If you could learn any type of welding.....

[Aerometalworker]

Interesting thought, what type of welding do you currently want to learn how to do for practical reasons? Any particular applications? And why? I asked a number of students this, and the answers were typically either A) I want to fix XXX or B) I saw it on TV and it looked cool. So whats YOUR story?

[H80N]

Aero
I have been welding ,tig, mig and stick for 40plus years..... but I sure would like to better understand PULSE TIG and the available waveshaping functions for it... as well as having a better understanding of PULSE MIG..... Have Dynasty 350 & 200DX and MM350P.... for the most part they all get used in the traditional manner... I know I am NOT alone.. If there were a handbook/cookbook that addressed this in some depth there are many many guys out there that are struggling with this problem.....I know lots of guys in the same boat but are embarrassed to admit it publicly... these are wonderful machines... but better training tools are needed... would happily purchase a good book .. or attend a training seminar.... Bet that Miller would sell many more machines if their advantages could be fully utilized...
thanks
Heiti

BTW... do not get me wrong... am using some of those capabilities... but KNOW that I have only scratched the surface.... in my understanding and utilization...

[Sberry]

I guess if I had to pick one to add to the list it might be welding alum with a torch, just never took the time to do it and it could come in handy on occasion.
Just finished 2-6 inch pipe couplings about 10 minutes ago with the HH210, so fast its what I use in the shop for 99% of it.
Making myself a better welder wont help me much anymore, lots more issues to being profitable in my case. Most of my stuff is so rudimentary, the majority common steel work.

[fjk]

Hi
After a minute or two thinking about it I come up with
three sort of inter-woven answers

- first just get better at what I already can do (I know,
practice, practice, practice :-)
- be able to do do thin/small stuff (more practice, I know)
- TIG (or O/A)

The reasons (at least for the TIG) are that
any welding I do is for fun, projects around the house, and
so on -- and there's a lot of light-weight stuff and non-iron
stuff in that category. It would seem to me that TIG or O/A
would give me some good abilities for dealing with small
things and thin stuff, as well as non-iron things because
they separate the heat source from the filler metal.

Frank

[davedarragh]

Pulsed MIG would be interesting to learn. My MM-212 is your pretty basic MIG machine, though I have no complaints about it's short arc abilities.

Miller's PipeWorx Welding System with their RMD and Pro-Pulse Feature would be fun to try as well.

To echo H80N, there are many advances in MIG and TIG these days, it's hard to break "traditional" methods. I guess it's always easier just to grab a stinger

[DamageInc537]

For me it would be to get better @ Stick, then Tig and then Orbital. those ore the two most popular processes in the pipefitting industry, and i would love to have those 2 certifications to make me more attractive to the employers in the local. even though our Open root stick certification tests are written to ASME B31.1 specs, most power piping jobs spec tig roots for cleanliness. unfortuately orbital welding is the wave of the future for us. Chip plants, and bio-pharmaceutical plants are all looking for/requiring the high purity of orbital welding.


Dave- the pipeworks system is AMAZING. I haven't had a chance to use it, but the last shop i was with bought 2 and I got to seem them in action.
Very impressive. its an all in one system that is just built for fab shop production.

[Portable Welder]

H 80 N, I've done some experimenting with the pulse Tig on stainless and aluminum and find my self turning it off after a while.

Being able to change my frequincy on the other hand is something that I do use.
Being able to pin point the arc when I'm welding down into a corner has been helpful when doing aluminum work.

[H80N]

Portable Welder
I believe that speaks to what I was saying... if we were to have a better understanding of all these functions we would be able to do a lot more... I know.. it is my perrenial squawk... BUT Bet they would sell a lot more of these high end machines if there was a good handbook... I am learning slow but sure by watching others and listening to tips ... and just plain playing with them..
thanks
Heiti

[Skip]

I had always heard the phrase is you want to become better at what you do, teach it. So after welding for close to forty years I became a teacher and today I not only have become a better welder. I also have access to some of Miller high tech equipment, Dynasty XMT's and 350P's. So I have the opportunity to play with the equipment and get better acquainted with changing of sine waves, frequency changes and pulsing. I also gives me the gratification of helping others become better at the game of Welding. Skip

[Aerometalworker]

I had always heard the phrase is you want to become better at what you do, teach it. So after welding for close to forty years I became a teacher and today I not only have become a better welder. I also have access to some of Miller high tech equipment, Dynasty XMT's and 350P's. So I have the opportunity to play with the equipment and get better acquainted with changing of sine waves, frequency changes and pulsing. I also gives me the gratification of helping others become better at the game of Welding. Skip

Skip, I know exactly what you mean, even though teaching is my hobby . Nothing gives me a greater thrill, than passing along information that lets someone fulfil a dream. Oh and If I had one process I wanted to learn ( better ) it would be atomic hydrogen welding. I see so much more than the run of the mill tig, mig and stick, and so many methods that have their strong points. Keep it going guys