Hey everyone, I'm new to the welding scene and was wondering would it be better to take a community college class to learn or just get a welding machine with a instuctional video. Anyone with experience with both could chime in, I have a lot of ideas and want to learn, and eventually put my ideas to the test.

 

Welding class. Taught and correct learned experiences are more helpful than a video ever will be. The worse thing you can do is teach yourself how to weld incorrectly.

It's tough to break a bad habit. Plus you get free materials to practice on.

 

ah i get free lessons from my tech ed techer at school.

 

Well heres a list of classes available I assume the first few are prerequsites of the later ones. Which one to you recommend, I think the first one, pipe welding, welding 2, and possible arc? but not sure. This not a career, but could become one, but for now just a hobby I want to take up.

WEL 116 (2 CR.)

WELDING I (OXYACETYLENE)

Teaches oxygen/acetylene welding and cutting including safety of equipment, welding, brazing and soldering procedures, and cutting procedures. Lecture 1 hour. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 4 hours per week.


WEL 121 (2 CR.)

ARC WELDING

Studies the operation of AC and DC power sources, weld heat, polarities, and electrodes for use in joining various alloys by the SMAW process. Covers welds in different types of joints and different welding positions. Emphasizes safety procedures. Lecture 1 hour. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 4 hours per week.


WEL 122 (3 CR.)

WELDING II (ELECTRIC ARC)

Prerequisite is WEL 121 or instructor's approval. Teaches electric arc welding, including types of equipment, selection of electrodes, safety equipment and procedures, and principles and practices of welding. Lecture 2 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 5 hours per week.


WEL 126 (3 CR.)

PIPE WELDING I

Prerequisite is WEL 121 or instructor's approval. Teaches metal arc welding processes including the welding of pressure piping in the horizontal, vertical, and horizontal-fixed positions in accordance with section IX of the ASME Code. Lecture 2 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 5 hours per week.


WEL 127 (3 CR.)

PIPE WELDING II

Prerequisite is WEL 126 or instructor's approval. Provides practice in the welding of pressure piping in the horizontal, vertical, and fixed positions. Laboratory 9 hours per week.


WEL 130 (3 CR.)

INERT GAS WELDING

Introduces practical operations in the uses of inert-gas-shield arc welding. Discusses equipment, safety operations, welding practices in the various positions; shielded gases, filler rods, process variations and applications; and manual and semi-automatic welding. Lecture 2 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 5 hours per week.


WEL 141-142 (3 CR.) (3 CR.)

WELDER QUALIFICATION TESTS I-II

Studies techniques and practices of testing welded joints through destructive and nondestructive tests, guiding, discoloration heat test, porous examinations, and tensile, hammer, and free bend tests. Also studies visual, magnetic, and fluorescent tests. Lecture 2 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 5 hours per week.


WEL 145 (3 CR.)

WELDING METALLURGY

Prerequisites are WEL 122, WEL 141, WEL 150, and MTH 103 or instructor's approval. Studies steel classifications, heat treatment procedures, and properties of ferrous and nonferrous metals. Discusses techniques and practices of testing welded joints and destructive/nondestructive, visual magnetic, and fluorescent testing. Lecture 3 hours per week.


WEL 146 (3 CR.)

WELDING QUALITY CONTROL

Prerequisites are WEL 142, WEL 150, and MTH 103 or instructor's approval. Teaches techniques and practices of inspection and interpretation of tests and measurements. Includes radiographic tests of joints of unlimited thickness welded in 3G and 4G positions. Lecture 2 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 5 hours per week.


WEL 150 (2 CR.)

WELDING DRAWING AND INTERPRETATION

Teaches fundamentals required for successful drafting as applied to the welding industry, including blueprint reading, geometric principles of drafting and freehand sketching, basic principles of orthographic projection, preparation of drawings, and interpretation of symbols. Lecture 1 hour. Laboratory 2 hours. Total 3 hours per week.


WEL 160 (3 CR.)

SEMI-AUTOMATIC WELDING PROCESSES

Introduces semi-automatic welding processes with emphasis on practical application. Includes the study of filler wires, fluxes, and gases. Lecture 2 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 5 hours per week.

 

Arc ~ Stick
Inert ~ Mig/Tig

I'd take both of those classes.

Keep the pipe welding for when you know how to weld. I'm taking that after 3 years of welding school.

 

the school near me has two main classes:

1st class: OXY/ACETYLENE & ARC

2nd class: MIG/TIG

They also have an advances ARC class focused on passing the cert tests.

I think I'm going to take these starting in the spring (I was too late for this semester). I still might get a cheap Flux-Core/MIG machine in the interim to practice with.