Welcome to the World of Welding

No matter if you are a beginning or advanced welder, job seeker,
teacher, student or someone related to the welding industry in a
different way, you need what we all need… access to welding
information knowledge. It may be no surprise that welding is even one of the fastest growing hobbies.

This site is HUGE ! It gets bigger every day !!

No one knows everything about welding, not even the Weld Guru! But he
will not rest until he has gathered all of the knowledge in the Whole
Weld World!

This Guy Never Stops!

From arc welding, mig welding, tig welding, ironwork, metals, and laser,
to resistance welding, weld testing, welding certification, training,
welding projects, welding products, and much, much more, the Guru has
found it for you!

With so much information, it’s the only welding site you’ll ever need!

What could be better than working with metal, heat and electricity. Melting and joining metals let the specialist build so many things that are not only beautiful to look at, but that are completely functional.

About This Site

This site covers the basics. You’ll learn about the types of welding, supplies and techniques. We’ll help you decipher the way welders talk such as the difference between “Stick”, “Mig” and “Tig” welding. We will then explore some of the newer techniques such as “Plasma Cutting,” “Oxyfuel Cutting.”

We’ll also go beyond welding to cover related processes such as gas welding, brazing and soldering. Cutting is also covered since this is critical to any professional.

It is also important to learn about the various properties of metals such as the:

• melting point: at what temperature will metal melt
• ductility: how metals stretch, bend and change shape
• strength: what can a metal do before it breaks
• conductivity: how does the metal conduct electricity

A Brief History of Welding

Welding is all about fabricating or building and repairing what already exists. Most metals can be welded together. The profession can be traced to 100 B.C. when people welded gold using a technique called “lap welding.” The profession really started to take off with the discovery of bronze, which is the joining or hammering together of copper and brass. Obviously this was driven by human investment in the instruments of war.

Many major advances happened during the Industrial Revolution (through the 1800s). Techniques such as “hammer or forge welding” was developed where heated metal is joined together, similar to the way a blacksmith works.

In the 19th century, acetylene gas combined with oxygen as a heat source was discovered. This made it easier to melt and cut metals.

Spot Welding
Photo Credit: SW3 Calvin Johnson

Modern Welding

In the 20th century the use of electricity entered the picture. This combined with World War I showed the importance of the technology and processes to the war effort. This spurred the founding of many new companies that specialized in advancing the field. Innovations started at this time led to modern processes such as oxyfuel welding, oxyacetylene welding, tig welding, mig welding, and stick welding.

Welding Jobs

The key to getting a welding job is to become a certified welder. This is regulated by the American Welding Society, an organization that provides welding certifications (AWS certification). A relationship with the 100 year old organization is critical for anyone that wants to advance. The organization sets standards and welding codes. It also provides tips for advancing a welding career.

It might take a few tries to pass the welding certification test, but the rewards are worth it.

Welding Schools

There are many community colleges, trade and vocational schools that offer welding courses and a path to certification. You can use this welding school locator to find a school near you, or simply use this form to find a welding school near you.

Welding Supplies

There are many tools and supplies needed to be a successful welder. These include:

• coveralls
• a shaded welding helmet
• gloves
• a respirator (if you don’t have good ventilation)
• insulated electrode holder (need twist type or spring jaws)
• ground clamps (to ground the welding table)
• welding cables
• combination square and steel square
• soapstone (for drawling lines)

There are many stores open to the public that sell welding supplies. Some of our favorites include Aluminum Repair.