I'd really like to learn to weld professionally rather than screw **** up over and over, and have confidence in my welds. Unfortunately my friend's dad has a welder, and said he'd let me use it whenever, but I have no idea how to. Normally I'd just research online for a few days, but I wouldn't mind picking up a class around here that I could take during the summer and would count as an elective over at Purdue Univ. where I goto school.

 

A good basic book is "Welder's Handbook" by Finch. It covers the basics on a wide variety of welding forms: Oxy-A, MIG (gas and flux core), arc and TIG welding, brazing, etc.

The easiest way to weld is MIG welding with wire-fed flux core wire. Nothing but a gun with the only variables being wire gage (thickness), amperage, and wire feed speed to mess with, and even then, it's easy to feel out how much of each to use.

I've never arc, acetylene/Oxy-A, or TIG welded before, but they are usually classified together b/c the techniques are very similar in terms of temperature and weld puddle control.

Find a local trade/vocational school that offers it as a summer class. It'll expose you to a wide variety of welding, which is what you want. I'd talk to the teacher and see what the curriculum is like at a couple of schools to see if it's geared towards what you want to learn.

The best universal advice is to practice practice practice.

 

I am learning through practice, and tips from friends that are welders here and there.

Right now I am just welding scrap together and testing the welds. Not doing great so far, but after welding something I see if/how much it takes to break the weld.

By the fourth day that I had been practicing, my welds started looking good and I was able to weld some seams around a strut bar making the brackets have much less flex to them.

 

It's not that hard to do. I'm self taught doing arc welding. I haven't used it on any car items, but rather have fabed some stuff for farm use. Cows have been beating on my stuff for 2 years now and they are still holding, plus we drop 2000lbs of hay at a time into it.

If your friends dad now how to use his welder, then I would just suggest getting yourself the proper welding equipment and watch him run a few beeds. Then try one for your self. Just start by trying to make some nice welds on top of flat plate to learn how to control the puddleing and penetration, and then step up to welding two scraps together. The hardest part is just starting the weld as you'll see. The first few times you try, you'll most likely just get the rod stuck to the metal. Once you learn how to start without getting stuck the rest is pretty damn easy.