Journeyman Welders Brutally Honest Advice For Welding Students
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ธ.ค. 2023
- Today I have some brutally honest advice for welding students. I go over how much welding someone should know before starting welding school. I also cover several different types of welding students that no one likes. Never have too high of an ego when going to a welding school. Everyone basically starts off at the same level. If someone already knew everything about welding, they would not be attending welding school.
Colt McCoy's evil brother separated at birth. Looking like a whole bond villain, just need a maniacal cackle and a hypoallergenic cat 😅. Great vid 👍
Hahahaha!! Thank you!!! I really appreciate it!!!👨🏻🏭🤠
A newbee has no bad habits. Trying to retrain an old timer can be very difficult. However instructers are not Gods, they learn more every day, just like the rest of us.
Been watching allot of your videos I appreciate all the advice and actually came to the conclusion of joining the ironworkers local union. The work is hard but I enjoy everything like walking bean, tying rebar, etc. plus the benefits are awesome. I appreciate any advice tho bc I’m trying to be a welder for the union and learn as much as I can
Congratulations!!🥳🥳🥳 Good for you!! For sure the work is hard but I hope you enjoy every minute of it! There will definitely be more videos coming out going over welding. Keep up the good work and I wish you the best of luck!!
Im in a school and that totally new and inexperienced welder is me. Everyones ahead of me by a phase or 2 & I often wonder “how far behind is too behind?” This speech is very motivational for me, Somedays I feel like a total mess up and will never catch up and others I feel like I will get it in time but at 34 it is humbling having 17-18 year olds do laps around me in the shop. I have a lot to improve on, heck I struggle with just the basic lingo of welding and what things are called its sad in a funny way 😂
Really appreciate you making this video, blessings to you brother 🫡
I completely understand the feeling of having everyone else being a phase or 2 ahead! In all honesty, I don’t believe there is really a too far behind situation. I had students who just were not understanding the lectures and/or the lab work of the welding classes. Just as I told them, if it is necessary, there is absolutely no shame with retaking a class. Sometimes those who need to retake a class end up doing better than those who had an A the first time. It is more experience and more practice. Anyone going over a project again or a class again shows dedication to wanting the end goal and that is what matters to me. I am so glad this speech was motivational for you!! I certainly do understand the feeling of the welds just aren’t coming together, or “am I even able to finish this class?” It is not the easiest to go through but it is a process and you just have to see the end goal, not the short term goal of completing a project or class. There is always something to improve on, no matter how good a welder is, there is always something to improve on. No matter how easy a welding class can be for some students, I can promise you that they will struggle with a project or type of weld down the road that will make them question their sanity!😂😂 It happens to all of us at some point😉 What welding lingo are you currently struggling with?
It is absolutely my pleasure boss!! I look forward to hearing how the classes are going for you and about your expanding knowledge in the field of welding! Thank you, you have a blessed day as well boss! Keep up the great work, it will pay off! Keep on pushing forward!
@@WeldinCowboy apologies for the late reply @WeldinCowboy, School hours 10pm-6am and managing my personal life been kicking my butt lately 🤣.
The lingo i been struggling with was just trying to understand some of the other students conversations etc but I just flat out asked them like what they meant about bubblegum and some other terms they use when talking casually, took me some time to understand what these guys were talking about lol.
But you are so right about how everyone will struggle at some point and it seems like the open root welding is what most of my classmates are stuck on, meanwhile im still trying to make good 7018 vertical flat plate welds properly 😅🤦🏻♂️, but it is coming together slowly, yesterday I passed my 7018 flat and horizontal but it did take me a few days to get comfortable enough to do so, all in all 3 days…but im just pushing through and trying to catch up while taking the time to understand the process fully.
I hope all this practice will help me when I get to the open root phase since some of my classmates seem to be stressed about it 🤞🏽, but I love welding and I am super blessed I have the opportunity to attend school, I wish I did it so much sooner in life.
Having channels to watch like yours is super helpful in this journey and most importantly having someone more knowledgeable like yourself that hears the struggles someone like me are going through and be able to get that extra boost to keep pushing forward!
