Teaching yourself to stick weld

[Rickabilly]

When I was recruiting staff in my old Job, I was hiring equal shares in motor mechanics and Machinists/Fabricators.

So many applications came in claiming simply that the applicant "Had welding experience", You'd be surprised how varied "Welding Experience" can be.

When I asked at interview one guy replied "I'm not sure what type of welding it's called but its the one where you use a big block of Metal in a fire and you melt guttering together with it"

Another said "I'm Ok I suppose, but I don't think I'm good"
Me;"So what sort of welding have you done?"
Answer; I used to work in a trailer Factory,

I thought Box trailers, of course

Me;"So MIG or Maybe stick welding then?"
Answer;"Yeah, but only on the ladders"
Me;"The Ladders?"
Answer;"Yeah the ladders that you use to get to the top of the tanker bodies"
Me;"Ahh so, Tanker Trailers?"
Answer; "Yeah, TIG welding the Aluminium Tanker trailers together"
Me "OK, so how long were you doing that?"
Answer; "Not long enough to get real good at it"
Me;"So, A week? A month?"
Answer;" All the other guys were doin it for thirty years, I was there about Five years so I wasn't near as good as them"

It was that day I realised Welding is all about perspective.

Needless to say his work was some of the best I'd ever seen, but he was scared of welding mild steel, because he hadn't done a lot of that all the tankers were Ally or Stainless. He used to ask why we don't design everything in Ally because he thought it'd be easier to Weld.

On top of that he was an excellent Mechanic and a great Guy, Never any Ego stuff, he just got about and did the work, Well.


Best regards
Rick