5 Tips to Learning How to Weld For Beginners
Welding involves joining two pieces of metal together. The art of welding is very fascinating. However, welding is not easy for those who have never done it before. This is because you must have skill and experience in metal work. You can’t therefore wake up one day and start welding. Whether you want to weld for money or you are a DIY maniac, you must commit yourself to learning the skill. As a matter of fact, watching videos on YouTube is not enough. You must apply what you have seen practically for the skill to sink into your mind. After reading the article, maybe you would drift your mind to becoming a professional welder. In this case, you will need to know everything about this career including the expected welder's salary, certification, etc.. Here are some tips that can help beginners weld like pros.
1. Get the Right Tools
The first step when getting started with welding is to gather all the tools that are needed. The welder machine is the most crucial tool. And since welders are costly, you should choose between buying and hiring. But it’s better to hire if you will only need it for a one time project only. You can find the best welding machines at rate my welder, and also check out this useful resource to find the best MIG welders.. It’s also recommended you buy welding rod, gloves, helmet and boots. The rod serves as a joining agent. It’s actually similar to the soldering wire that’s used in electronics. The safety gear must be worn whenever you are working at the workshop. or check out this useful Pro Welder Guide.
2. Practice with Scrap Metals
Before you start working on real projects, you should practice with the scrap metals that are available in your home garage. This will give you an opportunity to learn the ropes. At the end of it all, you will be able to use all the tools with confidence. For your own safety, it’s important you ground the welder. This will reduce chances of electrocution to zero. The grounding cable should be tapped from the welder machine and connected to the bench.
3. Learn to Hold the Welding Gun
You should take time to learn how to hold the welding gun. By the rule of thumb, you should raise the gun a bit higher above the workpiece. In fact, you should make the rod slant 20 degrees so that you are able to see the surface that you are working on. Once you are ready, you should push the power switch trigger. You should then proceed by making the hot iron tip rotate on the joint of the pieces that you want to join. This will induce the formation of a bead. Beading should continue until you are through with the welding process.
4. Configure Welder Polarity to DC
For best results, it’s recommended you stick to direct current. This is because it guarantees smoother beads than alternating current. Besides that, you should confirm that the amperage of the welder matches with that of the welding rod. You should also ensure that the rod is firmly clipped on the welding gun so that it doesn’t come off when you tap it against a metal plate.
5. Weld at Right Speed
The quality of your weld is determined by the speed of your arc. If you allow the arc to rest on the surface for too long, it might damage the workpiece by burning through it. On the other hand, moving the arc at a slow speed will not allow the filler material to penetrate deep into the surface. This often results in poor workmanship because the joint tends to be weak.