Appreciate you so much brother, God bless! 👏🏽
@Recluse.129 No worries boss!! I completely understand as I have a lot going on as well. It is just what happens and everything has to get done😂😂
I know what you mean about some of the slang. I have heard bubblegum used but I usually hear a different term in the same application and that is “chicken crap” or “bird crap”. I usually don’t swear so those are the ways I say it but normally a word is changed there🤣😂🤣😂 There can be more or less technical terms such as porosity, but a certain type of porosity can be called “worm holes” as it literally looks like a worm crawled on the molten weld and made a hole. As you keep learning and asking questions you will become more acquainted with both technical terms and slang used in the field. It takes some time, but it will sink in nonetheless.
I called it!!😎🤠 Hahaha, it happens to everyone so it isn’t that hard to predict that sooner or later some project or process will stump someone🤣😂 Open root does present an interesting set of challenges but I am sure you will enjoy it when you get to it and when you get the hang of it. One thing I would stress to my students moving to 7018 vertical is to make sure the rod is angled into the toe of the prior weld. A lot of folks struggle with getting the proper weld coverage of approximately 2/3 which covers the crown of the prior weld as well as good penetration into the toe of the same prior weld and naturally tying into the parent metal itself. Depending on the person welding, a 30 to 45 degree horizontal angle into the toe of the prior weld is what works well. A 90 degree horizontal angle to the parent metal will cut away at the prior weld. Too much horizontal angle into the prior weld and it will cut away at the parent metal. It takes practice getting used to it and finding the correct angle, speed, and motion for vertical. Don’t stress over it, anything worth while takes time and practice. We’ve all heard the phrase “Patience is a virtue”. When you hear some folks yelling at their welds in their welding booth, it really makes sense😂😂 Great job on continuing to push through and congratulations on passing your 7018 flat and horizontal!! Every step forward is a step in the right direction!😎🤠
All of this practice will help make open root easier for you even though there are a lot of differences. Regardless of the differences, good practice makes good welds. The more good welds you make, the more self confidence you will have which will help with the tougher welds down the line. It will all come into play. That is wonderful to hear you are loving welding!! It really does help when you love what you do! If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life😉👨🏻🏭🤠 The main thing is you are going to welding school now and doing what a lot of people can only wish they could do. That doesn’t even count the whole classification of people who will never take the chance to go to welding school out of laziness or just not wanting to take that leap.
Thank you so much!!! I am so happy to hear this channel as well as other channels have proven to be helpful in your journey! I really appreciate it!! We all start somewhere. No matter how good a welder may be, they all started with cruddy welds and worked on making them better. It may have been easier for some than others, but NO ONE ever started welding with perfect welds.
Keep up the great work! Keep chugging along! The reward is there for you to grab! Keep putting in the effort and you will succeed. You will see folks drop out when they see how hard this field can truly be. Don’t let that influence you unless you look at it from the viewpoint of knowing that is more money for you. The more others give in to self doubt or to laziness, the more they are giving you an opportunity. Your work ethic is a premium advantage that cannot be taken and no one can go out and buy it. The strong work ethic you display for yourself and that you let fuel your determination will help you grab the rewards others cannot reach. Keep pushing forward! Keep practicing and laying those beads down. Keep up the great work boss!!
Thank you so much!! I greatly appreciate your support and the very kind comments!! I am looking forward to seeing your updates of your progress in welding! As always, if you have questions, do not hesitate to ask and I will answer to the best of my ability. Thank you, you have a blessed day boss!!!
I know how to weld and i enjoy it..... that's why I'm investing in myself to be certified in all aspects of welding. Experience coupled with knowledge is a good thing. I've heard it said, make your next weld better than your last.
That is definitely a good philosophy!! There is always room for improvement. For sure, experience and knowledge are important being combined together. Keep up the great work! Thank you for commenting!!
I have never seen a perfect weld, always something that can be improved upon.
Iam also most critical of my own welds, even though i get plenty of certified welders given me complements on my welds, i don't see them as perfect because there is always improvement, even with 26 years experience working as a welder.
