I really appreciated this video. Being that I have been at it for 31yrs now, I often reminisce of the days when I would struggle with some of the things that I can now basically do in my sleep. Experience in any field is a reward for the hard work that has been put into the job. I can totally relate to the older gentleman you referred to in the video. I remember guys like that. Fast with out being fast. My customers have stated (without me knowing) that I too have become fast because they have mentioned that other company welders take much longer do do similar jobs I do for them when I'm not available. That is a nice feeling. I try and follow the same model of being efficient at my work. My dad would always tell me to "Make every Move Count". If you can apply this to your everyday routine, you will see improvements very quickly. I apologize for making this post sound like a pat on my own back but If you love your work and try hard to improve every day or on every job, you will see the fruits of your labor. Thanks for the video. Very well put Bud!.👍👍👍👍
Hey you bet! Thank you for watching and commenting and sharing your thoughts. You said it well yourself. It’s nice to be in connection with others who understand experience and how valuable it is. Seeing the fruits of your labor is very rewarding.
Hello I C Weld, I worked at a Federal Paper Mill in Augusta Ga. 1989-'91. Flour Daniels had a big sign up that said, "Make everymove Count." Your father is right. Don't need to hurry. No wasted movements adds up.
Getting my RU-vid welding degree from both of you and others, there is always so much good feed back in the comments that I have learned from as well, great community!
I began welding over 45 years ago but I doubt I have anywhere near as much experience as is evident on this channel . I've done some fairly large projects. But there have also been relatively long gaps between some of those projects. Lately I have been driving semi trucks. I hope things like your excellent channel will prevent me from losing skills over time. Thank you for the high quality content.
“That old guy” story keeps resonating in my head. “All his moves were productive “ This is one of the main keys to make the most of your time. Thanks for sharing! Greetings from Mexico.
Thanks for sharing your work history. I prefer TIG because it's cleaner, but stick is my passion too. I was certified around 1982 in all processes on carbon steel pipe, and Aluminum MIG on plate over the years. I worked offshore for a few years and did shop work until 1989. Then I changed course, I became a RN and retired a couple of years ago. Now, I'm 64 y/o and I'm going to start a Fab business because of boredom and inflation. I did not get beat up working with steel like most 40-year experienced welders. I could easily make $100/hr+ as a RN, but that was another life for me; Nursing is a hard job emotionally, and you're always rushing around hoping you don't make mistakes because the stakes are so high. Wish me luck Austin!
You aren't lying about those old men making it look easy. I've always been amazed by that. It's a good thing they don't have a young man's body or they might take over the world. I'm 32 and I'm strong at what I do but I know more than a few old hands that I would have trouble keeping up with. When somebody has been doing something longer than you've been alive you start to recognize they're playing a whole nother game.
I am 55 years old and have just learned welding in the last 5 years. I have used tube channels like yours to learn welding, and my favourite is stick welding. It's old school, low tech, and a real challenge. I love burning rods.
I’m in the same boat there A Ross. I stick weld everything also. I’m just an Oklahoma pipe fence builder. I use 6010 everyday! I love the first smell of the rod tip burning of every morning.
I'm 75, so I think I qualify as an "old man" and I'd like to thank you for your videos. I'm living vicariously through those videos. I went to welding school 50+ years ago in the military and been at it since, HOWEVER, the older I get, the more my hands shake, so, my advice is, do as much as you possibly can now, while you're young, because, apparently, it won't last forever. And while I'm at it, here's something else to give a think: The WORST thing about getting old is, you're stiff all over (except where it counts). 😂
I am 71 years old and also enjoying still a bit of welding. I can appreciate your comment " you're stiff all over (except where it counts)" that is so, so true.
Mr Ross, I really appreciate your channel. I’m trying to learn how to weld. Not for a profession but just to repair/fabricate things around my farm. Man my welds are uuuugly! BUT I’m really enjoying the learning process. Thanks for the education. Keep producing it!
What I love about this channel has to be the information and knowledge you’ve experienced in your time welding and also has to be your humor and quirky personality
You're hitting the nail on the head with EXACTLY how it's been for me and where I want to be. Wanted to do stick right out of welding class, ended up in a MIG fab shop where I still am and really want to go do a field job stick welding!!
