Does anyone either have or know of any good welding instructional videos? I can burn and penetrate, but I do not get the consistent nice weld bead that others seem to get. I know experience plays a big role, but I am wondering if my technique can be improved upon.

Thanks for all applicable replies.

I know it sounds :rainbow:...But check your local college and see if they offer a welding class....

I'm laying a pretty darn good bead after a few of those 4 hour long, completely hands on welding labs :eek: :eek: :eek: We're halfway through the class and I can make pretty welds with a 6010 and strike an arc easily with rarely any stick now. Was the best $$$ I spent since i don't have my own equipment of facility, let alone the countless sticks to waste learning to do it and i've got the supervision of a professional instructor showing me to slow down, speed up, get closer, blah blah blah...

Thanks. I was going to check into that, but just figured there may be a more convenient method.

What he said. It's forced practice with a guiding hand. I'm in my second semester at Union Cty Votech, we've burned hundreds of rods, and the cost was only like $120.

I tried to learn on my own with a MIG, but didn't do that well. I went to class, laid a few hundred inches with a stick, and even my MIG beads are better.

Bryan

Originally posted by zachv
Thanks. I was going to check into that, but just figured there may be a more convenient method.

Zach,

If you do end up checking in to that. Let me know. It would be cool to take the class with some one thats also a wheeler.

Im curious what schools offer courses around here.

I think BCIT in Medford may have one. I will check.

Do you stick or mig? Just weld and weld it will come. I welded for 3 hrs straight the other night (almost 2 full 5lb boxes of 6013 1/8" rod) and i could weld before pretty clean and solid. But by the end of the night everyweld was perfect. Just a feel.

But looking into a cc is a good idea too.

I'm taking a class down at the local vo-tech school right now. About $150 for 60 class hours. Arc, MIG, and OAW (oxy-acetylene) welding.

I checked into my local vo-tech, BCIT, and they have a class starting in January for about $150. Seems like what I am looking for.

BTW, I have a 175 amp Lincoln SP175 MIG machine with gas and also a buddy lent/gave me a 225 amp Lincoln arc machine that I just got wired up for my 220 outlet. The MIG machine is great for the sheet metal and the tubing, but that 225 is a nasty machine. After running a few beads with the MIG on my tubing bender stand I went back over a few beads with the stick and damn can that thing burn some rod!! I was welding 1/2" plate to 1/4" wall 3"X3" square and that thing was going right through the plate before I cranked the amps down a little. Very impressive!

My challenge with the MIG is that I cannot get that "<<<<<" looking weld. I am basically "pushing" the puddle and moving the gun in a left and right motion as I am doing it. I have heard of a "whip" technique, but am not aware of what that is. Is there another motion that I can try?

Try pulling the puddle instead of pushing. Also, if you go to the lincoln website they have a pretty good how to section.
whodat

After reading this thread I got off my ass and signed up for a welding class at the local Adult Ed. It's pretty cool - $175 for 4 months, go at your own pace, open till 9:30 at night. They pretty much will teach you anything you want to learn. Here's the cool part - I can take my Jeep in there and use their fab equipment to build my cage.
My first "class" was last night. I already hate my POS Chicago-Electric welder. And I'm already making better looking welds.

The whip tecnique is used on rods like a 6011 or other non-drag rods like a 7018 7024 or 7014. You basically make a puddle, move to the right 1/2", then quickly back to the left 3/8", basically making the stack o' dimes effect:

http://www.tomken.com/partpics/large/tmd-0202-d.jpg
This isn't as pronounced as a 6011, but it may be a MIG, etc.

As a side note, our instructor has illuded to the fact that we could bring projects in, as well. Not a bad deal if it's mobile. Use their giguntic 300A stick/TIG or MIGs and get some classroom instruction/expert opinions all at the same time.

Bryan

Thanks for the updates. I was out in the garage last night welding up the bender mount and found that when I slow the speed down a little the weld looks much better and I believe there is better penetration.

WithAMC, glad to kick ya in the rear a little. I think I may "stop in" the local class next week that has already started and see if I can get in at this point, or maybe just an hour or two of private instruction.

These sites aren't for video instruction, but they might come in handy.

http://www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/tc/9-237/toc.htm

http://www.millerwelds.com/main/education/

come up with projects like work benches or things u need in the shop stand for cutting things rack etc.. this good practice and if the welds arent so good its no biggie.. become a garbage hound u can find all kinds of scrape to use for makin odds and ends..

At my last college I signed up for the evening welding class just to get a little extra practice. I already owned a HH175 and had been fabbing stuff for a while, in addition to having taken welding back in high school. I was already paying a flat tuition rate, so the welding class didn't cost a dime extra. I considered myself to be a pretty good welder prior to the class, but afterward I really honed my skill. A lot of the welding programs that I have had experience with offer some sort of an independant study or special projects welding. In my case, we just made whatever we wanted. So, tell the instructor what you want to make and then go do it. He will help out along the way. Anyway, in my case I made numerous bumpers, skids, a complete car trailer, several shop tools, axle parts, brackets, etc. Cost of all this? $0. Not to mention, the instructor was a really nice guy who has been a welder for something like 30 years. I learned lots of great little tricks that really only come with experience.

Anyway, I cannot reccomend a college course in welding highly enough. It is without question some of the best money you will ever spend. Hell of a return on the investment too, even if you don't get the steel for free like my case.