Learning to weld?

[Bailes1992]

This is something I've wanted to have ago at for a while. Can anyone suggest any good ways of learning to weld without having to buy all the equiptment etc. Are there places around that offer short courses on it etc?

Bailes.

[steve_earwig]

My dad did a welding evening school class for something to do once. As well as a piloting course... I learned by hiring welders but I gather you can't do that any more and anyway they were knackered, which I soon realised once I bought my own one and noticed how much easier it was to use

[DiscoPol]

Having taken the leap back into the world of Land Rovers Im off to buy a cheap welder this weekend ,

im going for MIG as its the easiest to use under a car and i dont really fancy having to use two hands every time i need to weld something back on, as its sometimes useful to have a free hand to save having to clamp everything every time.

Its been a few years since i was anywhere near a welding set but needs must and all that, its a skill worth having and really useful when it comes to older cars or even newer modded cars, have a scout about im sure you will find something locally that you can do for not too much money.

[Welly]

Pigeon sh*t?

[steve_earwig]

No thanks, I've already eaten.

[DiscoPol]

I like to think my welding has more of the "seagull sh1t" look about it, you know dropped from a greater height with a prevailing sea breeze

[FarmerPug]

the last time i welded i ended up in the accident and emergency deptartment of craigavon hospital on a saturday night surrounded by all the drunks of the night, so a nice 4 hour wait with a burnt hand.

[steve_earwig]

Ouch! Apparently the best way to get dealt with quickly is to scream loudly & continuously...

I have a hole in my arm where some weld dripped onto it, I wear gloves when I'm welding but you don't expect to get it on your arm. Oh, and I once tried welding wearing goggles for arc welding and got a fantastic sunburn on my face.

[StevieboyTD]

I hate the bit when you hear your ear wax sizzling. Then the hot metal gets through the wax and into your flesh!

[Doggy]

I hate welding, mostly cos sometimes I can do a reasonable job, but usually it's carp.

Known for my 'hedgehog sculptures'.

[FarmerPug]

Im not a fan of welding, or angle grinding or any of the jobs which can get me back into the a+e department again. I do like a good olde bit of joinery, my garden shed which is where all my tools are in is a good example i was dropping off waste oil to the dump, and seen it sitting there still built with a leaky roof, infested with slaters and rotten pannels at the bottom, now its a great job only bad choice was lining the inside with chipwood instead of plywood, means i have to constantly heat it with a superser to keep the damp out. Cars should be made of wood apart from the aestetic and safety issues it would cause it would make repairs easier

[steve_earwig]

Oh you guys Norm Abram: "Before we use any power tools, let's take a moment to talk about shop safety..."

I love being able to weld, not only can I fix cars that otherwise would need expensive repairs, I can also repair stuff like the gate here, and even improve it so it won't happen again. Or I can just go out and make useful stuff from a few scraps of steel

[STALLED]

We were taught at school - but I haven't used one since around 2004, so I've totally forgot!

Try a night course somewhere which offers it - Handy trade to learn, if you can find a use for it.

[DaiRees]

I did a 10 week evening course in Brecon college just to get the basics Sam, it was dirt cheap. Then bought a MIG and got on with it! There must be somewhere down your way doing similar courses.

[Doggy]

I'm beginning to think your desire to learn to weld and to own a Ford may be more than mere coincidence.

So tell us - which came first?