How difficult is it to teach yourself, and what sort of kit would you need, starting out?
Bits and pieces. I just keep running into situations where it would be very handy to be able to stick bits of scrap metal together, but not handy enough that I can actually be bothered to go and find someone to weld it for me. I used to be pretty useful with a gas forge, anvil and ****-off big hammer, and I can solder fine-pitch surface-mount components competently, so it can't be too much of a leap to actual welding.
I suspect that anyone with a reasonably practical turn of mind and a decent set of instructions, such as a good welding book (or decent instructions off the web), could teach themselves. Getting instruction, such as evening classes or from a mate who knows, would make the whole process a lot safer and quicker though. Much of it is a skill that needs to be practiced, something I really need to do despite the fact that I've been doing odd-job DIY welding for years. There are a few fundamental rules of thumb for safety, the effects of shrinkage as the weld cools, currents & electrode sizes to use, etc. What you use depends on what you want to weld: for the cheaper 'domestic' welders, about 2.5mm upwards needs arc, whereas MIG will weld car bodies. Once a MIG welder is set up for the job then it's pretty much point & shoot. They are more fiddly to set up at first than arc and are sensitive to windy conditions (which blows the shield gas away), dirty metal and feed wire that's been left in a damp garage. Arc can be fiddlier to actually do and there's always the possibility of getting slag inclusions if your technique isn't right. Both need good protective clothing[1], shielding for onlookers and care WRT flammables in the area. [1] I forgot this a fortnight or so ago and didn't do a button-up shirt up fully, then wondered later in the week why I had a small red tender patch on my chest.
Pip Luscher wrote: feed wire that's been left in a damp garage. Doesn't this lead to hydrogen inclusions? what's it called? interstitials? It makes your welds fall to bits in short order anyway iirc.
I have one of those electrickle ones - you know, the type where you hold two bits of metal together, poke them with a stick, there's a bright flash and when your eyesight recovers, the two bits of metal might be joined together. You're welcome to borrow it if you want a play?
Heh, I bought myself a cheap and cheesy Migmate a few months ago. It's a bit shit, i.e. only 2 power settings and a live torch, but it fucking rocks, an was only £150. As long as you have an angle grinder to dress off the crap, you too can be a welding god like me.
Technically, probably yes. For patching car sills etc. then it doesn't realy matter that much; for some applications it's very important that the filler doesn't get contaminated, especially arc welding rods. Apparently for some applications the welding rod or wire can't have been exposed to the atmosphere for more than a day or so. The big problem with MIG wire is if it jams, as my old welder started doing with monotonous regularity in part because I was careless with the wire, then it's a PITA to clear and re-feed. For *serious* applications I think Bonwick's the FOAK.
Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Pip Luscher Yep, he's your man if you want an opinion on welders.
All from 2nd hand experience, of course... I mean, god forbid he might get confused with being one. -- _______ ..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com) \`\ | /`/ `\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `\|/` `
Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Ace Oh, absolutely. I think he's made it clear on a number of occasions that he doesn't feel qualified to call himself a welder, has he not?
'The Chemistry of Materials' is what's written on the cert iirc. It was a crossover between the schools of Chemistry and school of Materials Science. 50% modules from the NON organic chemistry syllabus and 50% from the materials research side. It was a fantastic degree for a curious bugger like me. I can hold sway in arguments with normal folk about topics such as reinforced polymers, metal eutectics, crack dynamics and other failures and rubbish like that. Sadly I didn't really understand all of it to a standard to get into real research. Some of the people on the course went on to work at Rolls Royce et al. Casting metals and smashing shit in half to look at the crack surfaces with electron microscopes were pretty awesome experiences for me. The medical implant stuff we covered was also mind blowing. Heh, the amount I'm typing gives away how much I loved the course, I'm going to shut up now.
Depends on what type of welding you want to do. It's a gas welding, you'll need the bottles, regulators and "guns". If it's MIG, then you'll need a MIG welder, wire and gas. If it's TIG, you'll need a TIG welder and rods and if it's arc, you'll need an arc welder, rods and a chipping (slag) hammer. An angle grinder is more than useful for prepping the metal and a welders helmet is pretty useful too. As to how difficult it is to teach yourself, that's a "how long's a piece of string" question. Some find it easy, some never "get it". -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