FANTABULOUS Austin, just because you can because that's the way you started in school and you want folks to know "YOU DID LEARN IT". This is a good inspirational video for a welding class to see. Fred.
Great story Ross, for a young man you pack a lot of Great knowledge in your years. Hopefully the younger generation will take the hint and use it to there advantage. The old gentleman new the ticks of life. At 75, I hope others take advantage of someone like you to increase there knowledge and direction of travel in life. It's great of you and the wife, to extend yourself to others, You're both great examples of Stewartship and what life is about!..... Being a Giver and Giving back! Ty and God Bless You both 🙏 ❤
Nothing beats an excellent stick weld. I welded cranes for a while and it all had to be mig. It was high production. After that I had my own thing going with structural steel. My choice on that was all stick 7018. One place I love mig is for auto body work. It's all just tacks but allows keeping the heat down and controlling the warpage
I love all of your videos man. There's not one ive watched and said, yeah this sucks. I started watching you 2 or 3 years ago and you are one of the reasons I'm going to school for welding right now, I'm 32. Never too late to start something new. Thanks for being awesome!
Yeah pipeline work. So when do you want me? Yesterday. Pipeline You have to bring your A game every day. Inspection takes no prisoners or excuses. Spent the last 20+ years working directly for a mainline transmission company. Everything was 100% x-ray and 95% of the work was hot work. The company went through something like 300 contract rig welders over the years before they landed a core of welders that could do the work and get along with his peers. Very little of the work was outside a Ditch. Welders were expected to be able to cut and fit the pipe as well as weld it. It challenged your ability to the endth degree. You were either good or gone. Straight pipelining by comparison was easy. I done plenty of that 25 years prior. Doing everything from the well heads to mueller Ts for residential. Loved the challenge, loved the work, loved the travel. Working at a high level and doing things 90% in the business couldn't was great. Hopefully one made a difference. We were country builders. Engineers engineer . Tradesmen build That said A difference is made
I enjoy your videos but I also appreciate your honesty. I’m getting my first stick welding machine and your videos will help me learn. Your humbleness speaks knowledge.
Austin, experience is what you have right AFTER you needed it. Learning by actually doing and flubbing up here and there teaches one what not to do or hey what I just did was better quicker. I wanted to be the best TIG welder I could be. My customers were impressed so I stayed busy. You fell in love with stick like I fell in love with TIG. Have fun and thanks for sharing.
I have been to a couple of trade schools and most guys that complete these schools think they have completed their learning. Truth be told they have completed the first step now the will start learning.
Great presentation! Reminds me of when I worked on a steel building erection crew for about half a year some 40 years ago. it was my introduction to the world of outdoor welding. I never became professional welder, but I have welded my own my own amateur projects ever since. Looking forward to seeing your videos..
I recently got into some hobby stick welding and I feel it's a kind of activity where there are a lot of aspects which require feel. As soon as that rod lights up, its watching, reacting and manipulating that puddle. I love it!
Austin your comments about constant improvement needs more visibility and recognition in all trades and skills that require hands and brains. I work in manufacturing and constantly have worked to make things easier and more efficient for myself. Quality is key in my industry, but not taking forever for it is right along with it. So you and IC WELD both are Quality welders with experience that shows in your videos. Love your content and your philosophy. it was cool to see IC WELD give you props and acknowledge that being efficient is smooth and it shows.
Finishing up welding school in June this year, and watching your videos and a few other guys on RU-vid has already taught me a ton. I have a few goals with welding I want to achieve, one of them being becoming a pipeline welder. Think it sounds incredibly neat and is something I really aspire to do. The other is learning how to Tig weld so I can one day fabricate roll cages and things of that nature since cars happen to be one of my biggest passions in life. (I know you can use any process for building a cage, Tig welds just look so pretty when done right) keep up the videos, they really do help out us new guys
Hey Austin I really appreciate you taking the time to make this video and going into detail about how you got started. The video you made with western welding academy gave me the push I needed to start my welding career. I can’t thank you enough for that, you’ve had a huge positive affect on my life. I look forward to Friday’s just to watch your new videos.
