Starting your new career as a welder can be an exciting venture. The possibilities are endless, seeing as welders are always in high demand. However, there will be some growing pains while your start out. Here are some of the most common welding mistakes beginners make.
Lack of preparation
There are many steps to take along the way with the welding process, and forgoing any of them puts you at risk of making a grave mistake. For example, all welders need to adequately arrange the metal they are using, removing any cracks or imperfections that aren’t easily visible from the naked eye. All metal is different and requires special care, making preparation critical before making your first cut.
Skimping out on safety
Often, it’s easy to feel invincible, as if nothing wrong will happen to you. And having that thought process is an excellent way of setting you up for disaster, especially when it comes to welding. It’s vital to follow the recommended safety tips to ensure your safety and the safety of those around you.
When cutting metal, tiny scraps tend to have a mind of their own, putting you in harm’s way at any given time. Therefore, don’t grab a tool until you have your safety glasses on, your boots tied tight, and you are protecting your head and ears from any further damage. Don’t lose one of your senses because wearing safety gear is an inconvenience.
Wrong electrode & wires
Now that we covered the generic mistakes, let’s discuss the technical side of welding and the blunders. Each welding method demands you use suitable electrodes and wires. Selecting the wrong electrode puts you on the path of no return, creating problems in the welding process. Choose the accommodating electrode that the task needs. Otherwise, you’ll spend a reasonable amount of time fixing your mistakes.
Incorrect voltage & temperature
It’s challenging to master voltage with your first go around, making it a common mistake amongst many welders. Incorrectly using the wrong amount of voltage or wire feed speed can lead to various problems such as erratic arc, birdnesting, or burnback. The best strategy to prevent these calamities is simply following the welding gun recommendations. The manufacturers know what their tool can handle, so follow their lead.
Bypassing preventative maintenance
Like with any machine, it’s crucial to maintain and care for it thoroughly. The odds are you use your welding gun every day. Thus, if you don’t become lax with your preventative maintenance practices, it can lead to it breaking down, becoming less efficient, and possibly becoming dangerous to operate. Read over the owner’s manual on what you need to do to get the most out of your investment.
Nobody is perfect, so it’s impossible to completely evade every complication. But following these tips and correcting these mistakes before they happen gets you off to a fantastic start! Understanding the most common welding mistakes beginners make gives you an idea of what you need to look out for before getting into the groove of things.