Definitely!! There is always something to improve on. Even after years of experience, there will always be something to learn and work on. Every welder should visual test their welds before making another weld on the material or showing it to an inspector. Every weld should be criticized by the welder to make sure it is to code. Keep up the great work!! Thank you for your comment!!
I’ve tig welded some aluminum projects but now love it. How do I get certified? Do I have to go to welding school?
Wonderful question! There are many different types of TIG welding certifications. From aluminum to titanium to other exotic metals, there are many metals that can be welded using TIG. Answering your question really depends on the type of material you are welding for certification and the type of certification you would like to achieve. Welding test run by welding inspectors do tend to be expensive, so I would recommend going to a welding school to really work on techniques and procedures. This way you could be better prepared for the welding field if you are not already accustomed to it in some aspect. There are aluminum certifications from structural to pipe to aerospace. Each has its own unique specifications, techniques, and standards. One thing a welding school could help with is narrowing down the fields you would want to work in, more practice on testing materials for the certification, and also very important is how to pass the written test should there be one. If there are welding schools near you, maybe ask some questions about their TIG program. Look online at the job listings in your area for TIG welders to see what is locally in demand. If you have more questions, I am more than happy to answer them to the best of my ability. Thank you so much for commenting!!
@@WeldinCowboy thank you! Yes! How did you get your stick experience before your very first test? Sparks flying, I'm sure it was hard to get stick practice at home before testing, thanks!
@p.a.a123 you’re welcome! Before taking my structural stick test I went to a welding school. It was actually a community college that had a welding department. So I practiced there and took different low paying welding jobs to gain more experience. Then I took my stick test and flux core test and then took the licensing exam. Taking some lower paying jobs that don’t require certification is a good way to practice and gain experience in the field. Wonderful question! If you have more, please feel free to continue asking!
whats up cowboy ! we talked in a diffrent video about recenty getting my LA city and thinking about joining local 433 and looking into the carpenters union here in socal, but i was offered a welding position for the city i work for .. a big chunk of change for me .. and well i get too use my certs also my calpers account gets stays out since ive had it for about 2 years now1 just wanted too share
Howdy! Yes, I do remember us talking about that. Congratulations on your new welding position!! Working for a government entity is a really good opportunity. First, the benefits and pay are really good. Second, companies and unions can downsize or shift things around whereas the cities (counties, districts, regions, states, federal) welding positions should remain consistent in a more theoretical sense. Thank you so much for sharing!! I really appreciate it!! Congratulations again and please keep me updated on how everything continues to go in your new welding position! Best of luck to you!!
@@WeldinCowboy ofc brother! Also how’s it going with you and the independent route ? Is that still your path right now?
The independent route is still treating me well, thank you!! For now it is definitely the best route for me so I can still travel as a professional bowler when I need to and still have consistent contacts here in Los Angeles. Another nice part about being independent for me is that I can consult for different contractors I know who are pricing different jobs. Funny enough, I met some of these contractors across SoCal by working with different horses and helping with training them. So for consulting I go to different projects with them and analyze a site as to what is or isn’t there and estimate the price of the job along with complexity, skills needed, equipment, materials, crew size, etc. This helps prevent them and the project owner from being ripped off. Also along those lines I help network some of my buddies I have worked with for years for different projects. This way if someone needs a project worked on and I don’t have time in my schedule or it needs an additional skill set, then I network it to different buddies that would best fit the project. They do the same back so we all get kickbacks from it which is really nice. Keep in good graces with the guys and gals at the job sites you work at as you never know what they can send your way in the future and same the other way. Once folks hear you are a welder, they will come out of the woodwork with projects they need work done for. Remember, time isn’t free, but a lot of folks want “small and easy” jobs done for free. Bartering is a good method of trade I use when doing different projects for different folks.
yeah there can be some cocky classmates but most are just trynna help you out. CELEBRATE THAT ONE BEAD ON PLATE THAT WAS BETTER THAN YOUR LAST. he’s right you’ll have to do good beads back to back in the field but that one good bead you bust out CELEBRATE IT. talking and smoking during break shouldn’t be completely off limits. sometimes you just need a chat and a smoke don’t do it all the time simple. PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. yes, you’re a student, you might not get hired right away without certs but just keep trying keep talking to people and just say “hey, i’m a welder” especially car people… don’t think oh bc im a student they won’t hire me. that mentality will for sure not get you a job. JUST KEEP TRYING. i know plenty of people with no certs already welding fences and exhausts together coming home with $$. DONT GIVE UP STAY IN SCHOOL MAKE YOUR NEXT BEAD BETTER THAN YOUR LAST.
