Tig Welding Instruction

I was thinking about taking a 2.5 day tig welding course at Metal Craft Tools Crossville Tenn. facility.Any opinions or personal experiences on this?I'm not sure if I will have the time to do this soon.If I don't,is there someone in the Charlotte NC area that would be willing to give me some instruction on my Miller 250A Tig ? I went to welding school years ago,but I'm pretty rusty.I would be glad to pay for the instruction.Thanks.

 

how much do you need to know? you just said that you went to welding school! if you need to learn how to use your newer model welder, you could always buy the tig book that miller prints. lots of good info in there!

 

practise practise and more practise is the only way you will be good tig welder grasshopper

 

There seems to be an infinite number of settings on my machine..its somewhat intimidating.Other than that I guess it is somewhat like gas welding which I used to be half- way competent at.I did successfully tig weld a big block intake thirty years ago. Any comments appreciated.Thanks
Steve (V7)

 

miller has a slidey thing for mig and tig real handy to get you in the ball park .. tells tungs. size and heat settings for different gauge material

 

play around with different thickness scrap with different settings and remember to watch the puddle. You'll know when you're too hot 'cause your torch hand will get hot once you start getting near your weld seam...or you'll burn through and that is hard to make look nice once it's happened with TIG at least for me.

 

look into a state school. we have a good on just outside of knoxville in anderson co. and i did it just to learn tips on the tig. and it was cheap and they supplide everything. it was two night a week. worth the 60 bucks.

 

Thanks for your input,keep it coming.
Steve (V7)

 

Steve: Have you checked with Central Piedmont (CPCC) in Charlotte...I know they once offered welding classes @ night for adult continuation..CPCC has campuses all over town....I'm on the other side of Charlotte (Gastonia) and Gaston College here has a great welding class...I'm sure you could pick up a lot of knowledge on your own by practicing,but IMHO, getting the right info from the gitgo puts you way ahead..Trying to break old,incorrect habits is difficult...ask me how I know...My MIG welds still look like dodoo from lack of a basic knowledge... Stan

 

I get good results from asking these guys about my welding questions.



http://www.weldingweb.com/

 

you know what they say: "practice makes perfect!" is practise a welding term?

 

go to the hobart website, they have a forum that is filled with very talented welders. if its just to learn about the machine, you could always throw some one local a couple bucks for an hour or so of their time to help you figure it out.

 

with your MIG if you're getting boogered up cobbled looking welds, turn down the wire speed a bit and up the amps a bit and possibly slow down a bit...hard to tell without knowing your set-up, but I used to have the same problem...I am fortunate to have a tattoo customer that is a union welder at the power plant so I pick his brain the whole time he's in the chair.

 

Thanks everyone for your input.Stan,I may go the CPCC route as I live near the Levine campus.
Steve (V7)