Welding School for learning disability+

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I'm going to a local tech school for welding, in my 2nd semester. I'm doing ok, but not progressing very fast. This semester there's only 6 in my class, which you would think students would have a good bit more time with the instructor- maybe so if he layed off the coffee and snack machine a bit. He's new, to teaching welding and to welding- he's only been at it for 2 years and he's not even taught one full year yet. Scary in my opinion... but anyways, the other instructors come and help out and they each teach a slightly different way. This has me getting confused and frustrated at the same rate. Currently on 7018 vertical T joint. They've had me at everything from 65 amps to 90 amps. The one actually helpful and experienced welding instructor (been in welding field since the 1960's) told me to keep it around 72 +/- Amps and that seems to work well. Unfortunately, he's only there 2 nights a week. Is there a school out there that offers truly one On one instruction (by that I mean you don't have an hour or two hours before the instructor comes to check on you in your booth)? I know there's many schools out there, I am a slow learner by nature- however I am persistant and have the willpower to keep going and keep trying. Which schools should I be looking into for somebody like myself?? I'm in upstate SC (South Carolina). Thanks, Triple B.
Reply:Not all people progress at the same rate, so don't get discouraged. I had one student who went almost 8 classes on simple plain beads before he "got" it. Everyone else was almost thru all their flat and horizontal joints by that point. However when he "got" it, he really "GOT" it. In the next 3 classes he banged out joint after joint with no issues what so ever and he actually finished before many of the others did who had been ahead of him just a short time before.Best advise I can give you on vertical is to learn to read the puddle. The only person who can do that is you however. I can run bead after bead and you may or may not get it. I can look at your welds and usually tell you where you are going wrong, and make suggestions on how to fix these issues, but if you can't "see" it, you won't improve, and there is little I as an instructor can do except let you keep floundering around until it all clicks for you.I will admit that some people respond better to some teachers then others. It's often less about the instructor, and more about you that makes this work. You are picking up on some clues for what ever reason with one instructor vs another. It might be because they have a knack at vebally explaining things in a way you can "see" them better than someone else. It might be that their technique fits your "style" better than another... I tend to be a more visual than verbal person, and many guys seem to react better to me than others, but I've had the opposite happen as well.Take some picts and post them up with all the info, machine used, rod type and size, material thickness, amps used, joint prep ( mostly for bevel joints and pipe) and we'll do what we can to help you out. The more we know, the better we can help. ( For example to me 75 amps is way too low for the 1/8" 7018 we typically use. You didn't list the rod size, so I can't tell if the amps you listed are low, or not.) You might also do some digging into older threads. There have been a ton of "how do I improve my vertical weld?" threads, many with suggestions and picts that might help you. Good luck..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Buy welder. Live on YouTube. Problem over.Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:DSW mentioned this somewhatWhich Learning Disability do you have ?It helps if you can use your strengths.Seat time is important.Repetition is important.It takes 10 repetitions for a"normal"  adult learner to "get it"That's what my user name is about.More is better.Sometimes it's important to do it each day so your brain stores it overnight.Do you have the ability to get extra welding lab time at the school ?If you or your folks have money, this can really help.Ask that instructor you like if he is willing to do extra tutoring at his place, or maybe you need to buy a welder and have him come to you.I like the Steve Bleile Wall mountain videos and watch them over and over.You can buy them at locak stores, buy at Amazon, get them at a library, possibly even in your school, even download themhttp://www.weldingvideos.com/about.htmlLast edited by 12345678910; 10-09-2013 at 09:12 PM.
Reply:OK, I'm 37 with 3 young kids. I also hold a full time truck driving job while attending tech school. My learning disability is that I'm in essence a "slow learner" as was the term used in the public school system. I took smaller classes all thru school and took different math and english courses as well. I understand regarding the different instructors- one is of course far more experienced in welding and in teaching. I'm now on vertical T-joints, using 6010 rods. T-joints with 7018 rods took me nearly 3 weeks to get right... I believe in part due to the lack of knowledge regarding what amperage to use. He had me "play with the heat" on the 7018, and had me going from 55 to 75 and 80 amps. On the 6010 he had me going from 55 to 62 amps. Senior instructor came in and sets me at 72 amps on the 7018 and 80 amps on the 6010, then we moved it down on the 6010 to 75 amps. Everything flowed for me just fine then. I also learned a new way to weld with the 6010 from the senior instructor. With all that said, I attend class either 3 or 4 nights a week- depending on our family schedule. I have to attend school 3 nights a week, and only allowed 2 absences. So far, I've been there either 3 nights or 4 nights a week- if I miss a day for some reason or know I can not attend on a certain night I tell the instructors and we work it out so that either still can come 3 weeknights, or make it up on next week. That's all I have for now, Bob
Reply:I should add that I'm on step 15, and need to be at step 25 by December- should be interesting.Last edited by Trucker2Welder; 10-18-2013 at 11:04 PM.