For sure celebrating the bead that was better than the rest is important! It really is a thrill when learning welding when that one bead really stands out and you know you can do it again. I completely agree that a student getting out there and applying to more entry level welding jobs is very important. The more "good" experience a person has, the better. Some very useful knowledge and techniques can be learned in jobs requiring no certifications just as you said. Not every single weld as a certified and licensed welder will be on wide flange beams for a high rise. Great advice boss, I 100% agree!! Thank you so much for commenting!!!
Good advice jethro the hillbilly from the ozarks
@@albertapikewalleye6833 Thank you, I appreciate it! Thank you for your comment!
My welding only extends to my 4 years of highschool it only takes you so far folks
I’m not sure what you mean by it only takes you so far…
@@WeldinCowboy depending on who your teacher is and how much the school actually invests into the program
@osbaldohernandez9174 that is true. If you have good instructors and a good program, it can really take you places though.
I’m currently going to butler tech and we’ve already gone through three different instructors in only 3-4 months. Worry about yourself and stick to videos like these, theyll help you out more than an instructor will most likely. Most may even tell you to watch videos, as mine did.
@daddydame Thank you so much!! I used to teach welding classes at a community college, so I try to cover topics similarly to how I would in a class room and in the welding shop. If you have questions or suggestions for videos, please feel free to ask and suggest away! Some of the more recent videos have been about materials needed to be studied to become a Certified & Licensed Welder D1.1 Structural Steel. I hope you continue to enjoy the videos and for them to be helpful in your studies. If any of your fellow peers have questions or suggestions for content, please feel free to share and reach out. Thank you so much for your comment!!
Wow!
Thank you! I really appreciate it! Thank you for commenting!!
Unfortunately, "certification" has morphed into a big money-making business. This applies to white- and blue-collar endeavors.
Trades apprenticeship is just the opportunity to work at sub-par labor rates for 4-5 years.
Community colleges typically string the student out for 2 years minimum if full-time and it can be longer if holding down a 40+ hour a week job.
Sounds like this is the kind of guy that makes up excuses of why your weld isn't good when you're better welder than him
You cnt give advice and shit on ppl at the same time smh. Dnt matter to me whether you do big projects or small projects, dnt matter whether it mig flux tig or stick. As long as you can use whatever you learned to provide for the fam, you’re a awesome welder in my book
You completely missed the point of this video. I never put down anyone for trying to provide for their family. When someone has more knowledge than others, they are more likely to stay employed compared to others which in turn provides for their family better. The more skilled a person is in welding, the more valuable they are to a company which will make them more money or have a more secured position in that company. Never once have I put down someone for taking a stair step job in a sweat shop, even I did that. I will say that if a person is lazy or complacent with their job in a sweat shop with no initiative to become a better welder, they will not make the bigger money to provide for their family better than they could with a low income welding position.
20 years in the field...
Don't go to welding school. Take one class in MIG tops. Get a job at at a steel shop. Ask to practice on lunch and break.
We talk about weld school grads the way this guy is talking about his new students.
You will not have a perfect plate in a perfect booth with a perfect welder. You will not make $30/hr off the rip. You will get school debt... just like the people you're trying not to be like.
I went to welding job certification learned a ton but I never got a welding job and now I can get jobs because everyone is so desperate but the pay is so low literally making the same amount as production workers and unions never seem to be hiring think I am done trying to start a career in welding
I am so sorry to hear the job market is low in your area. It does happen sometimes fluctuating one way to the other. Never give up though! Unions have to hire eventually, and some unions hold hiring events. There are even certain spans of time that unions will accept applications after a year or two of not hiring. I hope you do stay with welding as it can be very profitable!
@@WeldinCowboy Na Ive been at for 5 years the trade skills wont ever recover