How to weld

[nuke]

I think the most common beginner welding mistake I see is trying to weld 1/8" of thicker steel with a 110VAC MIG. No matter what the manufacturer says the welder is capable of, its output is limited by the input. You simply cannot get sufficient penetration for thicker steel with a 110 welder. I have and use a 110 MIG but only for sheet metal up to about 1/16". The other problem with these welders is the duty cycle, turned up to max they can most like only weld about 1/4 long bead. Trade school 1978-80, worked as a welder for about 6 years, been welding as a hobby ever since. My welder of choice, TIG for light work and alloys, Miller Bobcat for 1/8" and up.

[towerhandjake]

Originally Posted by Bob F

Welding is about practice.

+1 for Bob.

I dont believe you need "schooling" for welding. I have been doing it for 15 years, 10 years certified, and everything I learned was from experience and other welders. Hang out with the fellas that have been doing it awhile; thats classroom enough in my book.

Mix that with plenty of hood time, and if you cant figure it out then you may want to try another hobby. Just my opinion.

[Cosmo Kramer]

I understand what VW is saying....we'll spend hundreds on some piece of welded metal to hold a license plate....or wish we could fill in the hole in our rear fender where the tail light used to live....when you can get a sufficient welder for relatively cheap and learn yourself. I don't think he is recommending welding a hardtail on with a 110v system...but I agree that a lot of the light fab work could easily be done by the average man/woman.

I think...and I am guessing VW would agree....if it is anything that compromises control of the bike or vehicle if the weld in question were to fail...I think it should be left to the professionals.

I also agree it is an art. I've supervised many millwrights and steel workers in the auto industry and the good ones can lay a beautiful bead for sure....fun to watch esp. when working on the heavier metals.

[Woodie]

I'm in my forty's and a couple of years back I took a 10 week night course offered by the local school and a local business that hires weldors. It cost me a $100 and was a great learning experience. It's kind of like operating a motorcycle without the MSF course. You can learn to do it but you never know what important lessons your missing out on. Practice Practice Practice and seek out local training.

[joe66]

I've been working in steel fabrication for 35 years and have held several different certifications at different times including pipe/tubing unlimited diameter and wall thickness and it amazes me how many people come in looking for work saying they know how to weld when all they did was run a couple of beads in shop class 20 years ago or they built a dune buggy in their garage! We even have had the local CC send us their best graduates that are supposedly certified when they finish school, and these guys don't even know how to adjust the welder or even to to turn on the gas! Some of them don't even know how many 16th's are in an inch! Let me tell you, theres more to it than just getting two pieces of steel to stick together! It's easy to weld on top of a work bench. It's another thing to weld laying on your back underneath a piece of heavy equipment or reaching off of a ladder or hanging in a basket from a crane or reaching into some narrow, almost impossible to get to corner.
I too learned by experience but I had certified welders and Inspectors teaching me, on the job, explaining the how's and why's of how to do it right. Do you "need" to go to school? Not really. Can you teach yourself? Yeah, you could probably learn to make a decent looking weld that will hold two pieces of metal together. Will it stay together under vibration, load or impact? Well, thats another question.

[vwclogan]

Originally Posted by Cosmo Kramer

I understand what VW is saying....we'll spend hundreds on some piece of welded metal to hold a license plate....or wish we could fill in the hole in our rear fender where the tail light used to live....when you can get a sufficient welder for relatively cheap and learn yourself. I don't think he is recommending welding a hardtail on with a 110v system...but I agree that a lot of the light fab work could easily be done by the average man/woman.

I think...and I am guessing VW would agree....if it is anything that compromises control of the bike or vehicle if the weld in question were to fail...I think it should be left to the professionals.

I also agree it is an art. I've supervised many millwrights and steel workers in the auto industry and the good ones can lay a beautiful bead for sure....fun to watch esp. when working on the heavier metals.

Exactly, thank you lol.

[sonnydaze]

Originally Posted by nuke

I think the most common beginner welding mistake I see is trying to weld 1/8" of thicker steel with a 110VAC MIG. No matter what the manufacturer says the welder is capable of, its output is limited by the input. You simply cannot get sufficient penetration for thicker steel with a 110 welder. I have and use a 110 MIG but only for sheet metal up to about 1/16". The other problem with these welders is the duty cycle, turned up to max they can most like only weld about 1/4 long bead. Trade school 1978-80, worked as a welder for about 6 years, been welding as a hobby ever since. My welder of choice, TIG for light work and alloys, Miller Bobcat for 1/8" and up.

on most 110 welders id agree but on a miller or hobart id disagree . but most dont buy good quality 110 welders .
i have been welding for about 16 years at my work but i can only mig and tig . tried to arc weld few months ago and could not lay a clean bead for nothing