Learning to weld

Without spending $1500 at the community college, where can a person with an already full schedule start to look at learning to weld? Any ideas?

in a buddys garage, a local high school ROP course, adult school course or you could go to a local weld shop and talk to the owner and ask him if he would teach you for a small fee or if he knows where to find a class. just some ideas,

good luck

yardape said:

Without spending $1500 at the community college, where can a person with an already full schedule start to look at learning to weld? Any ideas?

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1500 dollars, that seems a bit steep, i payed something like 250 to 300 here on VA.

Start talking to buddies and relatives

buy yourself a welder and sit down with it for a few hours and play, this way you have the welder(money well spent) and you can practice anytime you wish a GOOD quality 110 unit should be fine. i'm sure if you asked around you can figure out the correct procedures and gasses needed. you may even convince someone to stop by and give you some tips

good luck

It will be difficult to find a professional welder that is willing to teach you...his (or her) time is too valuable (assuming it's not the slow, boring season for welders).

It is very important that you gain some training before you attempt fabbing any critical load bearing parts...it is very easy to produce a weld that you think is good.....that will fail....what appears obvious isn't always right. There is more to it than a nice smooth bead.

Even with professional instruction, practice is the key...weld up some stuff and TTD (Test To Destruction) the pieces...the base metal should fail, not the weld. The easiest welder to learn on is a MIG...

I take welding classes it costs 500 bucks for 8hrs a week for 4 1/2 months
You'd be amazed from the 1st bead you lay vs a few weeks at school

MyJeepXJ said:

It sounds as though he wants to create the excuse needed to justify, to himself, to NOT take the class. IMHO.

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i dont think so, or why would he have posted on here the question of where to learn for cheep? i just think he really is CHEEP:laugh3: haha

1500..wow. I think it cost ketjer and i $60 each for welding classes at the local college, and that may have included the parking pass..

remember FUSE/fusion,,not cold weld,,,tke a course at any price well worth it,,in fact start with ox/aced gas welding master that the rest is a tit,,vert. horizontal, overhead etc. then move on to stick then mig and tig worth the time it is a art...

The full schedule causes problems. I'd ask the community college about programs. There are most always, manufacturer sponsored programs, or job training courses. Caterpillar paid for my welding courses and I was working full time construction, at the same time. The program was two years (nights)at the local community college and went through all welding methods, math, plans, industrial standards and metallurgy. But there has to be abbreviated courses also.
Job training courses are a good possibility, the State often subsidizes these courses and welding is a growth industry. A little skewing of the truth (my employer is talking about layoffs), may get you in a program.

You will learn more from the ol' timers compared to by the book at school, dont get me wrong you will learn a lot but there are just things that are different... My dad tought me at an early age with the arch, and many other types of welding.... Other than that hook up with a friend and have him teach you, but be kind and pay for a the supplies

Thankyou for the responses guys. If I could take a welding course for $500 I'd jump. My community college apparently contracts out alot of its training for the trades services which I assume is why the prices I found were so high. My old man was not in the building trades nor am I so I am not plugged in to people who know this stuff. While I do have one friend who is a garage welder, he is also a family man with his own responsibilities and limited time so I'm not about to request that of him. That is why I asked here.
Below is the welding course at the local college. Price: $2660. I need to call and find out if this can be taken in parts or only in total.

Industrial Technology - Welding

Key Features:
• 12-Booth welding lab with new Miller equipment
• Convenient Conroe location
• Teaches skills used in a variety of welding occupations
• Open-entry/open exit, modularized curricula, allows students great flexibility in completing desired goals
• Students may take only those courses needed at a given time.
• Specialty courses for experience welders and customized training for companies


Curriculum is based on American Welding Society standards and definitions using the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology program.

The instructor or employer will work with the student on the plan, or set of courses, best suited to meet desired goals.


What supplies and books will I need?

Available at welding supply stores:
leather gloves with long cuffs, safety glasses with side shields, burning goggles (#5 shade lens or face shield) hood (#10 Filter lens & clear lens), hat, heavy long sleeve shirt, 9" channel lock pliers, chipping Hammer, wire brush and earplugs.


Appropriate clothing:
long pants or blue jeans, high ankle shoes, or boots.


From the bookstore (936-273-7334):
workbookand welding guide.

High School diploma or GED required.

Total Program Tuition: $2660

Shielded Metal Arc Welding I
06290 CWLDG 2100302 M5059 Open Enrollment* CBTT

Shielded Metal Arc Welding II
07283 CWLDG* 2100310 M1560 Open Enrollment* CBTT

Shielded Metal Arc Plate I
06291 CWLDG 2100310 M5060 Open Enrollment* CBTT

Shielded Metal Arc Plate II
06293 CWLDG 2100311 M5062 Open Enrollment* CBTT

Shielded Metal Arc Pipe I
06294 CWLDG 2104101 M5063 Open Enrollment* CBTT

Shielded Metal Arc Pipe II
06295 CWLDG 2104102 M5064 Open Enrollment* CBTT

Shielded Metal Arc Pipe III
06296 CWLDG 2104103 M5065 Open Enrollment* CBTT

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding I
06297 CWLDG 2109107 M5066 Open Enrollment* CBTT

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding II
06298 CWLDG 2109108 M5067 Open Enrollment* CBTT

Gas Tungsten Welding Pipe I
06299 CWLDG 2109110 M5068 Open Enrollment* CBTT

Gas Tungsten Welding Pipe II
06300 CWLDG 2109111 M5069 Open Enrollment* CBTT

Gas Tungsten Welding Pipe III
06301 CWLDG 2109112 M5070 Open Enrollment* CBTT

A good primer would be to get a set of reference books and read up... Maybe also splurge on some CD-ROMs or videos once you decide which welding process(es?) will best suit your needs.

http://www.millerwelds.com/education/tools/#training

The student training package is only $25, and the CD-ROMs are only $30. (shipped) While neither will substitute for hands-on welding under 'close adult supervision' and through repetition of good work, the book set is an inexpensive way to get the basics in ones head.

The local CC here offers a two-part course taught by an 'old-school' welder at his shop (2 nights a week for 4 hours each night IIRC). Part 1 is the basics: oxy/fuel, stick, MIG, TIG; Part 2 gets more in-depth with MIG and TIG. IIRC the classes were $160 each, plus a $100 lab fee each, plus the student was expected to supply their own PPE (Hood, respirator, safety shield or glasses, jacket, gloves etc...) so realistically one is looking at spending about $800 total for both parts.

The course Yardape refers to looks pretty comprehensive... although it appears one could opt for either stick (SMAW) or TIG (GTAW) or both. Odd that they don't offer a wire-feed track (GMAW, FCAW, ie MIG) :dunno:

For $84 you can take a beginners welding class at night at a local community college here and learn basics of MIG, TIG, Stick, cutting etc. 4 hours of class a week for 12 weeks.
$1500 sounds like what it would take to get certified in several disciplines over multiple semesters.
Try the one class. You get access to a lot of nice equipment and will meet locals that are interested in the same things you are.