Thinking about Learning to Weld

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I have been looking at YouTube videos trying to find some good videos on where to begin. I mean everything from what welder to begin with, to techniques and so forth. I found a video that mentioned this place, so I thought I would give it a shot here. Lately I have been wanting to do a lot of projects that involve welding. Because of this, I have held back from doing said projects. I decided it is time I learn. I don't have the cash to dish out on classes right now as I'm already an engineering student. I have two projects that I would like to learn specifically for. The first one is a sim racing "cockpit". Here is a nice example:Ideally, I would like to make this out of a slightly smaller aluminum square tube. Is aluminum even feasible for a beginner?Next would be working on small projects here and there on my '73 Datsun 240z.At the current time, I have nothing. No welder, no grinders, nada. I am all for purchasing used to save money and obviously the less I can spend, the better. Anyway, I appreciate the help in advance. I really want to get started with all of this as I have some downtime during the winter here.
Reply:Come up with a firm budget and report back. Isn't there a class you can take or lab that you can use at your school? Your money will be better spent getting some hands-on education unless you have someone willing to teach you for free. But you need to come up with exactly how many dollars you have to spend before anyone here can give you some guidance.
Reply:Best suggestion is to look into taking a night class at a local tech school. depending on where you live many times it's not as expensive as you may think. When you sit down and add up what materials, rod/wire, gas, electric and so on would cost for you to learn on your own, not to mention the instruction, a class is usually stupid cheap. Add in to this you usually have access to better machines and more processes than you will on a limited budget as well as often having access to other tools, plasma, O/A, mig, tig, stick, grinders, saws, presses etc.Alum isn't a cheap process to learn. It also takes the most skill to do well. You need a good sized, 200 amp mig and spoolgun to go alum mig, and it's usually best done on material over say 1/16", AC tig is usually the "best" way to do thin alum, but it will take you a long time to get to the point where you can do projects and AC/DC tigs are usually fairly expensive.Watch out for the common trap of buying a "cheap" mig as a starter unit. Most small inexpensive migs have a number of problems. Most are poorly made, and the erratic feed issues due to poor quality control will make learning to weld well difficult. Also many low end "migs" are really flux core only units. Good for a very narrow window of materials under real world conditions and you can not use them for alum. Also "small" migs are usually 110v powered. That means they will not have the power to do alum and they max out at 1/8" steel, even with the best units under real world conditions, despite what the manufacturers lit may say. Learning to weld isn't cheap. With no other tools and equipment the price will go up very quickly as well. To get a "basic" set up, machine, hood, grinder, basic clamps, some sort of saw, etc, that you will be looking at a minimum of $500 and it would not at all surprise me if your budget went over $1000. That would most likely mean getting a machine that's not really suitable for much. Get a "decent" set up, even used, and you can probably tack another $500 or more on to that. Also figure if you really want to learn, you are going to end up spending a fair amount of money on materials and wire to practice on, say a minimum of another $100+ depending on where you go and what you can scrounge.Post up your location in your user CP. Maybe someone here is close to you and is willing to help you learn or can make some suggestions about where you can learn inexpensively..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:Thanks for the reply's so far. A lot of info fairly quick!As for my budget. I am prepared to drop $300-$500 on a welder. I want something that I can learn (properly) with, and continue to use. I know it won't hold me off forever, but I'm not ready to spend more than that right away. I didn't mention before that I may have one added luxury, my family owns a hardware store. There isn't much in the way of welders I can get through our supplier (only Campbell Hausfeld), but I can get all of the other required tools at decent prices.And in regards to the classes, timing is difficult. I'm going to look and see if there is anything around here, but I really only have the weekends free.Alum isn't a cheap process to learn. It also takes the most skill to do well. You need a good sized, 200 amp mig and spoolgun to go alum mig, and it's usually best done on material over say 1/16", AC tig is usually the "best" way to do thin alum, but it will take you a long time to get to the point where you can do projects and AC/DC tigs are usually fairly expensive.
Reply:For your budget Mig welder I would say. I never used a campbell welder, but I have used a lincoln, hobart and harbor freight welder. My all time favorite was my lincoln 145, then my hobart then the harbor freight was dead last of course. Maybe start to coupon shop and get a lincoln 145 weld pak from home depot, it's $524 and has the mig conversion. All you would then need is a tank of gas or you can stick with flux wire (flux = messy, but good to learn)Just stick to a good name brand (miller, hobart, lincoln are a few to name) and search craigslist. Probably a good idea to post up here what you find on craigslist, if you don't know much about it and the senior guys can tell you if ti's a good buy or not.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:If your school does not have a class I know most colleges will have affiliations where you go to get the training at another school  and they pay out of your tuition if you are a full time student. Its not always easy to find out about. Many high schools have programs at night that are cheep and teach you just enough to get into trouble, The good is its cheep bad is all you know is just enough to get into trouble.I am just getting into welding over the past 2 years and acquiring tools for it and if I was starting over I think I would get a good arc welder "stick" and a Propane/Acetylene torch setup so I could cut metal, propane for cut and preheat and save the Acetylene for welding.  Don't forget all your personal protection gear  Eyes Lungs Ears Skin are all important to protect.Also depending on your schools art departments quality you might just find everything you need there in their labs, but than again most colleges have severe segregation and wont allow you to use the stuff without you taking a class. But you can always go to department head and beg.Last edited by nikodell; 01-06-2012 at 10:41 AM.
Reply:$500 is not bad as far as a starting point for a decent machine. A bit higher would help though. A nice 220v Hobart mig will probably start around $630 for a HH817 from Northern Tool new. The Lincoln 180's run about $750 and The HH190 with spool gun or the HH210MVP Would run you between $830-890. The HH210MVP is a really nice unit since you can use 110v for small stuff and 220v for material up to 3/8" From Northern, I'd stick with the Hobarts or the Lincolns and avoid the Clarke, Northern tool and any other off brand units myself.http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...8799_200328799No you don't HAVE to start with mig, it's just generally easier to learn and you usually can do thinner material like tube easier with mig. You can often pick up a basic AC stick machine for $50-150 used and a nice AC/DC stick machine in the $300-500 range used. Most migs in your price range will probably be small 110v units, though occasionally you can find an older 220v mig in the upper part of your range.You also mentioned your Datsun. That probably means body work and for that you will need a mig with gas to end up with decent results. For sheet metal body work, a small 110v mig will work well. The down side being that you will be limited at the top end. You can turn down a good 220v mig to do thin stuff, but can't turn up a small mig to do heavier stuff. While I've seen some guys do stick on body work, it's all out of position and very difficult even with very small rods..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:Keep an eye on this auctionhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/Hobart-Handl...6#ht_500wt_969http://www.ebay.com/itm/LINCOLN-140H...ht_1374wt_1185Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:http://hartford.craigslist.org/tls/2776806417.html