[Rupes]

Confidence is king. Its amazing how much difference it can make in all sorts of things, not just welding.

I know its a state of mind and you can't just switch it on and off, but its a bit like mental adrenaline, gives you the focus required to do a lot of tasks well. Have a shabby day with something and your confidence levels drop it can go from bad to worse very quickly. Very important that when something isn't working as you know it should, you stop and analyse what it is that's causing the problem. Spatter in the mig tip that's causing intermittent shorts, bad earths, rushing a job instead of prepping properly, drive wheels not tensioned properly, dodgy rods or a million other things.

The above is kind of applies to most hand skills. Welding specific though in my limited experience, I'd say torch angle and arc gap, mostly for TIG. For mig I'd say plenty of heat and get moving. Stick, all rods are not created equal.

[Jeremy]

in my class the subjects being pounded in to the heads of the students are angles, speed, voltage/amps, constancy of manipulation, and always check settings on a practice piece of metal.

so far these principals are what the look for as first solutions to the problem at hand. if these things don't work then they seek additional help.

[GreinTime]

I'm a noob . With a few months under my belt, fwiw , I think penetration, heat input, cleanliness and porosity are very important . I read and studied on my own for about a year before ever striking an arc. With a few months seat time now and mistakes, I understand more how important those things are, because sometimes I can make what looks like a good weld, but those things have effects that may not cause a problem until later.
Here's another more "general" learning thing, I also think that it's important for someone that is totally new and never welded to understand that it takes seat time, and NOT to get discouraged when they keep making a mess.
Analogy: I ride/race dirt bikes , also play guitar for many years ... things like racing, Guitar, TIG are HARD , not everyone can do it, and there is a learning curve . People buy a dirt bike, a guitar, a TIG welder ...they need to understand that you will be bad at it for a while...and this is normal .

Wow...this is really something because it is exactly how I explained it to my motorcycling friends and even my wife when my machine first arrived.

They all were excited that I finally had 'a machine that could weld anything' but I had to manage their expectations before they started handing work to me. And to do that I said "Learning TIG is like learning a musical instrument. It is difficult and takes a lot of practise, so don't expect me to be doing anything really useful for at least a couple of months."

That meant I was left alone to practise for awhile and that is a good thing. I am actually surprised I am already making useful (no pretty) aluminium repairs.

I practise my arse off and I also keep a very detailed written log of what I do. I have very little memory (brain injury) so the written log is endlessly helpful. It is great reference for when I start up on a particular material/tube/plate...I have my previous experience to refer to and build on.

My little log of notes is also encouraging...it is peppered with small victories and revelations that help encourage me on those days I feel I am going backwards.


Kym

No wonder you repeat yourself

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[Boomer63]

Hello to all! I apologize for not being more responsive on this thread! I have been very busy with other things, and my portable lap top died.

I am gaining a wonderful insight into the though processes of welders as I read the answers people post. This is going in directions that I did not expect, which is just fine with me. I am learning a lot! I am going to wait another week or two, maybe post another thread asking a slightly different question, and then draw some conclusions.

What I want to find is a few concepts that students really, really need to know. So much of school is so much bullshit, fluff and lies. I try to teach real world, old school, down and dirty welding. Get 'er done, quit whining, quit complaining, shut up and weld. I could really go off here, but I don't care if my students know how to weld a box together to win a competition; I want them to weld effectively. I want them to act, think and behave like journeymen. I want them to understand professionalism; and to understand that this is a life long learning process. When they go on that first job, they half way know what to expect and can therefore conduct themselves like people who are familiar with the environment; not like geeks, prima-donna bitches or kids who have watched a lot of video and done a lot of homework.

I will stop here and get off the soap box!!
Gary

[Poland308]

Put tape over the amp numbers and tell them to run some rod till there happy with there welds then pull the tape and let me see what there at. It's an eye opener and it forces you to focus on what you see as you weld.

[Boomer63]

Put tape over the amp numbers and tell them to run some rod till there happy with there welds then pull the tape and let me see what there at. It's an eye opener and it forces you to focus on what you see as you weld.

Thank, Poland! I like that! Actually, as I sit here drinking a cold mountain dew, listening to my pipe class working out in the shop and waiting for that pain killer to kick in .... I really like that idea lot!!

Come Monday, it will be a part of the class!

Thank you again!
Gary

[Poland308]

Not my Idea was an instructor I had when I kept asking how many amp should I be running. He taped over the numbers and said no two machines weld the same learn what looks right.

[Otto Nobedder]

Put tape over the amp numbers and tell them to run some rod till there happy with there welds then pull the tape and let me see what there at. It's an eye opener and it forces you to focus on what you see as you weld.

BIG LIKE on that one!

Steve S

[Braehill]

In that same token, I've been welding with a 1960's something welder for the last 4 years and can't even tell you what the amps are. I don't even understand, and don't care how the split scale works on this machine, but I know where it welds how I like, on what material.

Len