Getting Ready for Welding Classes. I have a few questions...

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I've wanted to be a welder for a long time but I've just recently decided to seriously apply myself to learning.  I bought myself a Hobart Handler 190 MIG and I've been using my dad's old Dayton 230 Amp AC Stick welder.  Well, I'll have to say that welding is both more fun and harder to master than I imagined. I can tell that trying to learn welding by teaching myself would take a long time. So, I decided to enroll at the local community college.  Classes start in August.  They also cost thousands of dollars.  (It's a 2 year program that covers Oxy/Fuel, SMAW, GMAW and GTAW)    http://www.somerset.kctcs.edu/en/Aca...-Somerset.aspxAlmost everything I've read online says that school will be a good investment and that unless I could find an apprenticeship program to get into, this is the "best" way to become a welder.  I know that it's gonna require a lot of time and effort on my part but I'm not really into wasting money so I'm gonna make the most out of this opportunity.  My goal is to earn a living as a welder.  I'm tired of making $10.45 an hour to work in the rain, snow, mud, heat, dust and put up with idiot customers at my current job.  I think that if I'm gonna do a physical, dirty job that I should at least get paid well for it.  Every job ad I've looked at for welders around here make a lot better money and there's the added bonus of being able to build and fix so many things for myself that I can't now because I'm not a good welder.  What I'm looking for on here is some advice from people with experience.  I'm thinking of talking to the instructor before I start classes. What questions should I ask and what kind of answers should I be looking for?  Is there a chance that after a semester or 2 I can get good enough at SMAW or GMAW to get a part time job somewhere welding as I finish school or should I plan on keeping my current job (with my hours adjusted for classes) for the duration?Does anyone have any advice that's been to or is still in classes?Any general advice on the trade in general for a newbie who's getting ready to start learning?Any other advice/tips/etc.....Thanks for reading and extra thanks in advance to anyone who replies with good info.
Reply:Be the first one there and the last to leave to get as much helmet time as you possibly can. If you can, practice what you are learning at school at home. Don't miss ANY classes, pay attention, and ask questions!!!  If they have any open labs attend them so you get more helmet time. Get as much out of your money as possible.
Reply:Thank you. That is great advice. That's basically what I did when I took diesel classes a few years ago. I got all A's and B's and I hadn't been in school in 9 years.  This time I'm aiming for all A's. I want to be a really good welder. I just need someone to teach me the skills. I'll practice my *** off to get good. I'm very determined to be good. I hate to do anything and suck at it. Plus more skills usually translates into more jobs and more money.
Reply:I think I would concentrate on taking the course and not worry about working part time. Welding requires more theory than most people think but getting A's on a theory test doesn't mean much if you can't pass the practical tests. Welding is different from most other trades in that you can read books and watch video's till you're blue in the face but that doesn't guarantee you'll actually be able to weld. I would also bet the college has much better equipment than you have which might hinder your progress switching between machines. Maybe not though. Everybody learns welding at a different pace. I'm curious how old you are? You took diesel mechanics and now you're taking welding. What happened to diesel mechanics? Welders can make a lot of money but it's heavy hard work and takes years to get the big bucks. Pay attention and don't be afraid to ask questions or for help.
Reply:Went thru my welding classes many moons ago. +1 on the asking of questions and lots of hood time that's where you learn don't be afraid to have the instructor show you exactly what he means don't take "just read the book and you'll know how to do it". By all means read your books in your classroom work but also be respectful when asking people how to do things but you definitely learn more from watching and Hands-On than you ever can with a book. Also if odd ball projects come into your classroom to be repaired even if it's more expensive to repair the job then it is to buy a new part if you have the option to practice fixing it by all means fix the part sometimes people are watching to see if you're willing to take the initiative that can lead to bigger and better things. also you will learn how to fix things and that might lead to a situation where a replacement part is not an option.TOOLS AND TOYSSMAW Mid States Inc. "MISSING LINK" 10-150 AMP Buzzer circa 1945ishSMAW Magic Wand 40-60 AMP Suitcase Buzzer circa 1939ishGMAW Hobart 210 IronmanOxy-Propane TorchMany other old and cold goodies"Rusty but Trusty"
Reply:I'm 32. I had some personal issues that caused me to withdraw from diesel classes and I never  got to go back. After a few years of working on cars I realize this or diesel mechanics isn't what I want to do for a living.  I wish I could go to school without having to work but I don't see how I could afford to pay my bills.
