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Unleash the power of creation through metal work.
Learn the basic skills to opening up a new world of creations. From practical items, to sculptures and even kids toys. Learn how you can create items you can be proud of.
Welding is an art and a skill for life - why put it off any longer? The sooner you start, the sooner you can create limitlessly.
Presented in a friendly and easy to follow guide, we start off with a welders mindset, equipment and workspace guide and then through to several welding exercises to have you welding safely and professionally.
Unleash the power of creation through metal work.
Learn the basic skills to opening up a new world of creations. From practical items, to sculptures and even kids toys. Learn how you can create items you can be proud of.
Welding is an art and a skill for life - why put it off any longer? The sooner you start, the sooner you can create limitlessly.
Presented in a friendly and easy to follow guide, we start off with a welders mindset, equipment and workspace guide and then through to several welding exercises to have you welding safely and professionally.
This is a basics level course presented in a friendly way that helps build confidence. You can expect to learn all the basics you need to know to get started with welding. By the end of the course (if you do your homework) you will be able to confidently join pieces of metal and start creating your metal work masterpieces.
If you have any questions at all throughout the course, please message me and I will promptly give an explanation. If there is a project your hoping to build - let me know too. I would love to hear about the projects you are building and plan on building.
Thank you and I hope you enjoy.
Strap yourself in - here is a comprehensive guide to all the equipment you will need to start welding.
Pros and cons are explained simply and a couple of options for each piece of equipment.
Module 2 homework: Go and purchase your equipment! Don't mess around, just get something and see how it goes!
Learn how to set up:
- A safe work space
- consideration to other people and animals
- A work bench
- your welder
- your welding helmet
- safe clothing
Module 3 homework - Set up your workspace, set up a clean tidy area and be ready to start welding!
A learners mindset - welding is a skill for life, like anything the more you practice the more your skill develops.
Welding involves learning a new skill and it is easy to be discouraged if you do not see immediate success. But if you are not very good to start with then that is ok, that is normal - that is great! It just means you have a huge potential to learn.
Just make sure if you are not very good when you first start that you keep practicing until you see improvement!
Module 1 homework - watch this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vJRopau0g0
Some people and first time welders can be a little nervous around a welder. They are hot, noisy, sparks fly, there is a bright light and there is electricity flying around! That can be quiet scary!
In this module we show how natural it is to be scared of something that could hurt you.
We show how to not get electrocuted and how electricity works.
We also provide a simple exercise to help you overcome any nerves you might have.
Module 4 homework - practice the welding exercise until you are 100% comfortable with using a welder to generate sparks! Making sure you are 100% confident will help ensure future success.
Learning your starts! the first step to learning how to weld.
It can be tricky, frustrating but being able to start the arc without any fuss is the first step to welding.
Some people can struggle with the starts, but the important thing is to keep practicing the starts - the more you practice the better you will become. Getting your weld off to a good start can be simple and easy - but you need to practice!
Module 5 homework - Practice your starts! Practice the welding exercise demonstrated in this video.
Learn to bead! Beading is being able to perform a continuous weld of a consistent thickness.
Be sure to 'manage the pool'
The pool is the molten piece of metal created at the very end of your electrode. To manage the pool:
- Get your head in close to the action so you can easily see. Observe my posture in the videos, get in close and see what is going on!
- Don't pull or drag your electrode to fast across the piece of metal - this will break the pool and won't give the pool a chance to form.
- Change the angel of your electrode and see how the pool moves around.
- Practice and play with managing the pool. See what different angles, speeds and amperage do.
Here are some technical notes to help with trouble shooting:
- If amperage is to low it could result in: electrode is sticky, is not easily maintained and the arc can stutter
- If you weld looks to 'skinny': amperage could be to low, you are moving the electrode to fast and not maintaining a 'pool'
- Hard to strike an arc: check connection of earth clamp, make sure there is no excess paint or rust where you are trying to weld.
- Bead is to fat: amperage is set to high, you are moving electrode to slowly, angle of electrode could be to perpendicular to the steel you are welding
- You have accidentally put a hole in the steel, this could be one or all of the following: amperage is to high, electrode angle is to perpendicular, electrode travel speed is to slow. Metal is very thin and thin metal can be tricky to weld with.
Module 6 homework - Practice your beading until you are a master!
Joining two pieces of metal!
If you have done your homework all the way through then this is the easy part!
Joining two pieces of metal is the same as beading - but you use two pieces of metal when you bead!
Observe someone who has never welded before take over the welder and have a brilliant first attempt!
Your homework for module 7 is... Go and make something cool that you can be proud of!!
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