What do you want in a welding book?

That actually sounds very good. Now you just have to -write- the thing!

Why not (also) re-view that one and, after any needed updates, publish it the same way?

A couple of things that others have not mentioned.

One would be to include a photo of a MIG weld that looks good but is essentially a bead not fused into the parent metal and a photo of how it fails a destructive test. It would be good to get a photo of the weld being made. And of course the same photos of a good MIG weld and how it passes a destructive test.

Another topic to cover is low hydrogen rods. Which metals require that the rod be really dry and what metals you can weld with 7018 that has not been kept dry. And something about rod dryers. I am not convinced that the light bulb in a compact refrigerator are really good enough for when you need Low Hydrogen rod.

Another whole book you could publish would be projects as making anvils, welding tables, go karts, sculptures. You might start taking pictures of things your students build and get releases now , just in case you ever decide to write a second book.

Dan

One of the things lacking in almost all of the welding books are good step-by-step excercises and projects for trying out and refining the skills and methods chosen. I love the idea of a companion DVD to demonstrate what is being written about.

Also, don't bog the reading down with lots of jargon and industry terminology. The books I have found which mostly seem targeted at formal classrooms are heavy on jargon and light on practical applications.

Make it fun and interesting to build one's skills.

John

Ernie Leimkuhler wrote in news:ernie- snipped-for-privacy@news1.west.earthlink.net:

One thing that came to mund, was that American writers (probably some liability thing) seems obsessed with safety, please dont start with 5 pages on how to put the plugg into the poweroutlet (I have litterally seen such a book), and we also know we´re not supposed to do welding on our tothfillings :-) Henning

Ernie, First I would like to thank you for all the free information and tips I have personally learned from you off of this forum and the videos in the drop-box (i.e.- filler rod deposit & motions) Since I joined the AWS recently and got the Ninth edition vol. two I can't really put it down. I started with Mr. Finch's book as I'm sure a lot of us have. Very limited and in my opinion. And very "Look what I did" grandiose style of writing that seemed almost insulting at points. If you were able to replace that book with your teaching knowledge and history of the science as applied by your hands and teachings I would love to see content blended such as that of what the AWS book provided (I really can't thank Artemia Salina for the post on

06.06.2005 for the findings) If you could possibly integrate in whatever edition or even as a side line - A video series as well as text would be great. The only book I have found worth a poop on TIG is Miller's GTAW book my dealer kindly gave me with a few thousand dollar sale. Again, when I got my 210 Miller included a MIG video tape- a picture is worth a thousand words but a video has been priceless when I was without a mentor starting out. Whatever the book (and hopefully video(s), I'm sure it will accelerate and help many, myself included. I don't know if a book sided one for the private market and one academic is worth your time but there is a difference in content in every book I have from school and from real life. Just a thought sir. Not everyone does this for a living and teaching by example can be done in video and text, Heck, I did it! (Then I hired a hillbilly who could weld like a machine!!)

Wish you all the best and if needed, just ask for photo's with release documents (Gratis of course). I'd be glad to contribute my mistakes for others to avoid, plenty of blunders and good results from my race shop. A lot of folks could use a lesson on a class D Fire extinguishers existence as well. (Or refer to UL).

Rob Fraser

Fraser Competition Engines Chicago, IL.

Because I re-viewed it a year ago and realized how bad it was now that I know so much more about commercial welding.

I may rewrite it so it is much better, but one book at a time.

The more I think about it, the more I realize there is to teach about fitting parts to be welded. What fixtures are easy to make and invaluable, what clamps work well, techniques for welding things when they have to be flat or they have to be square or they have to be at a given angle. I learned really a lot about fitting structural steel when I worked as a shipfitter for 10 years once, but fitting a framework which will support a generator in the engine room of a ship isn't quite like building say a display table to go in the lobby of a museum. What I didn't learn back then was how to use elementary heat forging to fix weldments that got pulled a little out of alignment. Now I just estimate a couple of degrees for the weld to pull something, weld it up solid, check it with a square, and bend it cold or forge it to tolerance whatever that is. I have never seen anything like that in a book, that's where a blacksmith/artist/craftsman can bring real value to a welding text.

