Yes it's worth it! I enrolled in a beginners welding course through the local jc. There are only two of us in the class so it'e pretty much one on one. The instructor is paying a little more attention to me I think because he can see I'm really into it. He's also teaching me what I want to learn, coping, pipe fitting, ya know truck stuff. I tell you now stick was the hardest to learn but you need to learn it all. My favorite is tig. I NEED A TIG MACHINE!! Not only will you learn theory, but you'll learn 'real-world' applications. Alot of hands on and shortcuts from guys who've been doing this forever. Here's a couple beads from a few months of burning steel. I thought my class was a little spendy at $650.00 a sem. but I had no other choice and I'm glad I took it.
mike


Here's a stick bead using a Certanium rod. Pretty gasoline colors <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

I just got myself signed up today for classes at a local community college starting in the fall. It runs $650 a quarter including all tools and supplies needed for the class. I've still got part of an Americorps service award that will pay for all three quarters with plenty to spare. I'm pretty excited about it. The class has been open for registration for the last two months already and I'm the only one in so far.

The only school I had seen was Wentworth (www.wit.edu). It's big bucks and has a lot of MIT folks continuing there and teaching there. That Lowell school looks a lot closer to my price range. But then again the WIT class starts tonight and I don't have the cash ($1050) so I won't be going. Maybe when it starts up again I'll have saved enough. we'll see. Maybe I'll buy a welder and mess around until September and see which class might suit me better at that time.

Yeah I'm thinking the same thing now too. Only problem is I'm not sure what kind of welder I should get (MIG TIG ARC? Stick, Spool?), or where to even buy it (Sears, Online)? The first thing I want to try and build which should be fairly simple is some frame bolt-on rock sliders. Even if they don't hold up up perfectly at least i'll get some practice and protect my truck a little in the mean time. Any suggestions?

One other thing to consider about taking the class is that you get to try several methods (MIG, TIG, gas, stick) and all of your materials are included. If you learn on your own, you pretty much have to decide on a method and buy the equipment before you have a handle on what you really want. Also, you can go through a lot of scrap steel, electrodes, and such in the learning process.

When I was taking my class it was about $350 and I figure I used at least that much just in electricity, scrap steel, and electrodes...

MIG is probably the easiest to learn, but you have to get a pretty big one to do any serious welding. Those little 115V units at Sears and such are not what you want for anything structural. Gas has the added benefit of including a cutting torch into your arsenal of tools and you can do brazing as well. Stick is good for the structural stuff. TIG usually includes the ability to do stick as well as the finer stuff and can do aluminum, stainless steel, and other exotics but the prices for a good machine are much higher.

As I said, it is good to take a class and have some experience with each method before going out a buying a machine. You will know a lot better what you are looking for.

Ideally yeah I would like to take a class before hand and touch on each kind to see what fits me best, but our area is not big on welding classes apparently and we have to wait till fall. And it sounds like in the end IÆll most likely be getting the same thing I want now because that is what is best suited for and what everyone else seems to suggest, which would be a 220v MIG and w/ gas if its within my price range.

I guess this one is a spool, if i wanted to use stick, is it just as simple as changing the gun?

for reference how is this one, price-wise, brand-wise?
http://www.welding-equipment.net/mig_welders_220volt_gasnogas.html

Sorry, cannot convert a MIG to stick. MIG are also known as "wirefeed" welders because of the spool.

I have seen a few stick welders with a MIG wirefeed attachment on them. Also, many TIG welders have stick capability so I would guess that there would be a chance of putting a MIG attachment on some of them.

Have never seen a MIG setup that could be converted to stick or TIG though.

I am not especially familiar with the Clark brand other than hearing about it on the forums. I'd say that if you were looking to do anything heavy, then you would be looking at one of the two "commercial" units at the bottom of the page.

That is sort of the thing about taking a class and "trying before you buy." Starting out with even a 115V model and you think you're doing pretty good. Then you have a chance to use a professional model and you realize what all the "hobbiest" version is lacking.

I think I'm just going to start with a soldering iron for my projects. See how that works out <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Thank you all for your experienced insight & informed opinions. I know someone though someone that can show me some stuff with his welder. I'll see if I can hook up with him for as much lesson as a case of cold ones will buy.

--jeremy

Was doing some more checking. Here is a link to Miller's line of multiprocess machines (Stick, MIG, TIG):
http://millerwelds.com/products/multiprocess/productguide.html

And here is an example of an add-on wire feeder:
http://millerwelds.com/products/wire_feeders/s_d_70_series_feeders/

Only problem is that the multi-process are about $3K and up while the wire feeders start about $600~$800 and go up plus you have to buy a suitable power unit (Stick or TIG) to add it onto...

My personal arsenal consists of a Lincoln AC-225C stick welder (bought used for $150 - about half price), a Millermatic 175 MIG (again, used, $500 - about $200 off), and I am looking to add a Miller Synchrowave 250 TIG. The Synchrowave will also do stick, so I'll probably sell the Lincoln at that point.

hmmm... well if your looking to get rid of the lincoln I wouldn't mind taking it off your hands <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />, and my folks live in Jersey so I am even down your way every so often. What are some of the specs on it?

How come you want to have both stick and wire fed machines?

BTW Thanks for you help! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />