Anonymous Poster
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- Sep 27, 2005
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Would appreciate anyone's thoughts on the adequacy of local-college classes in welding, as the ONLY preparation for a reasonable ability to fabricate/repair relatively simple projects!?
I am not-too-dumb, and somewhat dextrous, but have zero welding experience /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif. I've looked at some welding websites, and find a confusing array of choices,... mig, gasless, 220, 110,rechargable-battery, auto wire-feed, etc., etc.
I'm wondering whether or not attending some basic classes will give me enough knowledge/skill to make some intelligent choices, and to do a decent job with whatever equipment I might buy (?).
All I know so-far: My interest would include some welding of aluminum, as well as the usual angle-iron, etc. ( and some method requiring a minimum of "chipping" of the weld sounds appealing /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif .)
Two specific questions:
1. When specs. are given (for example: " welds 16 gauge to 3/8" steel"), does the largest figure(3/8) mean that ONLY metal no-thicker-than-this can be joined, ...or can a piece 3/8 thick be welded TO a thicker piece (say 1")?
2. Ball-park "guesstimate" as to the "complete set-up" cost of any (recommended?) unit?
Thanks for any/all advice /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif ,
Larry
I am not-too-dumb, and somewhat dextrous, but have zero welding experience /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif. I've looked at some welding websites, and find a confusing array of choices,... mig, gasless, 220, 110,rechargable-battery, auto wire-feed, etc., etc.
I'm wondering whether or not attending some basic classes will give me enough knowledge/skill to make some intelligent choices, and to do a decent job with whatever equipment I might buy (?).
All I know so-far: My interest would include some welding of aluminum, as well as the usual angle-iron, etc. ( and some method requiring a minimum of "chipping" of the weld sounds appealing /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif .)
Two specific questions:
1. When specs. are given (for example: " welds 16 gauge to 3/8" steel"), does the largest figure(3/8) mean that ONLY metal no-thicker-than-this can be joined, ...or can a piece 3/8 thick be welded TO a thicker piece (say 1")?
2. Ball-park "guesstimate" as to the "complete set-up" cost of any (recommended?) unit?
Thanks for any/all advice /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif ,
Larry