welding classes?

Strigoi

Strigoi

#1
#1
have any of you guys done welding classes at community colleges?

i've wanted to learn how to weld for awhile and my soon to be roommate again feels the same way. there are two community colleges around here that offer welding (Laney in Oakland and Los Medanos in Pittsburg). we were talking about it last night and are going to go for it.

i'm just wondering how much you actually learn at these. his brother-in-law works for a welding supply company so we can get hooked up with welding setups for cost which would be really nice.

he was saying that DVC (another local CC) has a decent CNC course so we might try and do it too. taking classes like these are way more fun when doing them with a friend. it would also help living together since we could practice on stuff in the garage (there already won't be any room for cars in there).

btw, he was at his friend's shop yesterday and the guy had a mini bike that had been sitting for years. he asked about it and he gave it to him. he won't be picking it up until after we move, but i'll post pics when it shows up. from what he said, it sounds like a newer one. i'm going to try and get him hooked on these now. he's way into Harley stuff so it should be an easy transition. :laugh:
 
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tyleryamaha

tyleryamaha

Active Member
#4
#4
Strigoi , I have taken classes at Wasthenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan .I thought they were very helpfull . I took begining mig ,tig & arc.There was some fundamental book knowledge involved . We were allowed to bring some of or own stuff in to repair . I brought in some broken 650 triumph side cases to practice on .Practice ,Practice and more Practice.It's Always good to pick up on other people's good or usefull techniques and add them to yours.
 
steven Durham

steven Durham

#5
#5
When I was a boy I did clean-up work in a very small welding shop and Mr. Ortega was almost blind from all the years of welding. And in the Navy I stood some fire watches for the shipyard welders working on our 1200 Pound Steam Boilers. All my welding was self taught.
And I know that it would have been better if I got some schooling in the basics to learn when you need to pre heat the metal and a whole lot of facts that go along with the books. I say go to school and it will soon show you if you want to pursue it further.
Steve :scooter:
 
Strigoi

Strigoi

#6
#6
the basics are the main reason i want to do it. i also found out that my friends have a welding setup at their house. they do "fabrication fridays" so i can mess around there with stuff as well.
 
Jay Wrix

Jay Wrix

New Member
#7
#7
Id doit, I Learned in Highschool, and I have a few good freinds that taught me what I didnt know, Practice is the key to perfection on it thou, I would recommend a class, I also bought a textbook for the local college class and read through that, never did get to take the class thou

I can now oxy-acytelene, mig, tig, and use a plasma cutter, I wish I had more time to practice,
 
Strigoi

Strigoi

#8
#8
i did a bit of welding in high school but that was many years ago. i still "know" the basics so it shouldn't be too hard to pick up (i hope).
 
Green P1

Green P1

New Member
#9
#9
In highschool I took welding 3 periods a day for three years (who needs math?) and just never quit doing it. I can't tell you how much money I used to made off friends/acquaintances repairing random crap with a beat up little garage sale Miller Mig.

If you already feel comfortable with the basics my advise would be to get your rig, a pile of scrap, and practice practice practice. Start out just laying down beads, go uphill/downhill, making sure to practice on scrap of various thicknesses. Welding is a skill thats very easy to become proficient at, becoming skilled takes no more than hours upon hours behind the mask.
 
geoff2991

geoff2991

New Member
#10
#10
Well heres my 2 cents. If you know people who can weld like a mofo then pay them a few dollars to refreshen your basics. Then just practice practice practice. Unless your wanting to get certified then i dont think paying for a community college is even worth it. And if your welds are ugly, it doesnt mean they didnt penetrate. just grind em off and no one will ever know:thumbsup:
 
W

waynelass

New Member
#11
#11
yes strigoi ,its a good thing to do ,a bit of a refresher coarse from high school ,just make sure it is arc and not gas welding coarse , good luck with the coarse .tig a little down the road ?:thumbsup:
 
Oldsalt

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#12
#12
Strigoi
I gotta agree. As you have made some short rods out of long rods in high school it's true that you'll not have any problem welding with an AC welder at home. Sure, you won't be running 7018 lowhy uphill but you won't need to. With that said, I think you and anyone else with the time and inclination should go to Commie College and take a welding course. You WILL enjoy it. Especially a s you have been out of school for a long time. Believe it or not, you're a lot slicker now than you were back then. It'll be a piece of cake.
 
bayareaburrito

bayareaburrito

Active Member
#13
#13
Strigoi great thread
And aren't you the evil one for trying to give your buddy mini bike FEVER knowing full well everyone here at OldMiniBikes are far to infected to think straight
 
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Strigoi

Strigoi

#14
#14
bayareaburrito said:
Strigoi great thread
And aren't you the evil one for trying to give your buddy mini bike FEVER knowing full well everyone here at OldMiniBikes are far to infected to think straight
Click to expand...
we also work together (he's in service) and techs always have mini bikes down there. it was going to happen sooner or later. :laugh:
 
Austin T

Austin T

New Member
#15
#15
I'm currently spend half of my (highschool senior) school day in a welding class in BOCES (which is the local trade school) and i can weld any method (FCAW SMAW GMAW GTAW) at certification level. this is my second year out of a 2 year class, and before this class i havent even known what a welder does..so i guess i learned alot. a college class will probibly teach you all you know and then some. if you just want to learn the basics again, just get yourself a cheap MIG machine, beacuse (as my welding teacher says) even a monkey can MIG weld...

(ironically i'm typing this in school, and 20 minutes from now i'm going to my welding class for the rest of the day)
 
steven Durham

steven Durham

#17
#17
Home Schooling works ! There is a series of good books put out by HP Books and I have quite a few of them and one that is always nice to use is the Welders Handbook by Richard Finch it cost about $18.00 and I also have the Metal Fabricator's Handbook and the Sheet Metal Handbook. These are very helpful
Steve :scooter:
 
P

petec693

New Member
#18
#18
Strig
the mig method for just about anything related to minibikes.The tig
method can do all the same ,plus you can get into alloys as can the mig by changing gas and a roll of wire. the tig takes alot of practice but is very doable.i pipelined most of my life running stick and when i discoved tig and mig back in the late 70's it was the best thing since sex,note that eye burns are more severe from tig than any other method ,,,just my two cent
pete
 
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