Reply:Trucker2welder I wouldn't stress to much about moving quickly for personal gain, but if you have to be on that step 25 by December, just remind your instructor what step your on and ask him for a plan of what you should be doing to meet that goal.  He is after all your guide in this welding world.Some kind of Big Blue constant current welding machineAnother smaller yet, Blue machine (it's got wire in it)
Reply:Just keep plugging away at it. You'll get there.I don't believe some people are "slow" learners. I think the vast majority labeled that way just view things differently than the way they are being taught. I can't absorb material from text well on average, but I can pick up stuff visually in seconds..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:To be truthfully honest there's no need to switch schools. You got a welder and some electrodes if the teacher doesn't teach you read tips online. I know how you feel about the welding instructor coming in every "hour" or so.  I started a welding course a couple weeks ago now and one of the first things the instructor told us was to not worry about what step "Joe blow" is on or the fact that "Joe over there" is running overhead and your barely at horizontal. Everyone learns at a different pace and you shouldn't feel lesser because someone else progresses faster than you. Any progress no matter how slow is progress. You could read up stuff about welding online? I do that whenever I come home from school, sometimes even at school if things are slow. It's amazing the things you can find online I read this welding for dummies book and when I went back to class the next week my flat welds were peeling themselves!! Things like rod angle or the amps your running your electrode at, matter. Sure they seem like small things but when you add them all up that's the difference between leaving slag entrapment in your weld therefore making it weaker and leaving little to no slag entrapment making your welds stronger. I run my 1/8 7018 rods at about 105-110 DC current and they seem to do great. I've had a couple encounters with my instructor and he gave me some tips on making better tie in welds I believe he called it? When I lined up my welds together there would be a sort of ripple look on them so they didn't look evenly. He told me that when taking a certification test they give your welds a leeway about 1/8 sometimes 1/16 which is why he was stressing the fact that my welds had to be even. I got butt hurt at first cause he made me start over again and I was pretty pissed at first but then I thought it's part of the learning process suck it up and get back to welding.My point being sometimes you don't like the circumstances your presented with but there's always a way to make it better. Don't just switch up schools because you believe your instructor isn't teaching you guys enough, maybe that's the way it is in most schools? Just thought I should let you know sometimes the opportunities we get aren't always the ones we want, one things for sure they are opportunities that can be taken advantage of.Good Luck Last edited by aav1996; 10-19-2013 at 01:09 AM.
Reply:I'm not a "slow-learner", and as others have said it's all in the way you're being taught. However, with welding it'll take a while for things to click and I get it down pat. My old teacher always gave us a range for amps and told us to go above and below that to get a good feel of when it's hot and cold. That helped me tremendously. Set your amps really high, and really low to get a feel of what your puddle should NOT look like. Then find a range that works for you. Personally, I run on the hot side, because my hands are steadier moving at a slightly faster pace. Hope that helps some Weld on!"I fully know my place in life, and it's behind a welding helmet...." - Jesse JamesIG: @weldakota
Reply:Sounds like you have the same "problem" as I do.  Although it's not technically a "problem", it's just what the public school system wishes to address us by.The thing is I have to see it, do it, and then understand WHY.  If you give me "just because" or never let me go hands on to learn WHY myself, then all is lost.Math was a real fun one."Teacher? Why do we do this."BECAUSE WE DOOld turbo just shut down for the entire class. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Lights on. No one home. The end.Miller Dynasty 200DXMiller Spectrum 250DMiller Millermatic 200Bunch of old blue dinosaurs....
Reply:Trucker2welder- I don't know a whole lot about welding... yet; I'm just learning this past year. But I do know people. Sometimes the best lessons have nothing to do with the subject matter of your study. Sometimes it's just the experience and perspective of someone who's walked a mile in your shoes. Listen well to aav1996 and the others. There's always a way to achieve whatever you seek. And today, in these times, with assets like the internet, this forum and the people on it willing to help, slow-learner or not, only you can prevent your ultimate success. Stick with it. (Or Mig with it;-0)  If I can learn it at my age, you certainly can too.