How do I start welding?

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tom osselton:
I'm using a cheaper 100 amp tig inverter that have to say works quite well and is good for I think 3/16 with the tig it cost about $500 by the time it was set up not too far a price from a cheaper / used mig set up.

TLGriff:
I used to teach welding in high school and always started the students out with oxy-acetylene welding. It's a great way to learn the theory of welding and it uses the same mechanical movements as other types of welding. The next logical step was stick and MIG, followed by TIG which requires the most skill and knowledge. I would recommend the same approach in the home shop. A gas welder will teach you the welding process and be much for useful than electric welders. When you aren't welding, you can use the gas welder to heat stubborn fasteners for disassembly, flame cut steel parts, heat treat parts and even repair the exhaust system on your car. It can also be use to braze, silver solder and in a pinch, even weld aluminum although that requires considerable skill. It can even be used to impress the neighbors by making a heck of a boom on New Years Eve, not that I've ever done such a thing. :clap:

The first welder I bought for my shop was oxy-acetylene, followed by MIG which I use primarily for automotive sheet metal work, then TIG/stick. I use them all, but the gas welder gets the most use by far.

Tom

awemawson:
Tom, I agree wholeheartedly that oxy-acetylene is an excellent basis for learning. Sadly though on this side of the pond it is very difficult to get acetylene other than in rented cylinders, and the rental is very silly money. So for Chris starting out it is probably not a contender. There are suppliers who will outright sell an oxygen cylinder, but acetylene in reasonable sizes so far has eluded me. My cylinder rental is currently counted in £100's per annum for a full size acetylene, oxygen and argon which frankly I can't justify.

Andrew

DavidA:
Andrew,

Yes, the rental is a real problem.

My half sized acetylene cylinder cost me £135 for a five year contract. Plus the cost of the gas. That was from Air Products. I suspect that the contract has run out, so when the cylinder is empty I will have to do it all again. I am very careful using the gas welding set because of this. So I can easily make the one acetylene last a year.

I bought a full size oxygen bottle many years ago and manage to get it changed at a local scrap yard. Mind you, the last change was some time ago, so I don't know if they will still do this.

Dave.

PekkaNF:

--- Quote from: awemawson on November 10, 2013, 11:08:42 AM ---... My cylinder rental is currently counted in £100's per annum for a full size acetylene, oxygen and argon which frankly I can't justify.

Andrew

--- End quote ---

All three or just one bottle. Honestly if I could rent Argon for 100 (EUR/USD/GPB) a year here I would go for TIG in nanoseconds.

I'd say: Go for stick. If you can get an invertter that you can use later for TIG even better. Stick works well on stated 3 to 6 mm materials and is versatile and more economical when not used full time. If it were much thinner metals I would recommend MIG/MAG, but consumables are a killer and proper use really needs tutoring. I had a vocational school welding teacher to teach migging few evenings and without his input it would have been pretty steep learning curve - even with Morris Marina which was recovering from a minor deer damage.

Pekka

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