Tafe welding course

[Warnie]

Hey guys, I have no welding skills at all and would like to gain some skills for a bit of fabrication and fixing work. Now the question is should I do a tafe course offered by the government that runs for 6 weeks of evening for around $800 or should I just buy a welder and start practicing and just wing it???

[AB]

Hey guys, I have no welding skills at all and would like to gain some skills for a bit of fabrication and fixing work. Now the question is should I do a tafe course offered by the government that runs for 6 weeks of evening for around $800 or should I just buy a welder and start practicing and just wing it???

$800 is a fair bit of money but courses are good. I would be asking around for any mates/mates that are good welders and wang them a slab for some training.

Worse case you could ask some employees at local shops to see if they would be keen for a $100 for a couple of hours training, etc...

Do some Youtube searches too for some basic info (safety, operation, etc) and read the comments of the videos to see what peoples responses are (swift through the know it all youtubers) and how many thumbs up the video received, etc...

[Warnie]

Yeah true AB, it could be a better option for me as I wouldn't be able to do the course until the start of next year as I am in the final year of my chemical and metallurgical engineering degree and second semester this year is going to be tough. I might just do some you tubing, buy a welder and use some steel I have laying around and practice. If I still suck after that I might do the course next year, when I am just working.

[AB]

Get a good welding mask, gloves and read up on all the safety before trying anything too...

[growler2058]

Plenty of good self taught welders out there look at farmers..... Plenty of crap self taught welders too. have a go see what happens get someone who welds to check yours out. A weld can look good put needs to have penetration to be a good weld

[Maxhead]

Go into a metal fabrication shop and see if you can do work experience for a couple of days. Even if you have to sweep the floors at the end of the day, the experience will be invaluable ..Worth a try

[my third 256]

Go into a metal fabrication shop and see if you can do work experience for a couple of days. Even if you have to sweep the floors at the end of the day, the experience will be invaluable ..Worth a try
thats what i did /that mob did fabrication work on trawlers lots of plasma cutting and ss welding

[Silver]

A couple of retired boilermakers in our street showed me the basics of stick welding. The problem, like a lot of these skills is that practice and experience make perfect, and I don't use the skills often enough. So by the time the job finishes, I am usually doing something reasonable.

The solution is lots of scrap for practice :-)

I also bought an auto darkening welding helmet to help with striking the arc in the right spot. Again, due to lack of use, it's internal solar charging system is not quite up to scratch - I need to store it where it sees more light.

The final tip I have, is if buying a stick welder that has detachable leads, get another lead that goes to earth at one end, and to a hand si2e bit of scrap at the other. You can use this, instead of the job, as a scratch plate to get the rod working. Helpful for beginners when welding thin tube :-)

[GUtsy ute]

Hi Warnie,
If your keen, I can get you started on the basics of stick and mig.
Pm me and we can arrange something at my place.


Cheers Gavin

[Bigrig]

Hi Warnie,
If your keen, I can get you started on the basics of stick and mig.
Pm me and we can arrange something at my place.


Cheers Gavin

I'm up for it Gav!!! If the offer is open of course? LOL!! Wasn't overly bad as a young fella with oxy and a stick (dad taught me a little) and have used arc welders, but would say I'm well and truly an amateur ....

[GUtsy ute]

I'm up for it Gav!!! If the offer is open of course? LOL!! Wasn't overly bad as a young fella with oxy and a stick (dad taught me a little) and have used arc welders, but would say I'm well and truly an amateur ....

You're more than welcome Scott, just give me time to clean up the shed a bit.LOL!
Don't want any OHS claims or whatever!

[Bigrig]

You're more than welcome Scott, just give me time to clean up the shed a bit.LOL!
Don't want any OHS claims or whatever!

You're a star!!! Done deal, you let me know once ready to go - I owe you a carton!!!

[GUtsy ute]

You're a star!!! Done deal, you let me know once ready to go - I owe you a carton!!!


No worries, will be in touch.