Institution providing part time welding training ?

[Emily]

Hey guys, recently I have applied for a job in a famous firm in Ontario and the job requires me to learn basic modules of welding. I have a diploma in electrical engineering and I’m looking out for a board certified welding training centres in Toronto. My friend has suggested me to consider Weldtech training center in Ontario. I’m planning to do the course as part time. So I’m afraid whether they admit students who want to do the course in part time. Has anyone ever done any course there ??

 

Edited November 12, 2015 by Emily

[Moses Ludel]

Hi, Emily...I am familiar with welding processes and training, having instructed the technologies (automotive, diesel and welding).  I also served as the Director of Vocational Training for the Rite of Passage programs and worked closely with college level technical training as a board member for Tech Prep at Western Nevada (Community) College.  We I-CAR and AWS certified our welding students through the WNCC (now WNC) welding program. 

I took a look at Weldtech's website.  They have all of the credential targets in place...I gleaned this statement from the Weldtech site:

"Benefits of Training at Weldtech:
Instructors are all CWB, TSSA, AWS, Certified and are Journymen Red Seal Welders.
Welding Courses are tailored to meet your needs.
Class sizes are small allowing for one-on-one instruction.
Weldtech Training is an accredited Test Centre for AWS, TSSA, CWB and I-CAR
Weldtech is a Registered Private Career College with the Ministry of Training Colleges and University under the Private Career Act of 2005"

For your purposes, I liked Weldtech's emphasis on corporate training and certifications.  Like any other program, you need to confirm the school's reputation.  Check accreditation bureaus and business bureaus or reviews online.  Talk to graduates.  

What I like most is your academic background and ability to approach welding from that angle.  The process is hands-on, involves hand-to-eye coordination and follows clear steps; however, there's much more to welding if you learn to like it, and I really do!  Metallurgy and heat treating processes are fascinating and often overlooked by lay welders, hobbyists and even professionals in the field.  Many welders have excellent welding technique but do not know chemistry or the science of metals.  For the record, most welding schools barely touch on the subject of metallurgy, their focus is the welding process itself.  My favorite process is TIG, which shares the tactile "feel" of traditional oxygen-acetylene welding process and can be dramatically enhanced by following the principles of metallurgy.

Traditional welding classes begin with "gas" welding then move to SMAW (stick), MIG and finally TIG.  Each of these processes can be mastered.  At the magazine site, I have several videos that share welding processes and applications.  I plan to do a series of hands-on training videos for lay students and will add that to my Vimeo On Demand courses at some point.  This will be based upon my experience and exposure to professional instruction and an awareness of certified levels of welding (AWS, I-CAR and such).  "Distance" video training, however, would require the student/viewer to practice on his or her own and certify through a local community college or AWS test center.

On that note, you may consider a local public college (junior college or vocational program, typically) as an alternative.  If you simply need to learn process and the class credits are valid for your employer, many college programs are quite advanced.  When ROP partnered with WNCC's welding program, the WNCC department head at the time, James Pawluk, was a co-author of the AWS Manual.  He certified his students at a variety of industry processes and welds.

Let us know how this works out, Emily...Welding is a terrific skill to learn—and master!

Moses

Edited November 12, 2015 by Moses Ludel

[BadDriver4x4]

Emily,

I started welding in High School through our Ag program many many years ago, and then I took a small group class in advanced welding at a local technical school. I have oxy-acetylene sets, a MIG welder, a couple of small stick welders, and I just picked up a small amperage Flux Core Wire welder, but I didn't understand what the instructors were trying to show me because I just couldn't see it, or grasp the techniques. Sure, I can weld a pretty decent bead, and I have little experience with brazing, but it takes lots of practice to master that art. I have also self-studied blacksmithing to understand the concepts of welding, but the one thing I've done that gave me the best understanding of welding was to get involved with the Accelerated Technical Training Institute. http://www.acceleratedtechnicaltraininginstitute.com/

They have a DVD welding course that is accredited through the Idaho State Board of Education. You can do it at your own pace, and I suggest buying a 90 Ampere Flux Core Welder from Harbor Freight which is less than $100.00 US most of the time, and you can find specials from time to time. Mine was just over $95.00 S&H included from a Thanksgiving Day sale. Do the DVD course and you will really see what you are supposed to see that is important about welding. Pick up some scrap metal and practice. Then if you need a professional level advanced course you will be far ahead of the rest of the class.

My former career was as an electronics technician in the U.S. Air Force a lifetime ago. Knowing how to wind the core of the welder won't help you to understand the process of welding any better. But if you buy the DVD course the DVDs are always there for you to study again and again. It really will make a difference that only hands on practice can rival. If you're asking yourself how to do everything you need to do, just go to Harbor Freight Tools get the welder and a 4 1/2 inch grinder to do the cutting and grinding. The prices are so good you can probably afford 2 so you don't have to keep changing wheels. Make sure you have a 20 Amp outlet for the Flux Core Welder and get the automatic darkening welding helmet and the proper safety clothing. You didn't say whether you live in an apartment or home, so you will have to make adjustments as to where you do your practice. The advantage to the Flux Core Welder is that you don't need a gas bottle, although the welding wire is a little more expensive, OK, so it's about 4 times as much, but still affordable. Buy your Flux Core Welding Wire locally as I've heard that the Harbor Freight wire is not great quality. (Read the reviews)

Now, you should buy a welding cap, a welding jacket, and learn to wear the proper clothes. I was doing a simple home plumbing project and found out what solder can do when it catches under your watch because you're not wearing gloves or a shirt with sleeves. A very painful lesson. I've also had a little welding burn (like sunburn) because I was wearing short sleeves again, that was before I took the time to learn to wear the proper protective clothing.

