WELD DONE!

LEARNING TO WELD OPENS UP WHOLE NEW WORLDS

- JAY CORK

From the buildings and pipelines that make up our cities, to artistic sculptures that bring cold metal to life, welding is everywhere. Learning to weld gives your skill set a serious boost, but gaining the skills to start "laying dimes" (that's a good weld) takes practice. Lots of practice. Gerrilyn Kujawa, a local welder, talked with me about getting started and the steps for making great welds.

CHOOSING A WELDER

Gerrilyn says the $200 MIG welders at home centers are fine for occasional light use, but an inexpensive welder may not be able to tackle thicker material or larger projects. If you want to get serious about welding, plan to spend $400 to $600 for a good machine that will last.

POWER CONSIDERATIONS

To weld thicker material, you need a machine with a higher amp output. A 120-volt by a conventional metal up to 5/16 in. thick. You'll need at least a 20-amp (preferably a 30-amp) circuit.

If you think you'll be working with material thicker than 1/4 in., you'll want a 240-volt machine and a 50-amp circuit to match.

SECONDHAND SAVINGS

Gerrilyn also suggests that beginners look into used equipment; it may allow you to get a better setup for a lower price. Pawn welder, powered outlet, can weld shops and Craigslist are great places to start looking. When purchasing a used machine, always test it. Look inside to see if there are any obviously burnt wires, and check to see if the buttons, knobs, and display function properly.

WELD SAFE!

Welding can be dangerous work, and Gerrilyn takes every safety precaution available.

1 SAFETY GLASSES

Eye protection is a must for all power tool use, and it's especially critical for welding, because hot metal bits are likely to go airborne.