Reply:I'm in a similar boat. I'm in the middle of my welding class. Class all day, then work 8-10 hrs at night. They make for very long days, but it will all be worth it in the end. What the others said is spot on. My instructors are great. If I ask they will do everything they can to help. They will get in the booth to show me how it's done, watch me do it and then tell and show me what one doing wrong. You just gotta ask. Keep your hood down as much as possible. Don't be the guy who runs a bead or two then wonders around the shop visiting friends. Don't be in a hurry to test out of an objective, you won't graduate any earlier. Get as much practice as possible. Take advantage of any down time or days off and spend it in the lab. What failed a lot of my classmates was the blueprint class. If that's part of your curriculum go ahead and start becoming familiar with the weld symbols, types of welds, and the terms used. No need to obsess over them and try to memorize them all, but being familiar with them at least will help. I thought this would go without saying, but if you can't read a tape measure, learn before class starts. Brush up on adding and subtracting fractions, and get a tradesman calculator. Most of it (at least for me) comes pretty easily and catch on quickly, but I wish I had known this before I started. Oh, and don't stress out if you fail a bend test. Learn from it, find out why it failed and learn how to prevent it the next time. I have straight A's and have failed 1 bend test. Although I couldn't retake the bend test for a grade, I did it in my spare time anyway just to make sure I could do it correctly, that ended up going a long ways with my instructors. If I can do it, shoot, I'm sure you can too.
Reply:Be prepared to forget a portion of what you figured out on your own.Weld prep will become as important as the welding it's self.old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder
Reply:I took it as an Adult student and had the advantage of not having any friends to BS with. I ended up learning a few tricks from the Instructor because I was brave enough to just tell him, I'm confused at what we were supposed to be learning that day.
Reply:Taking welding classes was the best thing I've ever done. I weld every day all day 6 or 7 days a week when I go home I weld more I never get tired of it. Apply yourself in school and when you get out you're going to keep learning don't expect to be an expert after school. Classes will prepare you to get out into the field but once you're actually doing it day in and day out is when you really start learning.
Reply:As others have said, spend as much time as possible in the booth. Maybe try to work in some out of position welding once you get comfortable.I was fortunate and was sent to the Lincoln Electric weld school for the one week Tig class. The other students were generally in their mid 20's.  They spent as much time on the phone as they did welding. They were students in the comprehensive program and had been there for about two months so maybe they were getting tired.A few months later I went to the Lincoln MIG class. Most of those students were in their 40's and they spent almost all their time welding.
Reply:I took a welding program at a state trade school as an adult student, and I was 20 years older than some of my peers. Many of them spent much of their time out back smoking, or what the instructor termed 'having union meetings'. If you pay attention and focus on the details and science behind joining metal, you'll be in a much better position to gain employment part time. Those kids who busted their asses to learn picked up jobs in the middle of the program and the instructor worked around their job schedule. One of the kids diagnosed a problematic welder on the first day of his new job by simply correcting the orientation of the flowmeter. Once it was upright, the veteran welder realized he hadn't been getting enough gas flow. That kid has been on the job less than a year and is now a supervisor over guys twice his age. If you want to get ahead in welding, or any other occupation, attention to detail is paramount. The classroom environment affords ample opportunity to pick up on the details with little to no penalty for failure. If you achieve a sound understanding of the theory, execution becomes much easier.-Chris
Reply:Thank you to everyone who has replied.  Very good advice. I'm gonna try to be the hardest working student they've ever seen! I think being a little bit older may be an advantage.
Reply:What's you're plan upon graduating? Are you gonna work for a fab shop, go into any particular field, etc? The reason I ask is, you might consider hiring on with someone that is already doing what you plan to do in the end. There's more options out there that don't require money on your behalf upfront, internships, apprenticeships, etc..