This video is such an inspiration because I currently am in welding school and my goal is to have a welding rig and weld pipe. Want to travel and experience the pipelining field of welding.
I just started welding on my own, stick welder, been in the Masonry trade for 28 years, just discovered welding and I absolutely love it , I’m absolutely terrible at welding but I’m improving every time I do it . Great channel and thanks for sharing your knowledge.👍🏼👍🏼
Hello Austin. I am 40. Last year I started welding from zero pont. TIG was my first tech process, but some lessons after I shifted to MMA. My reasons to shift were the same: less equipment to provide welding, all-weather, etc. But in case of achievements and education progress MMA became not so easy. But I don't give up. Thanks for vid. Please keep going. Your thoughts and advices are really inspire.
Just started a welding course last week at a local college, I absolutely love it! Wicked frustrating lol but I love learning it, we are on stick for the first while, I really like the simplicity of it, but I want to get into TIG eventually, great video! Thanks
19 year welding veteran, then drove trucks for 16, just now getting back into welding and it's like riding a bike, I'm right back in the groove, and wondering why I stopped, had fun over the road, and didn't realize how much I missed welding, these videos are a good idea, and I hope the new upcomers appreciate your videos and others alike, not many people will give their knowledge nowadays. Stick is always a good to have especially for backup to know and have around, in the field or around the shop, incase your wire runs out or your tank runs out while mig welding a project.
Fascinating stories. I took a welding course at the local junior college and loved being able to make stuff. We did mig but I’d love to learn stick. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences
Great video! At the moment I’m a very average at best with a stick welder, so I’ve been using good quality gassless wire thought a kempi mig for my mobile welding fencing and have had great results, also find it easy to keep up consistency which is important when a customer is paying good money for the service
Hey Austin, great informative and humoristic video with you and your twin brother 😂. I like your videos because of the information and the humor and I like you're work. Keep up the good video's and have a nice day, greetings from the Netherlands.
I try to stick weld everything I do since I got my stick welder this spring. I need more practice but I'm self taught too. By the way flux core MIG is great for outdoor mobile welding and is plenty easy but anything over 1/8" thick just makes sense to stick weld for me anyways. A portable flux core MIG is nice to own though.
Do what you love Austin. There's plenty of videos for other types of welding if guys wanna see those. That said, whatever welding you choose to do, we will be happy to watch!
I learned on MIG first, then TIG. I'm a hobbyist that does some auto fab. Between the two i felt like learning stick was pointless...but once I decided to learn it, I found it to be my preferred method despite being much slower. There's a level of old school craftmanship when you lay a great stick bead that you don't get with any other process.
A. New. To. Welding. I. Come. From. A past of substance abuse. And welding is my outlet . Help. I. Love. This is. The. First. Time. I. Seen u. Am going. Back. To school for welding. I. Really. Hope. To learn. A. Lot. From u. This. Spooke. To me. I cryed. To be. Truth full but. I love. Stick welding and. This. Right. Here. Makes me want. It more. And. To do better. It's. Hard. Explain but. Thank u. Can't wait. To watch more
I grew up on the derrick floor on my grandfather's cabletool rigs drilling gas wells in Western PA. We had to do a lot of welding here and there . But when my uncle bought his cabletool water well rig we did a lot of welding on the bits. you guys do amazing work !!!! I am jealous -I have not welded for a very long time ,now I think I use the stick and melt method !
Thanks for another great video. My journey through the welding and fabrication business for many years has taken me to a place that I didn’t expect to end up. Stick welding. Most of my life I worked in shops using mig and tig. Very little stick welding. My current job calls for frequent use of stick welding in the shop and in the field .Now that I have been stick welding a lot I have come to realize the level of skill that is required to do it well and what an art it truly is. I love it. And now I actually prefer it over mig. Of course I will use mig when the job calls for it but if I can go either way , I use stick. All the options with different rods and their unique fluxes is something I really like.
I am new to this channel and am enjoying it a lot. The production and 'other me' roll plan of this one in particular are funny and an interesting take on delivering the message about stick welding. The use of stepped video framing (closer view in steps) are a humorous way to enhance the point you're making. Hope you can build a bigger sub base as time goes on - it would be a shame for others not to enjoy this content.