Grant

Ernie Leimkuhler wrote:

I"m back - 40th year from school - got to see the old guys!

How about metal prep. So many times the welding is just done on this chunk... No prep info - e.g. use SS on AL or don't use xxx sanding disk on YYY... Does it matter on surface 'grain' that is ruffed up on a fine weld (TIG mostly..)

How to test for a bad weld.

Martin

Ernie

Thanks for good detailed stuff like the "pencil and washer" exercise for training your hand and arm to do TIG welding.

When I have done welding training I have found "context information" useful. Not only see how you weld but also understand why you do it like this and what the welding system does to make that possible.

I've put in a couple of memorable ones in my training to illustrate things which meant something to me. Hope it is helpful in showing at least one "take" on the subject.

Best wishes with book project

Richard Smith

My examples:

Basic stick (Basic SMA)

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Positional welding with Basic (AWS xx15 & xx16) electrodes. In UK in

1970's / 1980's during North Sea oil rush, Basic, low hydrogen rods were used for positional welding (working at all angles and positions) in fabricating oil rig structures. New type of electrode developed. Only about 1 weldor in 50 qualifying in qualifying tests when initially tried in mid 70's with existing Basic electrodes. Problem. Studied by Phillips Petroleum. Came up with a low-slag welding rod. Weldor could see what they were doing and slag not filling the joint unmanageably. Held up example rod to view. A visibly thin welding rod for its core (wire) diameter. Now capable weldors could pass qualification. Rod now named "Filarc" because sold up by original Phillips Petroleum but name invokes its origin and acceptable to all. Then learned uphill stringer V-butt. Stringer because you are always looking for high properties when you go donw this route of using Basics...

So there you have it - a basket of information - not only how (the technique) but also why - and from where have we come (high-deposition low-hydrogen rods for downhanding but useless for site fabrication where do want Basic's low hydrogen and high strength and toughness but certain to be positionally welding. It's a lot of image of what you are about. When you are working away, you understand a lot of what you are trying to achieve.

Cellulosic stick (Cellulosic SMA)

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Can explain about the pipelaying tradition. The Alaska pipeline and all that. That cellulosics (seem to have?) come out of "shipyard electrodes" of the 1920's(?) where wrapped iron wire in thread of old rope and clay and got reasonable weld properties. Explain how high hydrogen for penetration and therefore good root penetration go together with very little slag, also making for root running through very little slag obscuring the root and quick solidification with not being under and insulating slag blanket. So it all fits together as this root-running electrode. Then go into techniques. But now clearly relating what you are learning to what the welding system inherently makes available to you (it isn't just an accident - it's a design).

You've gotten a lot of great feedback already, but I'd like to add my $0.02 to the pile. My comments will be a little more general in nature.

I would like to see a book that covered gas, stick, and TIG welding because those are the processes that I would use most. I'm learning on gas now, but want to use stick for the thicker metals and for structural stuff that I will build around the farm. I will use TIG later if I produce any metalwork that needs to have clean/pretty welds such as furniture, etc.

I think that a book that explains the *why*, the principles behind a process/technique would be far superior to a book just showing how to do something. I've never learned (really learned) how to do something from a recipe or a list of steps. In my experience learning to duplicate a set of steps is worthless because when faced with a new situation or problem to solve, the recipe doesn't fit and you don't have the skills to adapt to the situation or problem.

Also, I think that a DVD would be an excellent idea. I have some DVDs from WeldingVideos.com and they are fantastic. To see the welds being made close-up and have the action stop and various things pointed out during the process is very very helpful. And, because it's on DVD, I can go right to a particular section and watch it over and over and over. This has the effect of reinforcing what I've read in other books and shows me what I should/will be seeing when I go out to the barn and fire up my torch. Then I can go back inside and review and compare what I saw to what the video showed, make adjustments and go out and have another successful practice session.

