Where to learn to weld?

**VladTepes** · 25th December 2014, 10:42 PM

I would like to learn to do some basic welding.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

There used to be night classes / TAFE adult learning but these don't seem to be offered any more?

**Debacle** · 25th December 2014, 10:56 PM

If you are just looking at arc welding there's some good vids on youtube.

Grab some scrap steel and have a go.

I haven't done any welding for years but I just got went to the library and looked at some books (this was pre internet) and mucked around with some scraps of steel.

My welds weren't works of art but they held together well.

Get a good mask, welding flash isn't fun.

BigBlackDog · 25th December 2014, 11:09 PM

Look for weldingtipsandtricks on YouTube as a starting point. The guy has a really good way of teaching stuff. I only dabble in arc welding occasionally but I learnt how to do it from watch these videos, and some others, doing some reading and having a go. I look forward to a new welding vid each week, not sure why, I might be weird!
Forgot to say - best thing about welding tips and tricks videos is he has a really good camera setup so you can actually see really clearly what you see through the helmet, I haven't come across anyone else's vids that are nearly as well shot.

**Trundle** · 25th December 2014, 11:35 PM

Depends on how you want to approach it, you could go to a "Men's Shed", usually happy to help out and loads of knowledge and skills, or go and see a good welder, most are happy to help out with newbies, just need to be willing, and prepared to either help out with odd jobs, and/or able to work around their schedule. But as others have said, it comes down to practice, these guys can show you all the tricks, but you need to have the time to keep on trying.
Good luck.

**VladTepes** · 26th December 2014, 12:42 AM

and, I suppose, to learn and practice I'd need to buy a welder... and that opens up a whole new question....

**Scouse** · 26th December 2014, 06:54 AM

Originally Posted by VladTepes

There used to be night classes / TAFE adult learning but these don't seem to be offered any more?

What about this course at your local TAFE?
Courses in Welding - Basic to Advanced and Certification - TAFE Queensland SkillsTech
It's on Tuesday nights & runs for 9 weeks covering all the main welding types.

**isuzurover** · 26th December 2014, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by VladTepes

and, I suppose, to learn and practice I'd need to buy a welder... and that opens up a whole new question....

As per the first reply, buy a cheap stick welder, a pack of 2.5 mm welding rods and a welding helmet. Then read up and practice on some scrap steel.

**Chucaro** · 26th December 2014, 08:49 AM

Look HERE

Info about the place is HERE

**33chinacars** · 26th December 2014, 09:34 AM

Try to find a TAFE that teaches welding.

Buy an auto darkening helmet . Best thing I ever did to improve my welding . Should have got one years ago.

And practice practice practice.

**BMKal** · 26th December 2014, 10:03 AM

I was told by an experienced boily that it is easier to learn using a Mig welder than a stick welder. Certainly proved to be the case for me.

I already had a small stick welder (inverter type) that all I could really use it for was to blow holes in steel.

So I bought a small Mig welder - got one of the boily's at work to show me how to set it up and a few basic tips, and started playing around in my shed. Picked it up quite easily from that, and then gradually started to use the stick welder more on some heavier work.

I wouldn't say that I am good at it by any means, but I do quite a lot of welding now and it generally holds together.

As Debacle said - get a good mask.

The auto dimming ones have now come down in price a lot - only way to go IMHO.

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