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Welding Courses

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Stub Mandrel30/07/2010 22:21:01
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Has anyone here got experience of evening courses in welding?
 
My steplad has been quoted £400 for a MIG welding course at Burton College which seems more than a bit steep!
 
What should he expect to get from a good evening course, how long should it last and how much might it cost?
 
Thanks
 
Neil
Bogstandard31/07/2010 08:33:30
263 forum posts
Neil,
 
I did a gas and arc evening course many years ago at Shrewsbury technical college, two evenings a week for two years. One evening in the classroom and then one in the shop.
 
It was more like a mini apprenticeship, taking you thru both classroom theory and shop practical. The classroom included maths, technical drawing, basic metallurgy etc. not just welding theory. So a fair standard of education is required otherwise you could easily become 'lost'.
 
It took me from being a no hope metal joiner to a very capable gas and arc welder, and I came away with some good recognised qualifications (then),  I could easily join two bits of metal together from shim thickness up to 10mm thick using gas and almost unlimited thickness using arc, from all positions, including overhead.
 
They did do rough and ready courses lasting about four to six months, aimed mainly at the home welder, aimed more at the practical side, say to build a kit car, or something of that ilk, but because mine was paid for by the government, I took as much as I could get.
 
 IMHO, the long course got me to a stage where I could go into industry and be very capable, I can't comment on the shorter courses.
 
To me, £400 doesn't seem steep at all if it leads to a good, and hopefully recognised standard. But as with all nightclass courses, you have to be dedicated and put the hours in, otherwise it is a waste of everyones time and money.
 
It will be of no use if he only goes occasionally, as the courses are usually very structured, and missing just a few nights can put you so far behind that it isn't worth carrying on. We lost half our class by the end of the first year, and the college just won't give refunds.
 
Your best bet would be to obtain the course prospectus. That should include everything, from what is required of the student to what the final goal of the course is.
 
 
Bogs

Edited By Bogstandard on 31/07/2010 08:38:08

Gordon W31/07/2010 10:07:31
2011 forum posts
I've no idea what is available nowadays. I do know that night classes/ courses cost a lot. But what might be of interest to you is colleges often run basic welding courses, usually called something like "farm welding", might be worth looking for.
Niloch01/08/2010 09:47:07
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It seems that gone are the days of cheap and, by that I mean affordable, part-time evening classes in a a whole variety of subjects.  My wife has been attending pottery classes for years whilst I've attended french polishing and stained glass courses and I know they were/are not cheap, but, obviously, in our view  worthwhile.
 
I'm guessing that the cost of Neil's step-son MIG welding course at Burton College is the norm, although, Neil doesn't tell us how many hours tuition you get for that price.
 
I suspect Bogs' two year course would be beyond the reach of most private individuals nowadays. 
 
Gordon W's suggestion might well be worth pursuing though, the national network of agricultural colleges still exists but most have diversified considerably and the word agricultural might have been dropped from their name.  See, for example, Sparsholt College, their 10 x 2 hr. welding course must be very basic and last year cost £236 + £50 for materials.
Anthony Gibson01/08/2010 09:49:16
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Not sure where you are based but Wokingham & Bracknell run a regular one although I think its called something like sheet metal work for car restoration.
 
about 8 weeks long and a couple of hours a week but the one i did was more welding than sheet metal work.
 
think there was change from £150 quid
John Stevenson01/08/2010 11:43:05
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Another side of the coin is do you get value for money ?
 
Some years ago a friend wanted to go on the model engineering course at West Bridgeford Tech, so he could use machines he had no access to, like many.
 
He asked if I'd go but I declined as  we had a well equipped workshop at the time but I made enquiries about welding and was told I could learn alloy welding so signed up. to their welding course.
 
After three weeks of doing nothing whilst the lecturer set up others I collared him and it became apparent that this guy couldn't alloy weld !! No refunds were offered so I did manage to transfer the the engineering course and make some division plates but it was a let down.
 
My friend was making a 4 turret toolpost for his Boxford which entailed 1/2" wide slots 1/2" deep, he was using a massive Cincinnati model 3 or 4 mill, humongous thing, stood 17 hands high.
He drew a 1/2" side and face cutter from the stores and asked me what depth of cut, I told him to go the whole 1/2" in one pass. he set of doing this and it was thrumming away nicely until the lecturer came rushing up and bollocked him for cutting too deep and made him do it in 1/8" deep passes ????
 
 
I didn't have the heart to tell him we were doing roughly the same job on tool holders for North sea oil rigs that were 7/8" wide and 7/8" deep in one pass on a Victoria U2.
 
If you can do it then do it, if you can't do it then teach it rings true here.
 
John S.
Stub Mandrel02/08/2010 21:52:26
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Thanks Guys,
 
As allways you get what you pay for, but it pays to check out the deals!
 
I don't know the full details of the course Gav looked at. He does maintainance for a narrow boat company and most of his skills ahve been learnt on the job. i suspect a 'farm welding' course is probably what would suit him to start with for basic repairs, but in the long run I know he'd like to be able to replate a narrow boat hull which I would guess takes a fair bit of skill and practice!
 
I'll show him your replies.
 
JohnS - crikey - I'd do a 1/2" by 1/8" cut on my mini mill!
 
Thanks
 
Neil
Niloch02/08/2010 22:09:41
371 forum posts
There's also this to be seen as a blue Google ad. at the top of the page.
Stub Mandrel31/10/2010 18:48:15
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Update- Gav has been  going to a MIG course at Burton college for a few weeks now, he thinks its great but could do with a lower tutor to pupil ratio (16:2)
 
Neil

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