Doc's Journal on Basic Welding Classes

[DocMorgan]

Ok, so honestly I didn't know where else to put this post.

Welcome to my short journal on my welding classes.

The intention of this journal is to simply document a beginner's experience with Welding and perhaps give other beginners some insight to what they might experience when taking a similar course. All entries will be paraphrased and aren't exactly as presented in class, yet should hold true to the intended educational objective.

I am taking this course through my county's Vocational Technical School. The evening classes are geared towards adults looking to learn a trade and my class runs the gambit in regards to it's attendees and their purpose for being there. My reason is to learn basic, safe fabrication using various metals and gain a proficiency in doing so to the extent that I may ultimately fabricate what I need to build a smoker. The instructor is open to students bringing in projects (smaller) towards the end of the class to work on.

The classes are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7-10PM, from MArch 20th through June 12th... total of 20 classes.

Class 1: Intro.

Objectives:
Course Overview
Student Introductions (shooting the "fecal matter" )
Briefing on Saftey
Instilling the Fear of God in you about what can happen to you if you do stupid things in the shop
and building an inventory of what you will need for class

Highlights: Shop Tour and seeing some of the work the high school students are doing. (will try to post pics here)









Next Class: March 21; Oxy-Acetaline cutting

[Frank_Cox]

Great idea Doc!
I look forward to seeing your progress! Good luck with the class!

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

[The Czar]

Holy Swiss Cheese Batman......those are some pics!!!!!!

Please keep us updated!!

[DocMorgan]

Class 2: Introduction to Oxy-Acetaline cutting

Objectives:

Learn about the torch, fuel, and O2
Learn about cutting tips
Learn to Light the torch and adjust the mixture for cutting
Use a tractor to cut 1/4" Plate

#1. for a nice "butter cut" you want a clean tip. I have seen the difference a clean tip makes, and you want a clean tip.
#2. use a "cooler" flame. Hotter flames leave more slag. Slag sucks unless you have an affinity for grinding and nasty looking cuts.
#3. use a constant speed for your cuts.
#4. use the right tip for the right job.

000 will cut to 1/4"
00 will cut to 1/2"
0 will cut to 3/4"
1 will cut 1"

Highlights: Demonstration of the explosiveness of the Oxy-Acetaline mixture by creating a controlled explosion. ( I now have new ideas for a "tater cannon"!)

Next Class: March 27th, Cutting with the torch, free-hand.

[The Czar]

Boom....nice..,.

[Smokeone]

Great post Doc!

There are obviously some real talent at that school. The art is amazing!

Keep it coming!

[maccas66]

The students work is awesome!, which usually means the teacher is also!,. ...flash backs were always exiting back before flash arrestors!

[DocMorgan]

Heading to the welding supply store in the next few minutes to get a hood, gloves, jacket, etc. any advise?

[Gizmo]

Start with a cheap hood (house brand is great - Miller, etc. roughly $45) so you can figure out your darkness level and diopter (magnification) levels that work best for you.
This first helmet will end up for visitors and backup for grinding, etc.

Your number two helmet will end up being your bad boy because you'll get to watch what the other guys are using in your class and have a much better idea what you're looking for.

I've found an insulated flannel shirt works for a welding jacket at a fraction of the cost to start out with... sort of disposable after enough months too.
Hope this helps...

[maccas66]

don`t buy any of those Chinese welding boots!, ( thongs), you look silly hopping around with slag in between you toes!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,don`t ask how I know!

[Tom_Heath]

Chinese welding boots....OMG LMAO..... And to think I figured you was talking about wal mart boots....

Now that was funny right there.

Twill shirts are pretty comfey and cheep at the thrift store but get the grinder sparks on um to hard and they flare up perty quick. Lost my fav shirt that way.


Awesome talent on the art work, WOW.

And I never even thought about propelling a tator with O/A WOW Fly tator Fly

[DocMorgan]

Class 3: More Oxy-Acetaline cutting

Objectives:

Use a tractor to cut 1/4" Plate into 8" Squares
Use a torch and "pivot point" to cut a circle out of the 8" Square

Highlights:

Nuthin much to speak of other than approval to bring in my propane tank towards the end of class to crack open.

Next Class: March 28th, More Cutting with the torch, "sorta" free-hand.

[DocMorgan]

Class 4: More Oxy-Acetaline cutting

Objectives:

Use a torch and "pivot point" to cut a circle out of the center of the the 8" Circle we cut yesterday, which I didn't get to do yet because of class size and a fire drill taking a lot of time.

Highlights:

Nuthin to speak of, I didn't even get a torch in my hands today.

Next Class: April 3rd, More Cutting with the torch (hopefully), "sorta" free-hand.

[Frank_Cox]

That's the only thing wrong with these classes. they get full.

[DocMorgan]

Yeah. I noticed.

Any way to get rid of the propane smell from old tanks except for the triphosphate stuff in your video? Can you burn it ou with lighter fluid?

[Frank_Cox]

The odorant in the propane is similar to that of skunk spray. you could add some kind of anti oxidants in theory to get rid of the odor (tomato juice as the old timers did)
I would just do a burnout. you could try oxyclean or somethin but most everybody burns it out.

