what I'm doing instead" rather than "I'm dropping out of uni BECAUSE welding"

Should I go to school, or try to learn on my own and then get an apprenticeship?

>> No.62242

>62226

Got to school. You'll learn faster and on your own you probably wouldn't be able to afford all those machines and knowing how to use them all is important.

>> No.62287

>>61740
No, im located in VIC

>>61760
You may encounter one or two arseholes like that, but if you are going in for basic welding lessons. well everyone should be on the same level.


>>62226

Check your local tafe mate, they should offer basic welding course, which are usually one night a week for a few hours, over the span of a few months.
Perhaps even look into a Pre-Apprenticeship?

>> No.62391

>>61760

When I did my pre-trades/1st year schooling I have never touched a stinger in my life. They will teach you everything you need to know to become a succesful welder, you just need to practice and listen/read the theory. As for debt, where I live it's only a two month a year course and usually your employer pays for it.

>> No.62643

>>61760
I'm currently going through my first year of welding in college. Never welded before in my life. The more experienced guys were always happy to lend a hand where it was needed, and were never arrogant about it. Of course, we do have the one pompous 'know-it-all-cocksucker', but everyone who wasn't full-retard hated him.
It's not completely out of the ordinary for people to go into a trade with little to no experience for college degrees, and they usually come out of it 9/10 loving what they did. I live in Nova Scotia, we just got that huge shipbuilding contract in Halifax for $25 Billion, so if you live in Canada/Atlantic, best haul ass over here.

>> No.62659

Speaking of, what are those jobs in North Dakota, everyone's going on about?

It's like I'm holding a gun against people's heads to get a minimum wage retail job where I live. Honestly, I'm not lazy. I'm currently volunteering and shit and doing a bunch of positive things on my time. I recently applied to be a pizza boy, but I'm about to lose my car in a few months. I'm just not earning any money and I have a ton of student loans that keep pouring in. I have to defer them until I find work. Is there any hope?

I really need some money and people keep mentioning this North Dakota business. I don't have any vocational abilities, but I am seriously not retarded. Any ideas? Anything to get out of this shitty East Coast situation.

>> No.62718

>>62659
From what I've read online there seems to be some what of an oil boom up in North Dakota. People make it seem like they can just go up there and make crazy amounts of money. While I know you could maybe make decent money working in an oil field, I think how much you make up there is exaggerated. I work in an oil refinery on the Gulf coast and make pretty good money. In my opinion, I would suggest working in the refining side of oil instead of actually out in the fields. Refineries have turnarounds all the time and hire thousands of contractors to come in and do maintenance work.

>> No.62750

Been welding 3 years now. Certified in 3g stick weld with a 7018rod atm. Graduated hs in 07, and after taking a welding class at my community college for kicks while taking regular classes I fell in love witth it.

Honestly though, I'm just really good at it, and I actually love doing it, so I ran with it.

I've done everything from tiging all day in a computer chair in the AC to climbing 65 feet in the air with leads and welding cranes (which I am doing now).

Like another anon said, it's fucking dirty. Every day I get home and take a shower, and dirty greyish black water comes out when I wash my hair. If you do a lot of grinding in a day too, expect nasty black boogers.

I have never had a problem finding a job though. You do make alright money, but you break your back for that money. I'll be 22 on saturday, and I've been thinking a lot about going back to school for something better.
It's a fucked business man. I would highly suggest not getting into it professionally.

>> No.62752

>>62718
Hey thanks man. I figured it was exaggerated, I'm at wits end over here. People talk about making 100k+ and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't just be able to buy a plane ticket and find work with no skills. I don't even know where Dakota is on a map at the moment...

I wanted to stay relatively close to NYC, because there are job opportunities for what I am currently working on. (Commercial Art if curious.) I still need a good 1-2 years before I project that my portfolio will be appropriate for finding work. In the mean time, I just need a job. It doesn't mean I can't live elsewhere and do freelance work for what I do. I just want to live near major cities incase opportunities arise. So I'm kind of willing to relocate for work so I can get in financial shape.

>> No.62767

>>62659

First, for your student loans, get into the Income Based Repayment program

http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/IBRPlan.jsp

If you make under 15,000 dollars a year single or 25,000 dollars a year married, your student loan payments are 0.00 a month. It is a sliding scale of payments based on how much income you have

The jobs in the Dakotas are oil related. That means engineers of all sorts, welders, pipe fitters, control personnel, etc

However it also brings with it a ton of labor jobs and all the entertainment that goes along with a population/money boom (Bars, restaurants, movie theaters)

If you are willing to bust your ass. I mean going home every night with every joint and muscle in your body throbbing, apply for a union laborer job at one of the oil companies (I believe it is Chevron up there)

You will make right around 20 dollars an hour, have full benefits, and to top it off, the cost of living is much lower up there

>> No.62768

Just got a job welding last week, literally never touched a welder in my life.

Been in sales the past 6 years, it's a heavy equipment shop so I find myself tearing down things alot which is pretty brutal, fully dressed axles weigh a ton and zipping out lug nuts with a 1" impact starts to tire your ass out fast.

