jackso11 Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Where can I learn how to weld? It is a skill I have no experience in but would love to learn. I have been looking for places in london but most of my searches bring up colleges with courses through the day, I work so I am looking for something in the evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Mitchell Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 college is your only bet, unless someone on here wants to teach you. Its a reall skilland art to be a good welder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellonman Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 i loved welding when i used to be a coach builder time just flys when your doing it, alot of it is in making sure you have set the welder up for the right job. good luck with learning p.s. avoid arche eye wow you will know when you get it, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackso11 Posted September 20, 2011 Author Share Posted September 20, 2011 I have found 2 evening course, one near me and one miles away that I wouldn't be able to get to in time. They are both 10 week course and the difference seems huge, look.... Course at college one covers.... Gas welding Metal inert gas (MIG) welding Vs Course two covering.... • Health and Safety in Using and Setting Welding Equipment. • Hands on Experience of Different Welding Processes: Gas, Arc, MIG and TIG. • Hands on experience of different welded joints: Butt, Lap, • Tee, Fillet, Open Corner etc. Both same cost and length! I need to find a decent one near me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnd-mkiv Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 dont bother with gas welding no one uses it any more the 3 main ones mig, tig and arc will be the ones to go for but all depends on what you want to be welding? have you looked at thurrock tech im sure they done night classes not sure how far away from you it will be John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barneybrendan Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 best thing to do is buy a cheap seconhand welder and just practice a lot .Maybe join one of the welding forums and read the posts . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdistc Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 dont bother with gas welding no one uses it any more the 3 main ones mig, tig and arc will be the ones to go for but all depends on what you want to be welding? have you looked at thurrock tech im sure they done night classes not sure how far away from you it will be John With this in mind, what are a few decent brands of welders? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barneybrendan Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 I use a kemppi minarc 180 mig and its a cracking little welder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 best thing to do is buy a cheap seconhand welder and just practice a lot .Maybe join one of the welding forums and read the posts . Your welding is an inspiration, I commented on it ages ago. Every time served welder I know says experience, practice and a big bin for to F Ups are worth months of courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter richards Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 what do you want to weld ? the second of the two courses will give you a more wider scope to the different processes . and to be any good at this it takes not only practise but the proper tuition to start.good luck its a long road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iky Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Get one of those Clarke gas migs from Machine mart. You'll also need a regulator. Cheapest method is the co2 bottles that are used in pubs etc. The small disposable bottles are £10 a pop and don't seem to last very long. I learnt myself using the guides on the Mig-welding forum. Theres an online shop on the forum run by a member called Weldequip who I highly reccomend. He'll sort you out. Avoid SIP mig welders like the plague in my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaky Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 I started my apprenticeship in 1979 when i was 17 and the only way is practice and the set up of your welder and the speed that you can weld at.gas welding went out years ago,arc is a crud form of welding and you know when your good when the slag peels off as you go along your weld,mig is easy and that's the one i think you are best to start with and yes the old pub gas will do the job but you don't get the perfect weld but it is free Get a Sealey Mig 2nd hand at least a 170 and a good mask and get ready for your 1st arc eye, i am now retired. Ps. i was a commercial body builder. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaky Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 http://www.ejholyoake.com/ Now i feel b....y old looking back and this was the place i started,went on to gas weld then down south because that's where the cash was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackso11 Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 I have always want to know how to weld, I want to know how to do everything related to cars, bikes, engines and body work. I want to restore an old camper van and I also want to build a lotus 7 clone of some kind locust/Westfield/caterham. I would love to be able to do everything from the ground up so thought I would start to learn to weld. My ideal job would be restoring old vehicles to former glory but as I am far along in my boring office job career I would need to take quite a step back in pay to change at this point, maybe in the future. Thanks for all those pointers shaky and everyone's advice. I know practice makes perfect but I would like to do a course or have some kind of tuition yo start off with, it's just finding the right person/place. If anyone wants to train me That would be great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdistc Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Thanks for the advice, guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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