[DocMorgan]

Class 5: More Oxy-Acetaline cutting

Objectives:

Use a torch and "pivot point" to cut a circle out of the center of the the 8" Circle. Also cut a piece of 4" pipe.

Highlights: by "Walking the yellowpages" I was able to cut the entire piece without stopping like most others, leaving a slag free cut! The piece sat on top of a pipe that sat on top of a heavy table that you rotate by hand. And as with anything in welding consistency is key. Many would turn the table 1/4 to 1/3 turn and stop the cut, and have to restart. I let my fingers do the walking! What a nice clean cut too. I'll take pictures later. didn't think of doing so with that. I was too excited with what was to come next...


Next Class: April 4th, Tacking with MIG.... maybe even welding!

[DocMorgan]

Class 6: Finally... I weld!

Objectives:
Tack the 8" circle with a 4" hole in it, to the 4" pipe.
Tack the 4" circle to the other end of the pipe.
Practice a continuous weld.
Learn to read a gas flow indicator.

Notes: Consistency is key. Too fast, the weld is too thin. Too slow, too thick. If you are varied in speed, the weld looks inconsistent. Hold the gun too far away, you loose the Inert Gas effect on the process and the pool splatters. Too Close you fill the insulated gas cup with crap. Too hot, you burn through. Wire feeds too fast... you get the point.

Also, the Argon gas flow for MIG welding using the setup we have in class is acceptable if anywhere between 25-30 Cubic Feet per Minute.

Highlights: This was the first time I ever welded anything. No prior experience, and my weld didn't look like a bird $#!t molten steel all over a piece of metal! I am almost impressed with myself, though I probably shouldn't be. With a bit more practice, I might be able to pull off some decent welds!




Next Class: April 17th... that's right! I'm on spring break! No, it's just not the same. Will Probably finish welding together the contraption I tacked.

[Gizmo]

Great looking weld Doc!

I been working out lately but I bet I couldn't pull it apart!

[Frank_Cox]

Looks great doc! I know a lot of smoker builders that would take those welds any day!

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[DocMorgan]

Class 7: The Fun Continues..

Objectives:
Weld a "Cabinet Joint" using two 3/8" thick pieces of steel at close to 90 degrees.
Learn to further control when welding.

Notes: I'm lovin this! After 2 weeks off, classes re-conviened. By practicing on a larger "joint" (the two 3/8" pieces of steel left quite a gap to fill), I noted a increase in quality of my smaller welds. Learning how to control the molten pool of metal and how to get the weld started and adjusting to the situation from the start of the seam is probably the biggest challenge but one that I think I am getting the hang of. Seeing through the #10 shade hood is becoming easier and seeing what I am doing and recognizing what I am doing has made a big difference. My first attempt is obviously not as pretty and has its faults. I didn't completely fill edge to edge, and not as consistent as I wanted to be. The inside of the first was also not uniform as it "stood up" more than the second did. My second was much better.

Highlights:

First attempt on left (marked with the "I")



The first one: not as nice



Missed part of the edge first time around.



The Second one: a bit better



The Second one: more uniform



The inside of both, first one on the bottom...


The first one: Stood up too much.



Versus the second: much better







Next Class: April 18th...

[Frank_Cox]

[maccas66]

which direction were you travelling?.....................nice welds!

[DocMorgan]

So far we have been doing horizontal, on a table... yeah. Easy stuff, I know. Last night we started some harder stuff. Will post pictures later. too many documents due tomorrow to worry about an indepth post now. Next week we start a vertical downhand root with a cover pass. Looking forward to a change. May even get into (way) out of position welds by end of class. Hardest thing I have done to date was welding a seam on the inside of a 4" pipe, about 4" deep into the pipe where it is harder to see and maneuver. It isn't as pretty, but it holds water! As I said, will post pictures later.

[DocMorgan]

Class 8: (4/18/12) What do you do when some stuff gets easy?

Objectives:
Start welding in other "positions"
Weld that contraption that we tacked together in class 6 together.

Notes: So... that industrial strength ash-tray (cereal bowl, battery terminal, or pen holder / paperweight... you decide) that we have been cutting pieces for (and tacked a few weeks back in class 6) finally gets welded together.

I took two pictures of the underside:





Highlights:
The most challenging part of this one was the bottom, 4" inside the pipe section. It was hard to see inside the pipe section, and around the insulated gas cup, to the molten pool in order to see exactly whaat was happening. I tried to keep the motions uniform, but unlike the top outside section where I was able to weld the circle in two beads, in order to see what I was doing and the different position the piece was in, I ended up doing 3 sections of bead on the inside... none of which was overly pretty. In the end, we tested each student's work by testing to see if the "thing" would hold water. Mine did.

The challenging part was the simple truth that not everything that I will end up welding will be in a "picture perfect" position... and that I am going to have to get used to that, and to learn how to create those "pretty welds" in positions other than perfect. I think practice is key.



Next Class: April 24th... two pass welding, first a vertical downhand root, with a second "cover pass"