Anyone recently pick up welding?

[Tyler]

I’ve never welded but I’m about to learn with some Harbor Freight entry gear and YouTube.

If you’re relatively new, what was your learning experience like? What mistakes were you making? Do you continue to do it or did you realize it’s just not for you?

 

[Tacomadad18]

I’ve never welded but I’m about to learn with some Harbor Freight entry gear and YouTube.

If you’re relatively new, what was your learning experience like? What mistakes were you making? Do you continue to do it or did you realize it’s just not for you?

I picked up a Lincoln flux/mig for my first welder and don’t regret spending an extra 150$ at all. My bro in laws harbor freight one is alright but it just doesn’t perform like mine, and mine is an entry level one too.

Get an auto darkening helmet, I didn’t know anything about this until I used one. So much easier.

clean clean and clean the metal before attempting running a decent bead.

you’ll learn your own speed, practice on scrap metal- I used some leafs since they are thick.

Also, I’m still a newbie so I don’t know nearly anything but I also pretty much self taught myself.

 

[Tyler]

I picked up a Lincoln flux/mig for my first welder and don’t regret spending an extra 150$ at all. My bro in laws harbor freight one is alright but it just doesn’t perform like mine, and mine is an entry level one too.

Get an auto darkening helmet, I didn’t know anything about this until I used one. So much easier.

clean clean and clean the metal before attempting running a decent bead.

you’ll learn your own speed, practice on scrap metal- I used some leafs since they are thick.

Also, I’m still a newbie so I don’t know nearly anything but I also pretty much self taught myself.

Thanks, will look into that one.

 

[Lord Humongous]

Thought I'd bring this thread back up. Learning to weld is a great hobby. Welding pretty much keeps me going with lock down (gyms are fawking closed)......
My experience consist of years of "just building stuff". Shoping carts with lawn mower engines, mounts for golf carts etc etc. You tube and helping out friends who have basic welding skills helps but nothing is better than reading a basic book on the subject and practice! With that said I don't where to start when it comes structural stuff or real engineering. School and getting a real education on the subject is where you need to go for that.
Learn how to SMAW first. You can do it in the wind outside on a greasy piece of metal. Super useful. Then mig, easy to learn once you have the basics. TIG is the tits and where you need to be if aluminum is your plans.

 

[Tyler]

Thought I'd bring this thread back up. Learning to weld is a great hobby. Welding pretty much keeps me going with lock down (gyms are fawking closed)......
My experience consist of years of "just building stuff". Shoping carts with lawn mower engines, mounts for golf carts etc etc. You tube and helping out friends who have basic welding skills helps but nothing is better than reading a basic book on the subject and practice! With that said I don't where to start when it comes structural stuff or real engineering. School and getting a real education on the subject is where you need to go for that.
Learn how to SMAW first. You can do it in the wind outside on a greasy piece of metal. Super useful. Then mig, easy to learn once you have the basics. TIG is the tits and where you need to be if aluminum is your plans.

Thanks. Been busy so I haven't been able to start, but my first two small projects will be a tire gate hinge extension and a special bracket that can attach solar panels to my camper roof racks in an unconventional way so our surfboards don't block them.

 

[Tyler]

Shopping for supplies today. Getting desperate to see my spare tire carrier on my truck again.

 

[Tyler]

There are a few ways I think this can safely be accomplished but this will probably be the design I use for my first attempt.

 

[Tyler]

Paging @Lord Humongous and @Tacomadad18 for feedback.

 

[Tacomadad18]

There are a few ways I think this can safely be accomplished but this will probably be the design I use for my first attempt.

So what I see is that you will still use the yellow box as a pivot point? Or will that be stationary as you plan on using the red box as the new pivot point? If the yellow is to stay put I would tack weld it in place so it does not interfere with the new pivot point.

Also, looks as you have a latch point now, if you wanted to keep that I would try to add one to inside of your new pivot point.

My 2 cents would be keep the existing pivot point (since it is already designed and functional) just adding the bump out you need to clear the camper. It would be kinda tricky but doable with patience for sure.

 

[Tyler]

So what I see is that you will still use the yellow box as a pivot point? Or will that be stationary as you plan on using the red box as the new pivot point? If the yellow is to stay put I would tack weld it in place so it does not interfere with the new pivot point.

Also, looks as you have a latch point now, if you wanted to keep that I would try to add one to inside of your new pivot point.

My 2 cents would be keep the existing pivot point (since it is already designed and functional) just adding the bump out you need to clear the camper. It would be kinda tricky but doable with patience for sure.

After discussing this with @DrWeld who is a professional welder, I think I should drop that design altogether and do it “right”.

That would mean cutting and welding an angle into the carrier itself, like this:

Not sure if this is a suitable job for a first timer. But to me, it does seem realistic to learn and accomplish.

 

[Tacomadad18]

After discussing this with @DrWeld who is a professional welder, I think I should drop that design altogether and do it “right”.

That would mean cutting and welding an angle into the carrier itself, like this:

Not sure if this is a suitable job for a first timer. But to me, it does seem realistic to learn and accomplish.

Thats what I originally had meant to do, I think that would be the best way to do it for sure.

I think the other way would be a little iffy.

You can do it, just take your time and measure a lot!

 

[knightacoma]

I've always wanted to pick up welding to fab up my own stuff.. however my girlfriend doesn't like the idea. She's in Physician Assistant school and shadowed a Dermatologist who told her basically every welder he sees gets skin cancer in some way.

Does knowing that make me want to get into welding any less? No. However I also don't wanna be in the doghouse... haha

 

[Tyler]

I didn’t end up doing this myself, but here is the outcome of my carrier extension. I think it came out really well.

 

[Tacomadad18]

I didn’t end up doing this myself, but here is the outcome of my carrier extension. I think it came out really well.

Turned out great!