So I want to be a welder

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I'm 17 about to graduate highschool. I plan to take advantage of the Tennessee Promise scholarship which pays for 2 years of college or vocational school. I can attend any of 27 TCAT (Tennessee College of Applied Technology)schools for free and receive a diploma in welding. However I don't know much at all about welding other than its what I want to do. (I'm not a whiner, I'm a hard worker, I want a job where I'm working with my hands, I don't mind to travel and I'm fine working outside in all conditions) The point of this thread was to get advice from people who have made a living by welding. What should I look for in a program. Which types of welding are more marketable than others. I've tried only to apply to programs that also go over reading and working off of a blue print. Is this a smart decision or not a necessary skill I should try and learn? What route should I take after training to kick start a good career? I appreciate any and all advice you guys have to offer!
Reply:"So I want to be a welder" Me too, but I've been at it almost a month now, and I still don't have it down. I think I'm gonna give up!I suggest you start off with oxygen & acetylene welding. This is the fastest way to learn how to control the puddle. Then you need to learn how to read the puddle, and anticipate what the puddle is going to do, and make corrections before the puddle falls on your feet. Then move onto SMAW, again learn how to read the puddle!Then onto Tig. Mig is the easiest process to learn. You get O&A , and SMAW down Mig will be a walk in the park. Get 6-G open root with SMAW, and GTAW certs, and then you'll be ready to start.Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Originally Posted by jonathan.genovaI'm 17 about to graduate highschool. I plan to take advantage of the Tennessee Promise scholarship which pays for 2 years of college or vocational school. I can attend any of 27 TCAT (Tennessee College of Applied Technology)schools for free and receive a diploma in welding. However I don't know much at all about welding other than its what I want to do. (I'm not a whiner, I'm a hard worker, I want a job where I'm working with my hands, I don't mind to travel and I'm fine working outside in all conditions) The point of this thread was to get advice from people who have made a living by welding. What should I look for in a program. Which types of welding are more marketable than others. I've tried only to apply to programs that also go over reading and working off of a blue print. Is this a smart decision or not a necessary skill I should try and learn? What route should I take after training to kick start a good career? I appreciate any and all advice you guys have to offer!
Reply:Which math should I focus on? I'm assuming geometry mostly.
Reply:Originally Posted by jonathan.genovaWhich math should I focus on? I'm assuming geometry mostly.
Reply:There are some really good books out there for teaching your self blue print reading. I suggest you start now on that skill!  Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:I will agree.Learn to read prints.Learn also all of the layout and fit-up you can.Prints, layout, and fit-up are all very marketable skills, and open up several lifetimes of possibilities for you.Don't be like me.I preferred to only weld, because I like to daydream while I work.SignedWalter Mitty.Hobart Beta-Mig 2511972 Miller AEAD-200LEMiller 250 TwinNorthern Ind. Hybrid 200Longevity Stick 140Longevity Migweld 200SThermal Arc Pak 3XR
Reply:Awesome, really appreciate all the advice guys! I'll definitely look into those books. What do you mean by "lay out and fit-up"?
Reply:Originally Posted by jonathan.genovaWhat do you mean by "lay out and fit-up"?
Reply:"Includes 1000 Full-Color Photos" now that's a book for me
Reply:Originally Posted by jonathan.genovaAwesome, really appreciate all the advice guys! I'll definitely look into those books. What do you mean by "lay out and fit-up"?
Reply:Originally Posted by jonathan.genova"Includes 1000 Full-Color Photos" now that's a book for me
Reply:Originally Posted by 12345678910This is one of the top 3 decisions of your life.If you know nothing about it, how do you know it's what you want to do all day for the rest of your working life ?Try finding a local welding shop and offer to work for free and get some experience and exposure.I agree, reading prints will give you   an advantage over those who cannot.
Reply:Welding for a living, isn't for everybody. But trust me there are a lot worst ways to make a living.  Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:stay away from tenn tech in Knoxville .... we have been through 6 of their guys and only one made it more than a day.  Its not their fault ... from what i hear the instructor is worthless and it shows.AWS CWI xxxx21711968 SA200  Originally Posted by WelderMike  I hate being bipolar, It's awesome.
