The art of welding is one of those skills that are useful in all walks of life.
As well as having the ability to mend, repair and create from the resources in front of you, it brings out a new way of thinking that other careers can’t compare. Precision, patience, and graft are just three of the skills you can develop to new levels.
Learning how to weld is easier than you might think. Here’s a guide for learning how to weld in 7 easy steps
1. Research and Resource
The first thing advised is not to jump straight in at the deep end. You’ll want to take time to research what’s right for your specific interests or requirements. Even where you live, there may be regulations in place as to what qualifications you may need before using welding equipment.
It’s always a good idea to research. Youtube and the Internet, in general, have helped achieve this no end. If you look in the right places, local courses such as those from Moore Weld Professional Services, LLC in Atlanta will give you the qualifications you need to succeed.
2. Work Out Your Weld
Welding isn’t just one technique. There are many styles, depending on what you are choosing to weld. For example, welding a rusted gate most likely requires stick welding. If you need a stronger weld, you’ll probably use a metal inert gas method.
Some tools allow for both, so make sure you know for definite what you’ll be welding before spending your money.
3. Build Your Base
You’ll need the correct equipment and a safe area for welding due to the intense levels of heat and sparks that will be flying.
If you are working from home and have a family, you’ll want to make sure you child-proof your workspace and make sure everything is securely locked away when not in use.
Whatever walks of life, you really can’t put a price on safety. Better to be safe than sorry, as the saying goes!
4. Don’t Cut Corners With Safety Gear
Let’s not forget that safety gear is a must, even when you aren’t operating the equipment but in its vicinity. Those around you should always wear safety goggles due to the sparks that fly during the welding process.
If there’s one thing where money should be no object, it’s safety gear. That includes investing in any additional safety measures you will need in addition to what you wear.
5. Choose Your Tools Wisely
Depending on your budget, hiring tools are a great way to start as you can get expert advice and understand what you will need in the future.
From there, you can buy used or new tools, but if purchasing used tools, make sure they are fully compliant and tested to ensure they don’t become a safety hazard.
6. Source Your Materials
You can’t weld if you don’t have anything to weld together!
Most people will have something in their house that they are happy to use for practicing. Clothes airers, for example, are prone to snapping, as are old metal chairs. These types of projects are simple repairs that can bring household items to life.
But if not, a trip to the local scrapyard or your local Facebook group is a great way to find unwanted metals.
7. Time To Get Welding
Whether it’s practical reasons or artistic, there’s something for everyone! Take a look at these metal sculptures being created all over the world. You can make metal sculptures out of anything you find at the scrapyard. The only limit is your imagination!
These artistic projects are taking metal welding beyond the traditional repair methods we all think of in welding practices.
Learning How To Weld Can Be Rewarding
It’s easy to think that learning how to weld is becoming less relevant with modern technology at the helm. But that can’t be further from the truth.
There will always be a need for human welders to understand the intent of the customer’s requirements. And even with today’s automated machinery, having historical knowledge and understanding is essential in achieving a successful working balance between manual welding and machine welding.
For more top tips, keep reading through our articles!
