Welding student

[Tom M King]

Let us know how the competition turns out.

[John K Jordan]

I'm always happy when I hear of a person wanting to learn a trade. It doesn't matter whether it is electrician, welder, plumber, machinist....

Good for you John for helping her excel.

I am exceedingly blessed. One of my justifications for having this farm is to have a place for kids of all ages to come! Depending on the age (and level of common sense/coordination!) I might teach them to operate the tractor, dig a hole with the excavator, put them to work cleaning up llama manure, plant or pick something in the garden, collect eggs or even take home chicken for the freezer, try their hand at the sawmill/woodturning/burning/carving. So many kids today live in the city or suburbs and never have the chance to get out to somewhere other than a park.

This girl has been coming to the farm since about 13, her mother would bring her for the animals. She's around so much now it's like we acquired a granddaughter (every one of our own kids and their children are boys!) I first met her at a llama sanctuary at shearing time and was impressed when she ran down and caught a rogue llama by herself that no one else could catch! Her goal is that the welding will help support her animal interest. She keeps her horse here and we trade work for feed and boarding.

She's one of the best I've seen for care and training, so much knowledge, patience and empathy, almost thinks like horse/llama/donkey! Here she is working with my new Rocky Mtn gaited horse who came with almost no handling and ZERO ground training - the mare didn't know how to pick up her feet, to walk on a lead rope, to stand still, back up, would only run and not walk, spooked by everything - we think someone kept her in a stall and just jumped on her to ride occasionally. Amazing improvement in just a few months! (This is the horse I ride now.)



And here training a buckskin quarter horse.
horse_jump_IMG_5558.jpg

We tried woodturning a few years ago and she had zero interest other than leaving with a present for her aunt with a horse farm! This is a handle for a rider's crop. I ended up doing most of the turning and she sanded and carved the detail.

crop_handle_detail.jpg

When she told me was going to welding school I accidentally had extras of everything she needed: gloves, jacket, helmet, grinder, safety glasses, etc! She loves cutting and welding steel - maybe she would be interested in the milling machine or metal lathe some day.

JKJ

[Curt Harms]

When I first saw John's post my first thought was the movie "Flashdance". Some specialized welders can make a REAL nice buck. If I recall correctly, Steve Jenkins and Keith know something about that, and those jobs aren't going to China.

[Curt Harms]

.......................
This girl has been coming to the farm since about 13, her mother would bring her for the animals. She's around so much now it's like we acquired a granddaughter (every one of our own kids and their children are boys!) I first met her at a llama sanctuary at shearing time and was impressed when she ran down and caught a rogue llama by herself that no one else could catch! Her goal is that the welding will help support her animal interest. She keeps her horse here and we trade work for feed and boarding.

She's one of the best I've seen for care and training, so much knowledge, patience and empathy, almost thinks like horse/llama/donkey! Here she is working with my new Rocky Mtn gaited horse who came with almost no handling and ZERO ground training - the mare didn't know how to pick up her feet, to walk on a lead rope, to stand still, back up, would only run and not walk, spooked by everything - we think someone kept her in a stall and just jumped on her to ride occasionally. Amazing improvement in just a few months! (This is the horse I ride now.)

JKJ

I think anyone can learn to handle animals with a reasonable degree of competence. I think the top notch horse people or other animal handlers are born with that aptitude that others may never develop regardless of study and diligence. I have 4 older brothers, 2 of them were quite involved with horses. The one next to me was one of those born with the necessary skills and aptitude, he was excellent with horses and dogs. I was never really good with horses and had no real interest.

[Bill Dufour]

I had a small hyperactive student years ago. He ended up welder. His teachers discussed his career choice and agreed once he flips down his hood all distractions are gone. His small size would also allow hime to crawl into tight spaces the bigger ones can not.
Bill D

[Jerome Stanek]

I learned to weld in high school but didn't do much after that. I got a job at a trade show builder and they said to try weld some stuff and I couldn't get a good weld. tried several times but no go. I had to do a little welding job for myself and same thing I was sweating pretty hard and my glasses got all wet from sweat so I took them off and started to weld. I did a much better job and found out it was my bifocals that was messing with seeing the pieces right.

[Charlie Velasquez]

Ovethead??
With that much hair sticking out?

As a good luck present get her one of those welding sock hoods. I wouldn't trust a welding jacket to sufficiently cover the neck and all that hair.
I have only done overhead a couple of times and remember being a little nervous.
12997_A.jpg

[John K Jordan]

Ovethead??
With that much hair sticking out?
…

No need to worry. When I watched her welding today above about waist height she was wearing something that covered all hair, neck, etc. (and a good face shield & hearing protection when grinding)

We took turns on fire watch too, when I was prepping practice pieces with the plasma cutter and when she was welding/grinding. Most work is outside when weather permits. When I built the shop I added a concrete pad just outside steel double doors from the welding room which helps a lot.

[George Yetka]

6010 and 7018 are the common ones for us.
Through my apprenticeship we had welding(5 years of it) By the 4th/5th class year 1 the teacher new who they didnt need to spend time with because they wouldnt get it. I was on that list. I didnt have patience, I couldnt get my mind to slow and focus. I would get in the hood and be thinking of what I had to do for the rest of the week. My weld would come out not so great and would get frustrated. By the end I was a sufficient junkyard welder. I could weld hangers etc, but dont let me near the pipe.

[Ronald Blue]

Hearing protection not just for noise but to keep any hot slag/sparks entering the ear. If you wear a Nomex hood that works to but not for the noise. If every job was on the welding bench that might not be such a big deal. If you use an air arc then you need both at the same time. It's noisy and lot's of hot slag blowing everywhere.

[Bert Kemp]

My Grandson took welding in High School and really liked it and decided he wanted to be a welder, he's 18 and got a couple of scholarships to community collage for welding which he started last fall . He's already been offered a job at the Portsmouth Navel Yard when he graduates.
My Father was a weld in the Navy also, he welded ship hulls too. When he got out he went to work a a linemen for the Phone company and had a second job welding the big gear that rotates the buckets on the linesmen trucks.

[Patrick McCarthy]

John, sir, you are a very good man.

Best, Patrick

[Warren Lake]

Some good stories there. John good on you for your care and helping people. Screwed up world, everyone like you makes a difference. I have mig and tig here and welding blows me away how fast it is compared to woodworking other then cool down time. Great addition to a cabinet shop to be set up to weld. I got tig to modify hinges years back that I had to hire out whenever I needed to modify them. Id rather be self sufficient.

Have friends that are custom car builders one Mig only others both. When I think of welding I think of this kid I saw one day, Old guy learning from a young guy. First one if you go the end its clear they had some fun filming and likely on the edge of breaking out laughing like outtakes on a comedy show. Second one he is welding stainless.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGMq8--FylQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHVijKw3l6U

[Tom M King]

If she learns how to operate heavy equipment, she could probably get a job in Antarctica at the South Pole. My scientist friends have spent some time there, and they say they only allow women to operate the bulldozers moving snow, which they have a lot of to do. They say men break them more often, and with getting parts being what it is there....

[Bert Kemp]

If she learns how to operate heavy equipment, she could probably get a job in Antarctica at the South Pole. My scientist friends have spent some time there, and they say they only allow women to operate the bulldozers moving snow, which they have a lot of to do. They say men break them more often, and with getting parts being what it is there....

so she could drive the dozers and break then then weld them back together. LOL