For those who want to learn to Weld

[Denim Deb]

I've never heard that. Wonder if the guy just didn't want to be bothered w/a woman. After all, according to some people, welding is a man's job.

 

[Marianne]

Interesting thread, good stuff. After reading it again this morning, it's starting to sink in a bit. Thanks for the info, guys!

Now I need a welder! There's an auction this weekend, maybe I can get one pretty reasonable.



OH, and welcome, archangel!

 

[Joel_BC]

I have a reeeeallly potentially stupid question, but here goes: I am a woman (that's not my question, peanut gallery ) and a few years back I sought out a welding "teacher" through a trade school... he dismissed me immediately and told me that a woman of child bearing age had no business messing with welding. Uh, what? Is there really a big risk for that demographic? It doesn't sound like it but just to be sure...

Don't feel stupid about asking the question.

Well, I'm not sure whether there is anything of validity in what that teacher said to you. But a couple things should be made clear at the outset: Welding is the art of melting and re-fusing metal. This requires high heat - since steel, for eample, melts at around 2300 degrees F. All forms of arc welding utilize an electrical arc to achieve the temperatures that cause the metal to liquify. Gas welding (such as oxy-acetylene) utilizes the controlled and finely tuned combustion of gases to achieve the temperatures needed to liquify the metal. These are two different methods.

Possibly there is some hazard, in terms of elecro-magnetic radiation, to women's physiology. I don't know, but have never heard of any such problem. If there is any hazard, this would pertain to forms of arc welding.

In any case, with oxy-fuel welding (such as oxy-acetlene), you'd have only to learn and observe safety procedures (which include wearing dark safety glasses with UV protection). I can't see, for women, any special hazard in gas welding.

 

[Icu4dzs]

G'day folks,
I too, am a self-trained welder (with the exception of one short lesson when I was in 9th grade on a stick welder). I now have a small wire-feed welder with flux core wire, a larger welder with gas (MIG)(The very easiest to use) an Oxy-Acet rig(great for cutting) and an older (but good)Airco stick welder (the least easy to use in my opinion).

Learning them all is time intensive and to some extent spendy cause steel "ain't cheap". There are no shortages of good books on learning to weld. I have one I like best called "How to Weld" by Todd Bridigum (Motorworks Books) and it is full of really good photography and instruction. The only real instruction is "do it". It helps to have someone who has done it before to give you some pointers but in truth most of us just want to fix/repair or make things around the farm not build ships for the navy. You can, with enough instruction to start, do a fair job of what you need around a farm fairly easily.

Denim Deb: As for the issue of "women of child bearing years" I know of no such caveat but now that it is mentioned I will investigate that and get back to you on THAT specific concern. We have a welder out in my town who is definitely "child bearing years" who recently had a child and has been working at a local factory as a welder. She is, by the way, a really skilled ARTIST with welding and I have a ROSE on a stem she built and it is absolutely amazing. What an artist!

I reallly like welding and am starting now to be able to think "creatively" with steel and welders. I've made a few things and they turned out ok. I have repaired a few things and that went OK too! Now I want to move up to "creating things"! That is fun. I hope you all get to that stage because it is the most fun of all.

I will make one plea (based on my professional experiences and knowledge) and that has been mentioned above. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't skimp or skip any safety issues with welding, regardless of who you are and/or how long you have been welding. You DO NEED the hat, gloves, jacket, MASK and proper set up to avoid any injury. Getting blind or burned just isn't fun regardless of who you are!

Best
Trim sends

//BT//

 

[archangel]

:/

G'day folks,
Denim Deb: As for the issue of "women of child bearing years" I know of no such caveat but now that it is mentioned I will investigate that and get back to you on THAT specific concern. We have a welder out in my town who is definitely "child bearing years" who recently had a child and has been working at a local factory as a welder.

WHAT!?!?
WOMEN A WELDIN METAL?!?! :/
WE CAIN'T BE A LETTIN THAYAT HAPPEN!
NEXT THING YA KNOW THEY'LL BE A WANTING TO WEAR SHOES, DRIVE, VOTE, AND OWN THEIR OWN PROPERTY!!!!
WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN!

 

[Icu4dzs]

yep, shameful ain't it?
Pretty soon, they'll want to run for political office or even POTUS and then what will we do?

 

[Joel_BC]

Here's where I'd like to extend my knowledge... and possibly some others here would like to know more too.

I've used oxy-acetylene for steel up to 1/4" thick. Just a matter of using a larger tip and more gas. O/A is aways comparatively slow, but can be used for thicknesses like that. With enough practice under your belt, the welds can come out strong and tidy-looking, too.

For thicker steel plate - say, 1/4 to 3/8"... This is the domain of various forms of arc welding. And I'm wondering about this, in terms of strength. Is stick welding still generally the strongest? I've heard wire-feed is easier to learn than stick. But what about quality/strength comparisons of the welds?

 

[thasista]

Women of any age can weld if they have the skills (I do not but wish I did). As their MD I allow pregnant women to weld provided they use their appropriate safety devices (not specific to pregnancy mind you).

 

[k15n1]

I have a reeeeallly potentially stupid question, but here goes: I am a woman (that's not my question, peanut gallery ) and a few years back I sought out a welding "teacher" through a trade school... he dismissed me immediately and told me that a woman of child bearing age had no business messing with welding. Uh, what? Is there really a big risk for that demographic? It doesn't sound like it but just to be sure...

All kinds of weird fumes come off hot metal, so that's probably what he was warning you about.

I say that no one should be breathing that stuff in, regardless of age or sex. Set up ventillation before you begin welding.

 

[Icu4dzs]

Here's where I'd like to extend my knowledge... and possibly some others here would like to know more too.

I've used oxy-acetylene for steel up to 1/4" thick. Just a matter of using a larger tip and more gas. O/A is aways comparatively slow, but can be used for thicknesses like that. With enough practice under your belt, the welds can come out strong and tidy-looking, too.

For thicker steel plate - say, 1/4 to 3/8"... This is the domain of various forms of arc welding. And I'm wondering about this, in terms of strength. Is stick welding still generally the strongest? I've heard wire-feed is easier to learn than stick. But what about quality/strength comparisons of the welds?

The issue of the thickness of the plate often is related to the concept of "one pass". A small welder (Hobart Handler 135) will weld 1/4" plate but not much thicker unless you use more than one pass. I have a Lincoln MiG 216 and that will weld 3/8 " in one pass as well as probably 1/2". It has to do with the amperage of the welder. The more amperage, the hotter the weld and the deeper it will penetrate. Stick welding really should NOT be any different than wire feed but wire feed is so much easier for the amateur to do. Lighting a stick takes much practice. Lighting the wire takes squeezing the trigger and you are "in business". Frankly, the wire feed welder is so much easier to use that stick welding has become nearly obsolete in certain situations.
Trim sends
//BT//