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Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 8:57 am
by Mr Moofo
In my slack days of retirement, I would like to learn how to weld. I am okay at bolting things together - and taking them apart.
I can’t saw straight to save my life ....
I am based down in the Brighton area - is it practical at 60 to learn how to weld? And can anyone recommend a course?
Ta!
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:01 am
by Druid
I did a C&G course at my local FE college last year. 3 hours a week for 12 weeks, or a two week full time course. It cost about £300 which my employer paid towards.
I'm 62, it's never too late to learn something new.
https://www.cityandguilds.com/qualifica ... ng-skills#
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:11 am
by MingtheMerciless
Never to old to learn something new. Keep them grey cells stimulated!
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:21 am
by Le_Fromage_Grande
Most local colleges do welding, though I don't know if something as manly as welding would be taught in the Brighton area.
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:31 am
by Mr Moofo
Druid wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:01 am
I did a C&G course at my local FE college last year. 3 hours a week for 12 weeks, or a two week full time course. It cost about £300 which my employer paid towards.
I'm 62, it's never too late to learn something new.
https://www.cityandguilds.com/qualifica ... ng-skills#
cool - off to look that up. But it will be post covid I guess - unless a welding mask is regarded as suitable PPE
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:32 am
by Mr Moofo
Julian_Boolean wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:21 am
Most local colleges do welding, though I don't know if something as manly as welding would be taught in the Brighton area.
We are quite roughy toughy down here - we use hard nail varnish ....
Whitehawk is an interesting area - if you want a fight ...
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:37 am
by Le_Fromage_Grande
Mr Moofo wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:32 am
Julian_Boolean wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:21 am
Most local colleges do welding, though I don't know if something as manly as welding would be taught in the Brighton area.
We are quite roughy toughy down here - we use hard nail varnish ....
Whitehawk is an interesting area - if you want a fight ...
TBH I barely know Brighton, in the late 80s a mate had a girlfriend who lived on a big council estate over looking the town, I went down there once with him for a weekend and shagged her mate, that's my experience of the night life of Brighton.
It's got to be better than Ipswich
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 3:14 pm
by Horse
MingtheMerciless wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:11 am
Never to old to learn something new.
Learning? Pah! Easy!
Remembering... hmmm tad more difficult;)
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 5:13 pm
by demographic
It's not rocket science but I would suggest you learn Gas and Stick welding cos if you can do them TIG and especially MIG are a lot simpler to learn.
It is one skill thats very susceptible to the Dunning-Kruger effect though and lots of gobshites reckon they're ace because they just don't know enough to know how shite they are. Watch out for them.
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 6:32 pm
by Mr. Dazzle
demographic wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 5:13 pm
It's not rocket science
That's not what your average welder would have you believe IME
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 6:38 pm
by DefTrap
Stick welding is cheap to get into but rather agricultural so really not hugely useful for car and bike stuff like tubing.
Gas mig is the next step up and more useful and reasonably easy to get half decent at quickly.
Tig kit is pretty pricey but much cleaner results.
It's all practice. I'd do a course if they were more readily available
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 7:10 pm
by demographic
Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 6:32 pm
demographic wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 5:13 pm
It's not rocket science
That's not what your average welder would have you believe IME
Aye, maybe but its a massive subject that I personally feel I have only just scratched the surface of despite me being a Lloyds coded welder then a weld inspector years ago.
Thats why I mentioned the Dunning-Kruger effect where a farmer holds a gate together and is now an expert. Or a mechanic holds an exhaust together and feels safe enough to weld bike frames up.
Its an interesting subject to learn but a little knowledge can be a very dangerous thing.
So I'd say to the OP, go for it, the basics are easy enough to pick up but try to bear in mind the consequences if the part fails in service.
A gate might drop off but meh, a bike frame failing could well kill someone.
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 7:57 pm
by DefTrap
Demo,I stick welded my bike frame
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 7:59 pm
by Asian Boss
I'm not really a welder.
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 8:07 pm
by Mr. Dazzle
DefTrap wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 7:57 pm
Demo,I stick welded my bike frame
ISTR in the Britten V1000 documentary they stick weld the cylinders.
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 8:20 pm
by Skub
Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 8:07 pm
ISTR in the Britten V1000 documentary they stick weld the cylinders.
I also seem to recall one of the early tests when the headstock broke off.
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 8:23 pm
by Mr Moofo
demographic wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 7:10 pm
Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 6:32 pm
demographic wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 5:13 pm
It's not rocket science
That's not what your average welder would have you believe IME
Aye, maybe but its a massive subject that I personally feel I have only just scratched the surface of despite me being a Lloyds coded welder then a weld inspector years ago.
Thats why I mentioned the Dunning-Kruger effect where a farmer holds a gate together and is now an expert. Or a mechanic holds an exhaust together and feels safe enough to weld bike frames up.
Its an interesting subject to learn but a little knowledge can be a very dangerous thing.
So I'd say to the OP, go for it, the basics are easy enough to pick up but try to bear in mind the consequences if the part fails in service.
A gate might drop off but meh, a bike frame failing could well kill someone.
I have no idea what you are talking about
Re: Anyone do welding?
Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2020 2:40 pm
by Mr. Dazzle
Skub wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 8:20 pm
Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 8:07 pm
ISTR in the Britten V1000 documentary they stick weld the cylinders.
I also seem to recall one of the early tests when the headstock broke off.
Thought it was collapse of the carbon 'forks', but its been a long time since I watched it.
Much safer than a broken headstock of course.