Community College Course Question

[prowess]

Gents:

I researched my local CC and found that they offer four courses in welding. As you might have guessed they are:

O/A
Arc
Mig
Tig

The courses vary in length depending on which you choose. Most are 4 or 6 weeks. A couple nights per week.

Surprisingly (or not surprisingly depending on your point of view) the O/A course is always filled with a waiting list standing by. I am on that list.

QUESTION. WHAT ORDER WOULD YOU TAKE THESE COURSES IN? I have medium experience with Arc, and light experience with Mig. NO experience with O/A or TIG.

THANKS!!!

[boilerman79]

Our local C.C. and Tech school,requires you take the classes in this order,O/A,Stick[arc],Mig and Tig.Thats if you sign up for the welding program .[to get certs.]In my opinion you should always takeO/A/ first.[cutting and welding] you really get a good look at the metal flowing and get a good idea about what welding is all about.Its really depends on you and your skill level,as to where you want to start.If you feel that you are a pretty good stick welder,then you may want to take a Tig class. Its just what you feel you are ready for. .

[Phewzer]

QUESTION. WHAT ORDER WOULD YOU TAKE THESE COURSES IN? I have medium experience with Arc, and light experience with Mig. NO experience with O/A or TIG.
THANKS!!!

ARC
Mig
O/A
Tig
But thats just me.

[Masher Mfg]

O/A welding is pretty much obsolete as far as I'm concerned, cutting can be learned hands on. Oxy / Propane is a less expensive system for cutting and a better flame for brazing.

Most anyone can learn on their own how to MIG with minimal effort.

So, Take the arc / stick welding course first. This kind of welding takes skill and is the most likely type of machine you can pick up used or new for low prices. If you can stick weld, those skills can be transferred to the much easier MIG system.

Next, take the TIG class, this takes greater skill and those skills can be transferred to O/A if you really want to gas weld/ braze.

[SuburbanJim]

Before you sign up I'd take a spin over there and check out the equipment & class layout. I took a community college class a while back (just for fun) and found the equipment horribly outdated, the instructor overworked (# of students per instructor), and the time it took to fix problems outweighed the time you actually got working behind the hood. I should have done my homework and checked the place out before signing up............

[tigger1]

At our CC they went this way:

Stic
Mig
Tig
O/A was only used for cutting.........welding with it wasn't covered.

I've taken the Stic, Mig and Tig..........the Tig classes were always full and with long waiting lists. Took a couple years but I finally got the Tig class I wanted that was offered at a time I could go.

Good luck.........get all the under the 'Hood' time that you can get!!!

[bigdogjoe62]

I too would check out the equipment and the instructor for the course, i took one at a cc near my house and it was an old retired guy teaching that didnt want to be there, and he would hand out rod and point you to a machine and let you weld on your own no instruction at all and if you asked a question he would get mad it was a waste of $300.00

[whateg0]

I guess since you are asking which to take, there isn't a prereq for any of these? I think some schools require certain classes, or demonstration of knowledge, before taking a given class. That way, the instructor can focus on the skills for that particular discipline, instead of going over all the basics for all levels. Imagine taking all 4 courses and having to sit through the basics each time for half the class.

I know that a buddy of mine had to take the different types of welding in a certain order, but that may have been an all inclusive class. His was gas, stick, mig, tig.

Dave

[Tumbleweed]

At the school where I studied we took in this order:
O/A
Stick
MIG
TIG
We had to take O/A because we had to cut out test plates with it
and we learned to use a track torch.

Personally, I think O/A brazing and welding is very similar to TIG,
in that you learn to use a filler rod and visually learn how hot your metal is.
I just enjoyed learning as much as I could about all of it!
Not that you ever know it all, but I would not turn down any, if I was able to take the classes. TW

[prowess]

Interesting guys. Thanks.

Well, the obvious order would seem to me to be O/A, then Stick, then MIG, then TIG, but the CC I am talking about does NOT require you to follow any order.

And, I researched the "tuition" and it is $600 per course. Course length is really varied. The STICK course is only 8 weeks, but the TIG course is 12 weeks. Each are 2 nights per week for 3 hours per night.

The O/A is full as I stated, and hopefully that will open (meaning somebody will drop and I will somehow get IN) or they will start another class as I really want to learn GAS.

I am also excited about TIG, but that's human nature. Since I never worked with O/A or TIG, of course they would be great to learn.

Thanks!

[jer29_11_13]

Interesting guys. Thanks.

Well, the obvious order would seem to me to be O/A, then Stick, then MIG, then TIG, but the CC I am talking about does NOT require you to follow any order.

And, I researched the "tuition" and it is $600 per course. Course length is really varied. The STICK course is only 8 weeks, but the TIG course is 12 weeks. Each are 2 nights per week for 3 hours per night.

The O/A is full as I stated, and hopefully that will open (meaning somebody will drop and I will somehow get IN) or they will start another class as I really want to learn GAS.

I am also excited about TIG, but that's human nature. Since I never worked with O/A or TIG, of course they would be great to learn.

Thanks!

Prowess,

I just enrolled in some welding classes at the community college also. Each course is 3 hours/2 nights/week for 15 weeks. Though each course has a specific outline/format you essentially can work out a game plan with the instructor as to what you want to master first and in what order stick, mig, o/a and tig as well as safety training, and blueprint reading. Each course runs $248 which isn't too bad.

To get a diploma in Applied Welding Technology you must take 39 credit hours but I'm just going to improve my skills not necessarily for employment since I'm retired but if I do any side work I'll feel more confident having some formal training under my belt.

Also my CC has special arrangements with local AWS certification people at a discounted rate if you want AWS certifications, something you might want to check out at your school.

Good Luck and Be Safe!

[mister honey]

I, too, have been doing the CC welding thing; particularly in the winter. It's great fun, but what & how you learn is really dependent upon you and the instructor.

I would take the TIG course first. It's disciplined, challenging, fairly neat/clean and most of all...slow. You can really see the puddle, the effects of adding the filler, travel speed, etc. I learned more about welding in this class than in the stick or MIG classes because it is slower. You can see & understand the welding process.

MIG is great for speed, but I ran miles of wire in that class and never really understood what was happening at the bead; just pull the trigger & go-go-go and hope for the best!

MIke

[ZRX61]

My local CC has those 4 courses, plus another just for guys getting into autobody & then a 6th class for "High Performance Welding".
Cost is about $26/unit & each class is 2 units.

[whateg0]

My local CC has those 4 courses, plus another just for guys getting into autobody & then a 6th class for "High Performance Welding".
Cost is about $26/unit & each class is 2 units.

Just wonderin', how long are the courses? Cuz at $52 per course, if they are supplying the welders, filler, and facility to learn and practice, I think I'd be all over that. Sure beats going out and selling the kids (JUST KIDDING!) to buy a TIG to practice with.

Dave

[prowess]

No kidding!
AT $600 for a 12 week course (2 nights per week) I was a little struck by the cost at first, but then I figured 24 classes each at 3 hours, so hypothetically 72 hours realizing that you won't be gleening pure knowlege the entire time.
So, it's resonable depending on your point of view. They supply all welding consumable equipment and the welders. You provide helmet/goggles, boots, gloves, chip hammer and brush.

Believe me, to me that is not money thrown in a coin fountain, so, at that cost I will be paying attention
after all..600 still buys good welding equipment!