Learning to Weld

[Hillbiehle]

I know nothing about welding but am eager to learn. I have checked the area adult education schools and haven't found anything. It would be nice to find a night school where I can learn. Is any one aware of a place that offers night school or some sort of classes to teach basic welding? As a foot note, this is not to establish a career, but simply to learn basic welding at home with basic equipment for small projects etc... Thanks in advance for replies.

[jentz]

With the wirefeed welders you can teach yourself.Just get a welding book read it and practice.

[kerryd15]

Get a book or read online, or watch some videos. What are you trying to weld with. Gas, wire, stick, tig, plastic? each have their strong and weak points.

[CAMAN]

Hennepin Tech in Brooklyn Park has a whole variety of welding classes. Its not right next door, but it is an option.

[Rick G]

My advice would be to enrole into a tech school or find a welding shop that needs some help in exchange for some lessons. Another option would be to watch some online videos on mig, get yourself a wirefeed and practice. Gas or mig are by far the easiest methods to learn on your own imo. Once you learn one welding process the rest can be learned rather quickly with the exception of tig, that is a bit more complex

[MJ1657]

I know nothing about welding but am eager to learn. I have checked the area adult education schools and haven't found anything. It would be nice to find a night school where I can learn. Is any one aware of a place that offers night school or some sort of classes to teach basic welding? As a foot note, this is not to establish a career, but simply to learn basic welding at home with basic equipment for small projects etc... Thanks in advance for replies.

Find someone you know that can weld and have them teach you. Then get some scraps of steel and have at it. Its not hard to do and is something that just takes practice to get good at it.

[Dave S]

HCTC in Eden Prairie might have night classes. Otherwise I think it's Anoka/Hennepin Tech in Anoka that has some metal trade courses as well.

[CAMAN]

HCTC in Eden Prairie might have night classes.

They do not have welding, it is all at there North Campus in Brooklyn Park

[Dave S]

they moved it from when I took welding but that was some 25 years ago

[AaronM]

Find someone you know that can weld and have them teach you. Then get some scraps of steel and have at it. Its not hard to do and is something that just takes practice to get good at it.

+1 on this. Ask around and find out if any of your friends/family can weld. That would be an easy way to get some basic knowledge on what you are doing.

[Hillbiehle]

Thank you for all the replys. Based on the feedback and lack of local night schools, I'm going to go the route of watching/ learning and practicing (and perhaps finds some vides from the library). I'm looking at three different welders and basing my decision on the customer feedback and reviews. Looking at 110v there appears to be some decent wire feeds ones from Miller, Lincoln and Cambell Hausfield. I'm looking forward to this.

[JeffB]

Do your shopping at a store that specializes in welders, they will help point you to a good welder for what you want to use it for. If you want to do much fabrication you may not want a 110v machine, but they will explane the limitations of each machine. They also often have models on hand to try out at the store.

[TruthWalleyes]

You never specified what metals you want to weld....Stainless and Aluminum are not easily learned....Steel - just make the sound of bacon cooking!

[Hillbiehle]

Steel. This is similar to what I want to weld for wood project(s). I'm hoping to get buy with a 110 for portability in case I would decide to use outside of the garage, etc...

[fishingstar]

I have hobart 110. It welds very good under 1/4 clean metal. but it is not any thing to learn on.

Dan

[169Sportsman]

You may want to look at a miller passport. I was going to buy a 110 unit and ended up getting a passport instead and I am very glad I did. They are a bit more costly but the ability to use 110 or 220 and the portability of the unit is awesome! I got mine from Toll Welding.