Reply:When I went to school I had 2 instructors. One was an older guy, super old school, hard a**. Worked in the structural industry for 40 years. Boilermaker. Loved him. The other, younger guy. More sculptural welding, artsy stuff. Knew a lot but was way more laid back. I learned so much from the older guy. And then a few of the children (well they were both in their mid-20's) started complaining about him being too hard. Yes, one of them had their mother call the dean. They let the old guy go. I quit class after that. Didn't have confidence in the other instructor. Kind of regret it now. My point: you're instructors. You may get along with them, you may hate them. But remember they wouldn't be teaching if someone who knew what they were doing didn't think they knew what they were doing. Interestingly enough, I do more "artsy" type welding than I do structural now.Big F**king HammerJumper cables & 2 marine batteriesJaws of life
Reply:Originally Posted by rschreckBut remember they wouldn't be teaching if someone who knew what they were doing didn't think they knew what they were doing.
Reply:My experience comes from another industry, but I promise it translates.I took it as an Adult student and had the advantage of not having any friends to BS with. I ended up learning a few tricks from the Instructor because I was brave enough to just tell him, I'm confused at what we were supposed to be learning that day.
Reply:Originally Posted by Mr. SmithI've read that statement several times, and its meaning escapes me.With respect to teachers, I'm often reminded of the axiom: 'Those who can't do, teach', meaning if they excelled at what they did, they wouldn't be teaching. More often than not, that is the case. The school I went to just hired a guy in his late 40s to be an instructor. He worked for himself for many years, but his business failed. His experience is all anecdotal and he spends almost every breath trying to be the smartest guy in the room and proving others wrong. That is not the man who should be teaching, but that's the man who was hired because he sought the job. The hotshots with a lot to offer are actually out there doing the job.Those who are the best in their fields are in high demand and the delta in pay between being able to do it and teaching people to do it is huge. It doesn't make financial sense for the best and brightest to work at a school, so you're left with teachers who sometimes have business teaching. Consequently, the students and their eventual employers suffer.
Reply:Have you tried looking for a smaller fab shop to work in? It's not quite a union apprenticeship but it will get your foot in the door somewhere and gain you some fabrication experience. Welding is mostly hand/eye coordination and muscle memory, fabrication requires much more thinking and brain power. As a plus, by the time you're done with school you'll have some tenure in the industry and that will make it easier to get hired doing what you want to do.
Reply:Originally Posted by DcraftBe the first one there and the last to leave ...
Reply:Thanks everyone for the responses. I never thought I'd have so many people chime in.  To fajitas21, I'm not only wanting to go into welding for the money. I've been fascinated with it for a long time.  I've been practicing on my own and I love it. I'm still not very good at it but I'm learning.  I need glasses and I know if I could see better I could probably get better at welding quicker.  I made an appointment at the eye doctor for tomorrow. I'm really hoping that the glasses help. I would love to get a job in the industry now and work as I go to school. Is that a thing? I figured it'd be really hard to get a job at a fab shop without any real welding experience. As far as what kind of welding job I'd like to have after school, I honestly don't know yet. I'm still researching. Part of me would like to work in a fab shop. Part of me would like to work on a pipe line. I kind of have an interest in working with a service truck making repairs to heavy equipment.  Like I said, I haven't really decided. If anyone would like to tell me what kind of welding they do and what their job is like, I'd be happy to absorb the information.  Another reason I want to get into welding is because it's used in so many different kinds of places/jobs.  Again, thanks to everyone who has replied. This seems like a really good forum.
Reply:All I have to say is have pride in your work and you will improve in both skill and knowledge. If you dont bother, then your skill and knowledge will be just that. School is a great place to learn all the basics and more, it could also help you get set up with a job. Don't expect to make the big bucks right away, but if you show you can work hard and your willing to learn you will get rewarded in most case. I will warn you though, some places you can work for will tell you to do the opposite of what you've learned to take pride in. And if your not willing to sweat this career isn't for you. 2/3 the people I went to school with aren't even in this field. You will get to the point welding a good bead becomes second nature, good luck.
Reply:That's the best attitude to take man. I'm hoping you got what you needed here, best of success to your future. Lee
Reply:Welding is like anything else, there's good teachers and some inexperienced ones who shouldn't be teaching. I think getting a job in a fab shop would be a good start. Pipelining is good if you can get into it but you won't be doing much welding for the first couple of years. You'd probably start of as a welders helper doing all the grinding and prep work and he does the welding. A fab shop you would learn a bunch of related skills.