I'm retired from over 40 years as a machinist so no welding career for me but I always wanted to make my fab projects better and be proud to have them seen as something other than an amateur attempt. Watching you use stick has inspired me to "just do it'.
Very good video. I completely I understand your comments about being efficient and making every move productive. If you have a helper with the same mentality you've achieved a very rare and very temporary oneness with the universe.
love your work , got an old buzz box a couple years ago now and i was hooked , now i have an igbt stick welder and i love using it , machine was 200 quid but i love how cheap and how versatile stick welding can be , i mostly do diy projects , making smokeless stoves and whatnot , have some issues keeping me from full time work at the moment , but im considering a career in stick welding someday , i think with the advances in Mossfet tech stick welding has gained a whole new lease of life , i dont think its outdated , and i dont think itl go away , when you got something thick that needs welding and needs a good thick bead on it there's no real alternative to a stick welder , good fun too , love seeing your work , keep doing what you do man
Sure it’s absolutely possible to have a wire feed setup on a mobile welding rig run gas less flux core and produce really nice welds but for what I see you doing in your videos stick is the better option. Because it’s more flexible and has a longer range from the power source. With your fencing projects wire feed could be used. But not very convenient to keep moving the machine from joint to joint. A stick stinger is much easier faster and efficient with experience out in the field. I remember my dad telling me about a building steel frame erecting job. This one guy thought he was such a hotdog with his fancy rig and portable wire feed. Dad had his trusty stick machine and was welding the connection between column and horizontal beam 2 to 1 of the guy with the wire feed. Dad on a ladder with stick this other guy in a man lift with his wire feed. Then come inspection dads welds passed 100 percent and the other guy failed so many he was kicked off the job and dad ended up having to go over all the welds the right way with stick that the other guy failed to get the failed welds to pass. Dad was proud his all passed and a bit not happy having to fix the mess the young hotdog welder made.
Good vid Austin, I’m in the same boat. I have a engine drive machine and I’m fully doing stick welding. Thinking on getting a Tig set up just to have it just in case, but something about laying down that stick rod nothing compares.
bruh, i took welding in 10th grade and the teacher was so old fashioned we had to start on gas, learn to make a puddle and all that, then using a rod, kinna like Tig just with gas before we could stick weld. i didnt Mig or Tig tell i got out of school. my point..lol. i love stick welding, takes me way back in time, from the sound to the smell. thank for ur time sir.
I have found that efficiency in mechanics as well! its certainly a mark of experience. I told my helper you have to think of the next step or two and he said you cant always do that to which I said you will once your tied of walking.
I've never worked as a welder, I don't even know how (though keen on learning, which is how I ended up here!). Watching this video, there are so many parallels to other fields I've worked in; practice to get really good at the tools that you enjoy using, and that can do the job. Keep learning on the job. Learn from people who have more experience and skill than you do. Keep your eyes open for growth opportunities. Always try to make your next job better than your last. Universally valuable advice in this video; whether you're a welder, coder, chef, whatever you choose to do. Thank you.
The one thing people forget is the stick welder and torch are the most field friendly I have been welding for 10 years and the world wasn't built in a shop the shop was built in the world so naturally you gotta get away from the shop plus stick welding is quick effective and efficient thanks Austin we appreciate ya taking the time to explain to others on something they may not know or understand but just remember brother there is always room to learn work and improve because to a welder his welds always need improve when you stop learning and improving your either stagnant or dead so good luck everyone enjoy the journey
I'm a new ironworker and I also liked stick the best when I went to school. MIG feels a bit thoughtless, and TIG is just annoying to do trying to get every little part of the process just right before you can even start. Stick is the most engaging and challenging.
Hey Austin! Helped out a buddy with some welding on some farm equipment. Your videos are great! Thanks for the tips on stick welding and your right, stick welding is ALOT OF FUN! (Coming from a mig guy)
Thanks Austin. I have accepted that I am a grinder, not a welder, but there is hope. lol. Just bought my first stick welder. I have lots of grinders. Cheers from Texas.
