Tips for welding school.

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Hey guy's. I'm creating this thread to get some input from people in the trade. I'm in junior year in high school, and attending a trade school (BOCES) for welding alongside it. I leave school at lunch and go to boces for around 2.5 hours everyday. Its my second week and I figured I should get some tips from you guy's that can possibly contribute to my success in this class. I'm taking this class very seriously as I strive to be one of the most advanced welder's in this class. So far I have built a decent relationship with my instructor, established that I am here to work and not play around like some of the other kids. There is a program called SKILLS USA that i joined. I have a chance to compete only if I'm the best in my class. If i win in competition I have chances to go further and further. I can win scholarships etc. What are some tips to make this happen?
Reply:Learn as much as you can... I think I learned as much from school as I have just reading here, or watching Youtube. And stay in the booth and weld. and weld some more. Basically if you want it, you gotta work for it! Try not to get frustrated, if something gives you trouble ask for help and figure out how to fix it. But mainly the best advice, get out there and weld. When I was in school, the ones who stayed in there booth got the work done!- Christian M.C3 Welding & Fabrication - CNC Plasma Cutting-Mobile Welding-Custom welding and fabwww.c3welding.com
Reply:No replacement for hood time. Sometimes what works for an instructor won't work for you and you just gotta figure it out. Dont hesitate to ask if you hit a wall
Reply:Don't waste your money going to Lincoln School of Technology (aka diploma factory). You get smaller class sizes, more one to one teaching, more time under the hood and save yourself $20,000 by going to a community college.Big F**king HammerJumper cables & 2 marine batteriesJaws of life
Reply:Something my instructor told me from day #1 which I took it very seriously was practice practice practice.  A student that goes out and burns 1000 lbs of rod is going to be better than a student who burns 10 lbs.  With the cost of electricity, equipment, consumables, gas, plate etc... Practice as much as you freaking can in that class and utilize every single resource you have at your disposal.  I turned into a sponge everyday when I went to class and worked my tail off.  I also competed in Skills USA at the post secondary level.  Hands down, the most rewarding program I have ever taken part in.  This year I took 1st place in the district, 1st place at state and 9th in the nation representing Colorado.  The contest was such a blast and very challenging at the National level.  If you place, you will enjoy every minute of it.  I've been in your shoes, if you have any additional questions feel free to ask me.  Good luck!  Here are a few pictures from the national competition this year in St. Louis Missouri -
Reply:Wow that looks like such an experience... I will do anything it takes to get into that competition. I have been religiously watching videos and reading on my spare time to learn more. Tonight I am going to start a second thread that I will document my progress with pictures etc. But thank you for some of these tips. So far Ive basically haven't left my booth the second I get in it each day. Feel free to look out for the progress thread I am making tonight as I did snap a couple pictures of my first weld!
Reply:Don't piss off the Instructor. The rest is just weld time, Also don't be afraid to try a different way of doing things.Miller Dialarc HF-P w/ Water CoolerMiller Regency 200 w/ Miller Spool gunHypertherm Powermax 65
Reply:And if you've got the ability and can get the money to do so, get a welder at home and put in more hours at home too. Live, eat, and breath welding. Think of welding when you go to sleep. Total immersion.Hobart Stickmate LX235AC/160DCRanger 305GVictor 315 O/A rigHope to acquire in the next couple of years: Hypertherm PM45 and Dynasty 200DX
Reply:Weld as much as you can. You will learn a lot about how to fix things that go wrong mid-weld just by doing it over and over. If you don't know something, ask. Well... guess first, and if you still mess it up, then ask. Then go back and weld some more.Keep a pocket notepad with you and write down things like amp ranges for certain welds, things like that to keep with you until it's all learned. Don't cheat or cut corners. It will only make you a crappy welder.
Reply:I have to echo what has been said here. Badnews has a great point; take notes for what works. Structural and plate is one thing; pipe is another. Get the plate stuff down solid, and then really, really try to get as much experience as you possibly can welding stick on pipe. learn how to really run a good root pass with 6010. It sounds simple, but believe me; I had to drop 3 welders this week on weld tests for not being able to drop a good root pass. And it's nuts; all 3 were decent welders.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:don't waste your time going to school period.~1987 Lincoln Sa-200~~1978 Miller Big 40~ (restored) ~and everything inbetween~
Reply:Hood down, light on, repeat for ~2000 hrsExperience is something you get right after you need it
Reply:Originally Posted by Bostick101don't waste your time going to school period.
Reply:don't get me wrong practice is practice. no matter how you slice it. The more hood time you have it betters yourself. BUT! there are a lot of things that a school cannot teach you vs. being out in the field.~1987 Lincoln Sa-200~~1978 Miller Big 40~ (restored) ~and everything inbetween~
Reply:Originally Posted by akabadnewsThe only benefit I got from going to a welding school was being able to weld from 7am to 11pm without having to buy materials. Not counting tuition, obviously.. but I had welded way more than what it cost to go to the school, easily. And the occasional instructor tip/trick. Most of what I learned I learned on my own in the booth. Btw, Rojo... does that mean you're hiring?
Reply:Did i forget to mention that this program is free? My high school pays the claimed $7,000 per kid to go to this trade school. So free welding for 2+ hours per day.. heck yeah! So I have room to add a circuit for a 220v welder in my house to my separate garage. For my first welder should i go stick or mig? I have around $400 plus my dad will help me out no problem. So what welder should i invest in to get the ball rolling.
Reply:What was really cool for me were the ongoing education classes which you could still attend at night,even while in HS. They were offered at several HS and community colleges. I went to meet some of the teachers. One welding teacher had a pony tail and built-ran Trumpet drag bikes.Rode a Norton all year. Even in the snow !I found a machine shop teacher who was an old retired Navy machinist who gunsmithed as a hobby. Great guys ! Great craftsman !If you have any old time job shops or racing folks, chopper builders etc go check'em out and tell them what you're up to. That's where you find the awesome talent and those hidden tricks that aren't in the books.
Reply:As a fellow student doing it full time,  I have to say; as important as constant practice is,  don't burn yourself out, either.  If you've run 99 passes that all look horrible, odds are #100 won't be a keeper, either. Take a step back, loosen up those arm muscles,  get some air.  Come back and ask the instructor for a demo.  It shows you want to do stuff the RIGHT way.  And don't just watch when he starts making sparkles; Watch him from set up to the end of the bead.   Body position,  electrode/gun angle, all important stuffs.   Sometimes the tiniest thing he does different is all it takes  for it all to click. Learn how to use a fixed shade hood at some point; Shows initiative, versatility, and   glass doesn't have elctromagical parts that can fail for no reason. Always take time to clean up your welds before you show them for a grade;  I don't mean just  beating it with a hammer and brushing it; Take a wire wheel to it and hit it with some metal polish if you can;  Sometimes that's all it takes to turn a B into an A+, AND it shows you're willing to do that little extra that goes a long way.   Wire wheel + Simichrome= Better grade. 100% of the time, every time    Also, you rake with a chipping hammer;  think of it as a slag-plow. Praxair and Airgas give discounts to students on consumables. (Dunno about machines, although we've been trying to convince our MIG instructor to add  one to our syllabus)I'd just like to add I'm not trying to be a "one day expert"; this is all stuff I'm learning as a newbie and it's helped me immensely.   Also, don't buy the super-expensive gear until you reach college; then it becomes a tax write-off
Reply:Everyone please feel free to check out my welding progression thread. I have some pics of some of my first welds ever! just simple t-joints and some info on what i'm using etc. http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...61#post3117861