Welding Tips and Tricks

Ok so i am looking for feedback on welding schools in Wisconsin i know i wanna go into welding but i don't know what job i would want to do in welding i like to tig weld and i don't know what good fields their are for that as in steady jobs and what other my options i have as in good classes to take and what you guys thought worked and what didn't and was a complete waste of your money

any help would be appreciated

You say you like to TIG. Do you prefer this to other methods? How are you with SMAW(stick)?

Some of the best, most reliable money out there is for "combo" welders, who can do a TIG root and 7018 out. The applications that come to mind are in powerplants (including nukes) and refineries.

There are more specialized jobs as well. I did aluminum TIG pipe for four months and made $50K.

If you're a real natural to TIG, there's always aerospace, welding "exotic" metals for the satellite/space industry.

You can make a six-figure income just melting metal together, if you have the ambition and the talent.

Steve S

Thanks Otto I'm not the best at stick but i would like to learn them all

and i was wondering in your experience is a welder/ machinist more valuable to a company than just a welder who can do all the processes?

also if you were to get into the aerospace industry what would be the best thing to as in go to school for this so you can do that

thanks

Wow! Tough question!

If you want to work within 25 miles of your house, then, yes, welder/machinist is the better job.

OTOH, I've made $2800/wk take-home "just" welding, 1200 miles from the house.

There's a VERY broad range in the money a welder can make. My 28 was not near the high end.

If aerospace interests you, study exotic metal welds.... Titanium, niobium, and other rare-earth metals. Don't forget to focus on stainless steels, these are key.

Steve S

ok Steve so due to the fact that I'm still in high school, their is a business near my house the manufactures stainless steal tanks would that be a good place to start even before I were to pick a welding school to go to?

another question where would one learn to weld on exotic metals?

thanks Derek B

Derek,

Stainless steel is a great place to start, and a job "down the street" that keeps you on your torch is a big plus.

Here's a thread where I posed the exotics question, and got a good response from an aerospace welder.

Look at Wes's reply, near the bottom of the page:

http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/v ... f=5&t=3656

I'm not sure where exotics are taught. I'd have to dig. I'd think Wes would not mind if you ask him that question yourself, after how he responded.

Steve S

thanks Steve
I messaged Wes and I hope to hear back from him and thanks for all your feedback

Derek

Hey dewdrop. I'm a recent grad of Advanced Welding Institute which is a school in northern wi. I think it should be your top choice or at least something you should definitely check out. You do every thin from carbon to aluminum plate and pipe.

http://www.wtcsystem.edu/ Check here for a tech school near you. Most of them have welding programs.

If you like TIG welding you could look into a sheet metal worker or steamfitter apprenticeship here https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/apprenticeshi ... trades.htm. Steamfitting is only union so you have to take that into consideration. It's a pretty good gig if you can get into one of them though. I work at a tech college with the apprenticeship programs so if you have any questions I would be happy to answer them.

Otto Nobedder wrote:You say you like to TIG. Do you prefer this to other methods? How are you with SMAW(stick)?

Some of the best, most reliable money out there is for "combo" welders, who can do a TIG root and 7018 out. The applications that come to mind are in powerplants (including nukes) and refineries.

There are more specialized jobs as well. I did aluminum TIG pipe for four months and made $50K.

If you're a real natural to TIG, there's always aerospace, welding "exotic" metals for the satellite/space industry.

You can make a six-figure income just melting metal together, if you have the ambition and the talent.

Steve S

Nice post good one