Reply:I'm planning on going to Tennessee tech in crossville or Nashville, or Chattanooga state. Know anything about those schools? Also that's pretty scary they're producing such poor welders...they have over a year long wait to get into their program.
Reply:attitude will take you far, and it seems you have a good one… as far as what direction you want to go, thats up to you. Once in school you will figure out what you like, don't like etc. Keep researching the trade and see what jobs interest you. You can be a traveling pipe welder, doing stick and tig. There is structural work with stick and flux core. production jobs, normally wire. basic fab shops etc etc etc, all welding is "marketable". Being able to read prints, or at least know what you are looking at is important. At my job there are welders and there are fitters. The fitters make more money, but also have more responsibility. That is where print reading and lay out and fit up come into play. There is a lot you will learn out on the job, soak up as much as you can. start looking locally at what types of jobs are available, if possible find out what there test is and practice. Good LUCK!- Christian M.C3 Welding & Fabrication - CNC Plasma Cutting-Mobile Welding-Custom welding and fabwww.c3welding.com
Reply:Originally Posted by jonathan.genovaAwesome, really appreciate all the advice guys! I'll definitely look into those books. What do you mean by "lay out and fit-up"?
Reply:Originally Posted by jonathan.genovaEver met a surgeon that had done an operation before they went to med school? Sometimes you just know something is right for you before you've even done it. However, that is good advice and I am good friends with some business owners who could get a welder into my hands.
Reply:Originally Posted by 12345678910Right there, you're missing the  point that welding is a very small point of it all.measurement, fitting, fabrication, layout, estimation, purchasing, sales, not beating the customer to death, all part of the picture.
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPIt's also got a section on heat shrinking. That is just about a lost art anymore.
Reply:Research the net, find out what’s out there. Talk to the guys on the forum like you’re doing. Ask tons of questions about different types of welding. I am in construction. The company I work for does underground work. We put in gas line, storm drain, sewer, and water main. I work in both the shop and field, and I get to weld on all kinds of different stuff. The past few months I have been building big excavator buckets. The last 2 days I have been overhauling a utility vault lid (boring). I have an excavator with a cracked boom awaiting repair when the lid is done. I do line boring work from time to time as well. What I am getting at is my workload and type of work always changes, and that’s fine by me. I hate doing the same thing all the time. It gets old fast and the challenge just drops off quick. I like to be challenged by my work, keeps me on my toes and keeps me learning. I also would recommend you get as much free info as you can from the net and start reading up it.  Look into different types of welding, different filler materials, reading prints and welding symbols. All that stuff helps. it will also give you a little advantage when your schooling starts. I am always looking up different stuff and printing it. It all goes into my binder. I have been in the trades for 20 years now and still love it and still enjoy learning. The guys on this forum have recently helped me out with some FCAW procedures. Anyways, hope this helps.Last edited by Burnt Glove; 01-20-2015 at 11:59 PM.
Reply:Welcome Aboard, hope to see you around.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:Lots of helpful information guys! And @12345678910 I didn't mean to come off as a snarky know it all 17 year old with my surgeon comment if that's how I was perceived. Your points are 100% percent valid and I really do appreciate them. All of metal fabricating fascinates me and I'm going to try and get an apprenticeship at protec metal finishing over the summer to get some experience and knowledge on how to work with certain metals and how they react etc. They don't do any welding there as far as I know but its local and interests me
Reply:Be very inquisitive. Ask a lot of questions, remember that the only stupid questions are the ones you didn't ask. Lot of good guys here as you've already seen. You seem to have the right attitude already. Keep it up. I also like politeness and direct way in which you ask your questions. That alone would already take you far in any profession you choose. When you get that apprenticeship, always show up on time, that's half the job already. Good luck!Originally Posted by Burnt GloveI would like to learn how to do that. it would have come in useful when I chopped the top on my 37. I got greedy when I was sectioning the roof back together an warped a small area from to much weld at once. I ended up cutting a section out and welding it back in again. sorry, didnt mean to cut into this thread!