How I did it: I was taking a one-credit practicum in the scene shop in college and the asked if I would do some sewing for them (my area of expertise).  I complained that I'd taken the scene shop class so I could learn _different_ things, and then asked if they'd teach me to weld if I did it.  They did, it was a mig (sp?) welder; the kind with a wire that comes out the end of the weldy thingy.  I had to wear a long-sleeved shirt that wasn't fuzzy so I wouldn't catch on fire, and then a proper welding helmet.  They had me practice signing my name to get a feel for control, then I welded some short bars together (it looked a lot like the art around campus but on a smaller scale).  Then on a different day I actually got to do a piece of welding for use, not practice: it was some strange dance concert costume where they wanted stage light fixtures to be shoes.  I learned from that project that you pretty much can't cut through welding, it's much harder than the original metal.

Lessons & tips: Take the opportunities that present themselves.  Another welder once told me that the best way to start was to get a cheap welder and some scrap metal and mess around.

Sep 21, 2011, 10:58PM PDT | 2 comments | 8 cheers