I hope this helps identify some of my needs and some things that may be beneficial to others.

rvb

3 days and over 50 replies, which I havn't (yet) read. I guess I've gone away from looking for books that will intantaneously (well, quickly) teach me a craft that - IN REAL LIFE - takes 5 to 10 years to learn. Instant Piano, guitar, whatever ... similar problems.

There might be markets for several different books, a getting started, teach yourself, a supplement to the local comm college night classes, processes

then there are the perspectives of fab vs maintenance and repair

and the interest orientations; auto racing, motorcycles, building faux wrought iron stuff.

I think most of the material is here already. I might want to buy a hypertext version on CD, but not in hard copy.

This might have been mentioned (I haven't read thru all the reponses), but I would like to see beginner and advanced sections for each topic. The book could then be used for both beginning and advanced welding classes, which would save the student some money spent on textbooks.

Another thing with respect to stick welding: when do you use not only which rod, but which rod thickness? For example, on 1/4" A36 flat bar, do you use 1/4" 6011 or 3/32 6011? (I think I already know the answer to that one, but it's a good example.)

Grant

Hmmmmmm. What would I want in a welding book?

How about an Ernie Leimkuhler clone to stand by watching and teaching as you go along? :)

Can we call him "Ping"? ;-P

(AARP ad: "Are you all brothers?" "No, we're clones!")

The ad is supposed to be here:

-->--

Well, I hope that's useful to you. I'm just a hobby welder, so I come at it from that perspective...

The book I'd most like to see would have a "split personality" with a focus on practical "How to do task 'x'" and also a focus on the theory.

I think that for each chapter, if you split the two section up (and make it clear that the both the "how to" and the "theory" sections have shortcommings) then the book will be useful to a much wider audience because they can take what they need from it.

For the "how to" section, I'd like to see something like "Modern Welding", where it shows how to move your hands & hold the rod, etc... I like to see what you physically have to do to make a good strong, safe weld.

For the theory section, most of the books are O.K, but I'd like to see a little bit more about: metallurgy, how metal expands/contracts when heating, types of steel (e.g. welding clean stainless vs. dirty mild steel v.s aluminum) some on they physics of how welding actually works, a little about heat flow (for e.g., through solids vs. liquids).

I'd also like to see a better discussion of welding safety. For example, there was a post on The Forge (a blacksmith's list) about the unfortunate death of Jim "Paw-Paw" Wilson, who died of pneumonia after giving himself zinc-fume fever. The post went into a little of the physiology of zinc-fume fever, how it causes pneumonia, etc... (I don't have the post handy right now, but I can forward it to you). Again, I like to hear about "how it happened" *and* "why it happened", "what it means to you".

There have been other good discussions on this newsgroup, that helped me to be a safer welder, such as shipyard safety, fire prevention, how important ventillation is, etc...

Maybe in the appendixes there could be a section about: Business considerations when welding, running a small welding shop History of welding (maybe talk about forge welding, diffusion welding (like in mokume-gane, etc...) More about hardfacing, welding/repairing cast iron Welding around the home/home shop/amateur welding (O/A is often a good choice for home use because it's versitile, how to get used machines, what to look for in surplus equipment, when to rebuild O/A regulators, etc...)

--Must admit to not having read all responses, but the one think I would like to see with a good welding "book" would be a CD with video of proper procedures in practice, particularly things like tigging a tee with round tube, that sort of thing..

I'd like to add welding various metals. The common and the un-common list. e.g. steels, iron, Al, copper sheeting, Bronze foundry elements - method of pre-heat if any, shielding as needed, shielding additionally if needed (box..) Post treating or shielding as needed. Production worthy and small job special tools, gimics - e.g. tapes that shield, sprays that prevent splatter sitck...

Could be used as a guide to fix a pool pump (cast material) or make a kitchen vent hood or such - copper... Both with special treatments pre and post.

Martin