I want to learn to Weld....
 

Any suggestions.....

I am prepared to be very bad, get very frustrated but I would like to try an learn...

Any suggestions on which type of welding to try and learn and what to attack first.

I've got to try and fit some side mount cobra seats and i know i'm going to need some welding doing so i guess now is the time to learn.....it may be a long road.

Thanks for any suggestions.
Chris.

WELDING
 

There is a Haynes manual (4176) for £15 which will cover everything you need. As you probably want to be able to weld everything from angle iron to car panels and perhaps some aluminium then I would suggest a M.I.G welder with dual gas capability. A traditional arc welder is not very clever when welding thin metals such as a body panel. A T.I.G welder has the capability to make really tidy welds on all materials but is more expensive to buy and tends to require higher operator skill. The M.I.G is a good compromise as it is possible to buy a nice one for sensible money, it is not too difficult to learn and the weld quality can be good. I would advise a dual gas version as using this type outside is easier. In gas mode you will use solid wire and a small gas ( CO2/Argon ) bottle; as you weld then gas from the bottle will feed from the torch at the point of weld to keep the weld clean. In no gas mode then you no longer use the gas bottle, but you use flux-cored wire that releases gas as you weld to keep the weld clean. With the bottle you will get cleaner welds but outside the wind will blow the gas away, so the no gas option is better in this case.
The internet as usual has the best prices. Try euro-powertools ( I think? ) as the prices are very good. Hope this is useful.
Kevin

Thats just what i was after, very helpful. :)

Thanks a lot Kevin.

would agree very helpful post...
you could also consider somewhere like machine mart..you can pop along and collect in person.
your local adult education college may also be running a nice little 10 week course. get expert tuition and practise.... thats how I learnt..THEN bought mig after felt knew what I was doing

good luck