Buy a good grinder, you grind everything, anything, rust and paint are bad.

I can lay good MIG flatwelds right now with our miller MIG machine, They won't let me touch the arc for now except for arc gouging, I don't like arc gouging as I find it hard to see the line where the original metals were fused and sometimes I arc out too much shit.

Also, arc gouging is like holding a snake in your hand that shoots fury and molten slag.

But yeah, on day 2 of my employment they started me welding stuff for customers. I have confidence in my flat welds but anything else is difficult. My main trouble is getting my stick-out correct.

They're pretty cool about it. They arent so cool about the 12x 7/8 ubolts I installed incorrectly they found AFTER the axles had been dressed and the truck was on the alignment pit :(

>> No.62773

>>62718

>. I work in an oil refinery on the Gulf coast and make pretty good money.

Now just imagine the same pay but your cost of living is 1/2. Its why people go to Alaska. 25 dollars an hour isnt really THAT much living in Chicago where a decent 2 bedroom condo in a decent neighborhood is 500,000

However go to Alaska and you can find a 2 bed 2 bath house for 30,000 dollars.

Your 25 dollars goes a hell of a lot further

>> No.62774

>>62767
The problem with IBR is that that only covers Federal student loans. I still have to check and consolidate and do all that bullshit, but at least federal loans are completely manageable. I could be wrong, I really hope it helps me. Private loans are the true bitch.... They can't wait for a screw up. And I know, I know. It's my fault for being in la-la land when I was 16. Ah well, here's hoping oil saves me.

>> No.62782

>>62767
Hey, I'm young. If my joints and muscles aren't throbbing, I should forfeit my man license. It's all well and good, but even 20/hr doesn't seem like much, even if cost of living is in fact lower in ND. As you said entertainment/population/money boom will be increasing there, but cost of living will go up with that. Is there opportunity for advancement? Because I may as well keep trying for work here and live with family for nothing, and be near my family and shit. I'm still willing to bust my ass, that full benefits sounds awesome as fuck.

>> No.62783

>>62773

I frequently browse jobs online and see that some are open in Alaska right now. The only problem is that they don't actually get paid as well as people in Texas. Most refineries pay almost the same but a few here and there pay just a little more than others (mostly the big ones here in TX). The only thing is I hear the benefits (health/life insurance) are amazing for people working in AK. Also, I am under the impression that Alaska is generally more expensive than most other states, isn't it?

>> No.62797

>>62782

Advancement would mostly be a foreman after 10 years. Possibly middle management
after 20 or so. Unions also almost universally get cost of living adjustments automatically every year or 2. (a guaranteed 1 to 3% raise a year)

>>62783

Some things are more expensive. Certain foods, cars, electronics. However other foods, housing, health care, utility bills, taxes (no sales tax or income tax) and every year you get a roughly 1500 dollar check as a thank you from the oil companies for running a giant pipe through your state

Sound awesome? It is... because Alaska itself, sucks. There HAS to be a trade off. A heat wave in the summer is 70 degrees in the southern part of the state and when it gets cold... its GETS COLD

>> No.62809

>>62773
Is $25 an hour a lot of money for an American?

>> No.62813

>>62809

Im making 10 an hour after 3 years in a warehouse driving a forklift. So for me, 25 dollars an hour is "making it big" basically, I could live dam comfortably on 25 dollars an hour.

My buddy runs a mechanic shop and for him to open your hood is 95 dollars an hour, of which he makes about 40 dollars an hour for himself (actually in HIS pocket, not the business's)

Its all relative I guess... its just so easy to make 1 wrong turn in life and pay for it the rest of your time you breath

>> No.62815

>>62809

Depends.

>> No.62816

>>62809
it's terrible, if you have loans.

>> No.62820

>>62809

You can have people tell you how they make "40 dollars an hour as a mechanic" blah blah but you have to look at how much you might make in a year, not an hour.

Right now I only make 21-something an hour. Ive been at my job for 6 months and have made 27k (without working any overtime). so for my first year Ill make around 54k. After 2 more years I'll be at top pay around 34 an hour. The best thing about my job is that technically I only work 14 days a month.

>> No.62824

>>62820

Paramedic or fireman?

>> No.62833

>>62824

Process Operator at an oil refinery

>> No.62842

>>61814

I'm roughly $15,000 in debt, with my current orders I'll break even by Febuary. If the last 6 months repeat themselves I can expect around $110,000 by the end of next year. Out of that $110,000 I will probably pay myself around $10-15,000.

Only parts of my job could be outsourced and everything I own... I already own! I'm not worried about how much I make right now, my current goal is to be able to hire someone in the next 5 years.

>> No.62843

Weld as a hobby.
>saw some of my veruy first welds, became embarrassed
Last project was a steel fireplace for a van made out of a propane bottle.

>> No.62859

I have over 80k in private loan debt.

If i move out to ND, and were to find a job, would it be easy to live, if say, I'm paying maybe 2k a month in loans?