You got a subscriber out of me. I needed a welder to do some work. Only welded some in metal shop in high school and it was all stick. So I bought a stick welder. I realize MIG would have been easier to do a lot of what I'm using it for, but I want to complete my education with stick welding and learn to do all I need with my welder.
I love stick welding. It’s my preference. I don’t do as much welding as I used to but when I do it’s usually automotive or on thin sheet metal so I end up using mig/Tig/ Oxy-Acetylene. Thanks for sharing!
I like them all but not many are taught stick anymore but what’s great about it is the fact that the wind doesn’t bother you when you’re on site ! Welding is an art as you are keeping molten metals and alloys away from gravity and also making it look good especially around pipe in the 6G position
I have a small welding shop I run afternoons when I got off my regular job and money is tight tight tight so all I have is a couple grinders and a little 100$ cheapo stick yes welder and a victor long torch i ran over accidentally and the knobs and handles are all crooked and bent lol with big bottles and let me tell you I literally only have 100$ invested in that since I found a way to get everything I needed for free by hustling my way to it and I've welded recovery tow truck arms, fabricated with it, and have done absolutely everything with it and it's making me a lot better at stick and I'm enjoying the struggle because one day I'll look back at this and swell with pride as I sit in my big fully equipped shop on my rig.
Great discussion! Looking forward to watching you grow your business and sharing what you learn along the way. Being a welder is a badge oh honor. Iron is an amazing compound and to be part of the process of taking something that comes out of the ground and turning it into something useful brings me fulfilment. And yes, it hurts. We are the catchers on the baseball team who don't complain when a foul ball hits us in the cup every now and then. Love the shirts! Proudly wearing them in my videos...
"it's the 20th century!" 😂 I appreciate this video so much! 4th generation carpenter (and I do a good bit of metal work on the side). My dad always said "anbody can cut wood and bang nails, a carpenter is EFFICIENT.... understands workflow, process, sequence and makes every move count. Doesn't hurry, doesn't stop. It's true for welding, carpentry, masonry and working in a kitchen. Any kind of work benefits from this mindset. It takes decades to fully develop and is often very subtle. It's just as true for ditch digging, which paper pushers think is unskilled work but it is not. Hard to define but you know it when you see it, the old skiiny dude puffing on a smoke and waiting on the young bucks! And your brother shaking his head, priceless!
The old man reminds me of myself once I had some time under my belt programming cnc machines. What started off as simply swapping tool numbers and offsets, turned into this OCD-like review of a whole program before I even touched it. With enough experience you can sort of see the movements the machine is going to make and the paths it will take getting there. I imagine it's similar to a welder knowing how much voltage and wire speed or stick feed to apply to whatever they're working on. Sort of a "habit becomes instinct" sort of thing I suppose. It was so satisfying taking a program that would as written take, for example, 15 minutes and then going through it shave several minutes off of each run. More efficient and less work for the machine at the same time, just gotta keep honing that edge
Awesome video 👍🏿 I stick weld everything myself I just need to experiment on the correct amperage so I don't burn through the metal but I'm getting better at it.... I'm also getting better with my technique with overhead welding and the last thing I want to learn is how to stick weld aluminum 👍🏿
Love your vids Austin! The man who taught me how to weld in the shop I grew up in made me start with a torch- Gas welding, brazing, and cutting before he would teach me to stick weld. Then he made me keep stick welding things while everyone else building the race cars were using a mig- I was so damn frustrated because I wanted to use the mig on the race cars with the guys. I envied the shit out of them- eventually I got to mig as well, but- several years later the same guys were asking me to teach em on the stick because they had never learned. Haven't tried to Tig.. Yet.. LOL
I really enjoy stick, I have since I took welding in high school, it was always my favorite process, but I really want to make things with stainless so when I do eventually get a welder I'll get a tig/stick machine.
Here in the islands stick is important, because it's a lot cheaper. One tank of argon goes for over $1,600.00. So that's why I watch. It's really all about the passion of stick welding. I love it.
Austin, great history here, I rally loved the story of the old man weldor beating you and your brother on the cap welds.......I watch the people I work with [2 to 4 guys at times] who are so inefficient.......best wishes from down in Florida, Paul.....