All of this is covered in the DVD course from ATTI. Even if this course can't get you credits in Canada it is well worth the money to do it. There may be better instructors, but learning the secrets to good welding (and brazing) is never easier than seeing it at your own pace in a way ensured to get through to your senses. By the way, if you read this soon the best quality 4 1/2 inch grinders are $17.99 from Harbor Freight right now, although the 90 Amp welder is up to $109.99. A little tip is to look for the Chicago Electric, and Central Forge (I guess they're now Pittsburgh) tools. They seem to be the better quality tools, and I've been buying from Harbor Freight for over 20 years. 

I'm sure there are others here that should share their experience with you to be sure you have as many options as possible.

Good luck and Merry Christmas.

[Moses Ludel]

Very interesting, BadDriver4x4!  DVDs would be helpful.  Welding is a hands-on process.  I enjoy watching others demonstrate technique, you know what they are trying to do when the live, visual experience is clear.  Welding involves hand-to-eye coordination and can only be mastered, as you note, with hands-on practice.  

Thanks for sharing with Emily.  Not sure what course she pursued, there was no response to my reply.  Perhaps she solved her training need locally.  Others will benefit from your suggestions.  Your comments about entry level welding equipment is useful to budget-conscious DIY weldors. 

I use Pittsburgh impact sockets and other select products from Harbor Freight.  Some HB products are quite reliable.  Your tip about HB "labels" is right on.

Time permitting, I would like to construct a streaming rental training course for welding basics, following the traditional sequence of gas (both welding and brazing), stick (SMAW), MIG then TIG.  I'd include metallurgy basics as well, there is a great deal of confusion about proper use of filler materials among DIY and even professional weldors.

Moses

[BadDriver4x4]

Moses, I fully appreciate the idea of a live demonstration, but I'm usually the one who misses part of the explanation or gets stuck in the back where I can't see anything. I do SMAW reasonably well, but I didn't have any idea of the numbers on the Welding rods until I took the advanced course at the local Tech Center. The instructor was a highly rated welder, having done every welding job there is. He currently builds wood splitters as his retirement income, besides teaching. The DVD course I mentioned shows you the technique better than I have ever seen it in real life. It shows you how to create the puddle and fill it with filler material. I'm not too bad at MIG either, but I have a hard time getting the settings just right between speed and power settings. I think that's why the HF Flux Core Welder is a great idea because you have two power settings and an increasing speed dial, so you have to learn which speed does the best job in the low power or high power settings. It's not as complicated as two multi-position dials where a small increase makes a large difference.

Here's a sample of my stick welds. That's 1/4" plate.

 

Edited December 22, 2015 by BadDriver4x4

[Moses Ludel]

BadDriver4x4...Functional string there!  Looks good for settings, no undercut with good crowns.  Crowns and no undercut indicate good penetration...

Most MIG machines have a chart with recommended speed and voltage for specific wire types (material and diameter) and plate thickness. My Hobart Beta-MIG 170 has a reliable chart that is more than just a place to start.  It is Hobart's insight into this specific machine.  I rely on these chart settings and adjust from there only if necessary.

Moses

[BadDriver4x4]

I don't know if you agree, but there is a little wiggle room with the MIG welders I've used. Even if you use the chart it takes the right speed of movement to get the best weld, and I guess that's more of my problem. It just seems as though the weld never comes out the way I think it should. I've been doing stick welding much longer as I started using it in High School.

A note about the HF 90 AMP Flux Core welder. The top has a very strong spring steel button to open the top and I have to use a pair of pliers to open the top. I would also throw out the welding shield that comes with it. It's hard to put the handle on, and there's no protective front plastic to shield the colored glass from welding spray. That said, I never throw anything away if someone can use it to watch a few feet away.

With all the good deals I also picked up a welding cart, and a welding table. I have already received the cart, and it went together fine although I varied the routing of the bolts where they wouldn't interfere with snagging anything on the front uprights and give more room on the tables. I guess they dropped the inside washers from the rear wheels and the axle covers, but I wish they had included plastic spacers for those wheels. I can see wear problems if you push the cart around very much with the loose wheels and unpinned axles.

We'll see how the table works when that arrives. Hopefully it will work as advertised and fold up when not in use. Now that I have the Cherokee to work on I'll need the welding experience from practice projects I can do on the table.

Merry Christmas all.

[Moses Ludel]

Totally agree...I tend to run hotter and faster passes by nature.  That often requires more wire feed on MIG when I up the voltage/amperage.  MIG penetration is a concern.  Many MIG welds have nice crowns, no undercut and inadequate penetration.  My hotter voltages assure the penetration but also require more wire feeding.  Again, the chart is a "place to start", and your personal welding style plays out here.

Steel products, in particular ramps, stands and my lift for motorcycles come from Harbor freight.  They do best on bulk steel products, you cannot match price elsewhere.  I always factor load capacities:  If I need 3-ton stands, I buy HF 6-ton rated.  Likewise, I use their 4-ton floor jacks and 1000# motorcycle lift for my 320 pound motorcycle (surely these lifts are reliable to 600# or more).  You understand if a Harbor Freight customer.  Pittsburgh impact sockets are Vanadium and hold up well.  The welding cart you bought should work well, as will the welding table.

Moses