should i just buy a welder and some metal and start trying to go at it or learn it from someone first?

IMPORTANT NOTE: i don't to die from exploding hot metal or burning to death

1/20/2010 9:16:01 PM

id learn from someone who knows how, just my $0.02

1/20/2010 9:18:03 PM

Take a class at wake tech where you'll have proper supervision.

1/20/2010 9:18:25 PM

As a certified welder with a degree in welding technology, I can tell you, degrees and certifications are a waste of time. Get an auto darkening hood, the flip down kinds are for Chinese factory workers. Then just watch some youtube videos on how to do it and you should be fine if you have basic common sense.

on the other hand, in state community college classes are cheap. So why not at least for a start.

[Edited on January 20, 2010 at 9:19 PM. Reason : -]

1/20/2010 9:18:27 PM

good to know

where the hell do i gets metal?

[Edited on January 20, 2010 at 9:25 PM. Reason : i should really research things]

1/20/2010 9:24:58 PM

Quote :

"Take a class at wake tech where you'll have proper supervision."

I took the class a few years ago.. it was fun! I was also the only girl in the class, so I got a lot of help. But I'm sure you'll do just fine

1/20/2010 9:27:45 PM

That's a good question, there are lots of facilities around Raleigh with all kinds of scrap they throw out, but they don't let people walk up and take it. Large industrial metal suppliers have will calls, where they sell bits that were left over from large orders to individuals for fairly cheap, it's good for when you want to actually do a project, but for practice you want scrap.

1/20/2010 9:29:50 PM

Duuram tech has a welding class for $80.00. I'd have trouble learning to weld without someone showing me proper techniques.

my $0.02

1/20/2010 9:43:21 PM

Quote :

"Take a class at wake tech where you'll have proper supervision."

Yea... community/technical college is the best route here. And a good night class meeting 2 nights a week will only set you back like $400 and you'll come out knowing exactly whats up and what you need to get the job done correctly and safely.

1/20/2010 9:56:42 PM

If you have any sort of manly hobbies at all... just look around your garage. You're sure to find tons of random crap you can weld together.

You don't need a whole lot.. you can weld something, cut it, weld it again. Rinse & repeat.

1/20/2010 10:30:23 PM

Quote :

"i don't to die"

1/20/2010 10:32:13 PM

well i don't

1/20/2010 10:33:21 PM

From what I've been able to gather, welding is easy to pick up, difficult to get good at and almost impossible to master
I think you need a class just to learn all the names of the different kinds of welding.
theres like TIG, MIG and about a billion others and im not arrogant enough to google it and pretend I know what they are

[Edited on January 20, 2010 at 11:08 PM. Reason : asd]

1/20/2010 11:07:25 PM

Go take a class at techshop. It'll cost you 30 bucks and you can learn tig or mig.

1/20/2010 11:08:56 PM

I never took any classes...though I got an intro to stick and oxy-acetylene welding in TED 122 at State (but had been doing it for years before anyway).

I think taking a class is a good way to learn quickly and properly. But welding is one thing you can read about all day long but really need practice to make it good.

1/20/2010 11:20:56 PM

take a class

1/20/2010 11:24:22 PM

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6381/pictureorvideo011wd6.jpg

1/21/2010 12:41:20 AM

1/21/2010 12:43:33 AM

welding is a pain in the fucking ass

1/21/2010 12:45:05 AM

I taught gas welding, stick, and mig for the last 2 years.
I still don't consider myself a very good welder. It takes years of continuous practice to get good, and many more than that to perfect it.
I can teach all the technique, and help correct new welders in basic problems, but I can't do any pretty stuff. Pretty and strong is where the difficulty is.

Take a class if you want to learn properly.

1/21/2010 12:47:22 AM