Has anyone ever taken something like this:

http://www.weldingclass.info/mig.html

$800 for the weekend is much more than a community college course, but I'm not sure I'd learn the right stuff at a CC class.

I'd like to start a new project that is going to involve a fair amount of structural welding (tubing), and would like to know it's strong when I'm done...

-Steve

I would suggest doing a community college course. The course at Cuesta near here actually teaches you enough (in two semesters) to have you certifiable. If I were smart I'd have taken it rather than the "This is a weld" course at Poly.

Agree with Cliff. Most welding classes at CC's or Junior Colleges are taught by people within the trades, etc. You get out whatever you put in.

Steve Hurt

also look into local high schools offering continuing education...

I took a 6 week course for $100 and since I knew a lot of welding basics before hand from stick-welding trailers, it was 6 weeks of mig practice... my bud also took the course, but had never welded before, and he learned a lot! either of us can weld pretty much whatever we need to now. we split the cost of a little lincoln welder too.

If you are thinking of doing a tube frame "something" then MIG welding is not your best choice. The techniques of gas welding chrome moly tubing for example reliably for homebuilt aircraft is well developed and learnable by the novice (many homebuilt aircraft are built by first time welders after all.)

Racecar guys Nascar/NHRA are all doing TIG welding (required by rules in many cases) but this is a higher level of skill for a beginner.

The problem with MIG for structural tubing is the cold start problem, you'll have an area of poor penetration which can be a fatique life problem, basically. If the process is dialed in in a factory situation and the joints are designed for MIG then it can be quite acceptable (Ducati frames, some aircraft frames in a factory setting)

BTW $800 sounds way high for a weekend class, you can do a EAA Sportair weekend to learn TIG for something like $350. (I did that one last year ) In Denver "General Air" welding supply offers Saturday morning welding classes that are excellent for $50 a session. Check with your local welding supply houses to see if any of them offer something similar. They use them as sales tools.

Good luck and most importantly have fun! Once you learn to weld you become a god in your neighborhood

Glendale City College, Glendale, CA. has a great welding classes for all types of welding. A little weak on light gauge. Saturday and nights are available. I went, very glad I did.

Gene

I took the welding course at Cuesta Community College here in Paso Robles. The class consisted of lots of stick welding, oxy-acetylene welding and braze welding. MIG and TIG where saved for the very last day and only about a few hours where spent on actual TIG welding because the tungsten rods are so expensive. If you want to learn basics a CC would be the place to go. The instructor said if we took the second semester we would be considered "employable" welders. I think full certification takes a bit longer. If you want to concentrate on MIG and TIG, a private class might be the way to go.
Cheers, Elliot

lab welding is sooooooo different than car welding or rusty car welding. come on over. Ill teach ya what ya need to know about 914 welding for way less than that. heck, I'll even use a 914 for teh class. Hmmm...maybe I could do a rusty 914 welding class ala DR Evil trans clinic. I could combine it with rust passivation techniques.

I just got a DVD "MIG Welding Automotive Sheetmetal". It's not bad, has some good tips in it. It can be found at howtoasap.com

Now THIS sounds like a GREAT deal!! I might even make the 6 hour drive for a pratical welding clinic.

Cheers Elliot

if you bring the Zonker we wont get anything done. ill be too busy drooling all over it

When is the San Diego welding clinic?? I want in too.

I would hold it at my shop in city heights near SDSU.