Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello, I'm 29 and I have a little experience with welding. I'm a Union Plumber and during my apprenticeship I learned how to Arc weld on steel plate. I never got certified but I became comfortable welding with stick. I just bought my first welder, a Lincoln 140 Mig wire welder. I'm building a chopper out of a 1979 Harley FLH and I'll be fabricating parts for it so I think this machine will do me good. I'm looking forward to learn more about MIG welding and I'll be taking classes at my unions training center this year. I have a friend who teaches welding at a tech school so I have him on call when I have questions. I'll be reading the posts on this site and try to learn as much as I can. I'm interested in all forms of welding.

welcome to the forum.
several other bike builders here.
craig

You can already arc weld some so why not just watch a bunch of videos and start building some crap with the 140 ? Start with the welding cart Jody just did videos on, build some shelves and stuff and you'll get better in better in a fairly short time frame. Better than sitting in a phone booth applying book knowledge at a union school.
Got a pickup ? Build a roof rack too for hauling full length steel from a steel supply instead of buying cutoffs from 'tards R US family building center for 3X the real cost.
A roof rack has enough semi difficult positions to deal with that it'll either make you better or drive you to drinking.
OK, drinking more. You're a plumber right

Thanks for the advice Antorcha, I'll be making a couple things before I start making parts for the bike. A roof rack for my truck and a tool box is on my to do list. First will be to make a cart so I can wheel this little welder around the garage. I'll have plenty of cold wrench on hand to keep me focused.

Welcome I also ride, dirt and road. Make a few dirt bike wear items etc. Here is my first project.

Welcome to the forum.

Eldergiraffe wrote:Thanks for the advice Antorcha, I'll be making a couple things before I start making parts for the bike. A roof rack for my truck and a tool box is on my to do list. First will be to make a cart so I can wheel this little welder around the garage. I'll have plenty of cold wrench on hand to keep me focused.

Every group of friends has that one guy who tells it exactly as he feels it. Antorcha is often that guy here. Don't let his direct nature turn you off; His information is as useful as the rest, even if he presents it in a sharp, "leave your feelings at the time clock," kind of way.

Steve S

Welcome Elder.

I ride, race and fabricate, too. I'm pretty new to this (Tig) but already happily making quite useful stuff for my biking life. Fabricating and repairing for friends who ride, too.

As others have suggested, jump in and just start welding on small projects. I turned an old steel tube chair into a race stand, and it taught me a lot of valuable 'real world' welding lessons before I ever took my torch to an actual bike part.



Kym