appropiate age to break out a kid?

Date 08-24-2014 14:13 Edited 08-24-2014 14:48

I am just curious at what age is it time to start teaching a kid who wants to learn to weld? I have a 12yr old who is not interested but my 8yr old boy who has been dubbed Minnie me works on tractors with me and knows how to drive my forklift. Anyway he wants to be a pipeliner like his dad and has been bugging me to teach him how to weld. So today after church were going to spool the truck out and I am going to teach or let him start practicing running lo hy beads on some plate. It's been a long time since I have taught anyone that doesn't already know how to strike an arc. Any thoughts or suggestion? I may snap a few pictures and post em up later.

By kcd616

Date 08-24-2014 17:23

safety first, prints next, then o/a and you learn how to weld
start with that, then o/a aluminum,and your a weldor
then smaw aluminum and your good :eek:

hope this helps
sincerely,
Kent

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 08-24-2014 20:04

Make sure you are real careful with eye protection. At that age they are still tender compared to a teenager or adult. Just as you can do too much with exercise, sports, martial arts for young kids, so also with things involving the eye.

But as Kent suggests, other basics, and OF operations that are not as intense for light. Simple practical experiments as well, put a magnet on a piece of steel and then heat it from the back side until the magnet falls off and explain the basics of metallurgy. Coil the leads and magnetize a screwdriver and pick up a small screw. So many others that good teachers use to get students interested.

He Is In Control, Have a Great Day, Brent

By kcd616

Date 08-24-2014 23:42

Stan,
ask Al, Lar or Henry
best in the world
and have taught welding
Brent is in the top 50 :eek:

I might make the top 1,000 :eek:

sincerely,
Kent

By kcd616

Date 08-26-2014 21:14 Edited 08-27-2014 05:18

need to back track
I thought it out
safety and prints to start
then go gmaw or o/a to repair the kids bikes in the area (be the hero of school) and then ornamental iron work for the area and try this link http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/support/Pages/resources.aspx
forgot another http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/calculators/
hope this helps
sincerely,
Kent

By Sourdough (****)

Date 08-25-2014 16:39

My 7 year old already runs a good bead in position. The more you can teach them while they're small, the better they will be. We're not gonna be around forever. America needs good men nowadays.

By Metarinka (****)

Date 08-26-2014 01:20

Interesting question. As a parent myself I oneday intend to teach my son how to weld. As far as an age to start, as mentioned it would probably be good to coach on the safety aspects. I would also be wary about arc damage to eyes and smoke inhalation. As people mentioned I think Oxy fuel and GTAW would be a good place to start as the tend to be a little less harsh on the body.

As most people start welding later in life, if your son truly started that early he could easily be pipeliner ready by the time he hits 18. My brother taught at a non profit flight school where children could learn to fly for free, a 13 year old won a national precision flying competition against airforce pilots as he'd been flying since he was 6 or so.

By hillbilly delux (***)

Date 08-24-2014 22:12

I am thinking I might make kind of a blog out of this. So today as I thought we would be much farther but like I said I have taken for granted how much we already know as welders that come naturally but I did see progress and that is what counts plus he is only eight years old. What we accomplished today was maintaining an arc. We got rid of the 7018 and went with 5/32 8010's they don't stick as bad and are easier to light off compared to 7018. He learned how to handle a buffing wheel and grinder properly and with my help controlling his arms at first figured out how to initiate an arc. I thought we would work on welding in straight lines but that was not the case. But what we did accomplish was holding an arc and being able to burn a full rod with out snuffing it out. My Minnie me had a blast today and I hope to keep him interested in it so as not to give him to much at once. I really don't wish this profession on anyone of my 4 kids but that being said there's a certain type of person that this game is made for me included and my family has never been in a bind from me choosing to weld for a living. My Avery is just like me but smaller.

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 08-25-2014 00:31

Tell him I think he is already better than his dad!! :lol:

Really though, not bad for 8 and his first real day on it.

He Is In Control, Have a Great Day, Brent

By hillbilly delux (***)

Date 08-25-2014 01:16

LOL I hear ya and in a way I do hope he is better than me and another part of me hopes that he learns better....

By Chris2626 (***)

Date 08-25-2014 02:09

Dad needs to drive the rig to the job then slide over to the back seat and let him take over. I really like seeing all the safety gear man that is the way it needs to be stress safety every day with him. Sure wish I could have been in your 8 year olds shoes when i was younger, heck by 18 he could literally be pipelining with his own rig maybe even sooner but he has got to get that high school diploma, it's up to him if he wants college.

By hillbilly delux (***)

Date 08-25-2014 03:38

Yeah I hear ya on that.... School than work. This is a privilege to him. I only wish I had some one to teach me I learned by to school of hard knocks. I went to a College that teaches some one to weld for production. I learned on my own. Now I am an Alumni for the college and give speeches to the up and up coming students from time to time.

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 08-25-2014 05:08 Edited 08-25-2014 05:24

Actually ...
Avery played helper on my truck one day....he showed me enough that day if he wants to burn rods I sure as heck will watch and talk whilst he smokes em. Avery is a Jam up kid....I do not know where his future lies but I know he has WORK ETHIC. Regardless of where he ends up , the WILL I see in him will mean success. Just be there to keep him from falling ass over tea kettle in the ditch My BRother and I think he will be just fine...better off then either of us.

BTW I love the pics of him burning way to cool for me bud.

By Cactusthewelder (*****)

Date 08-29-2014 02:39

That Truck sure looks good. AND Familiar !!! BTW, My Son did his first full on X-ray 6g at 12

By hillbilly delux (***)

Date 08-29-2014 13:44

Yeah I can't remember where or who I bought that truck from lol. I got 170k on it now and it was never going to be a rig truck when I bought it but it just kind of happened. Thinking if I am going to stay in golden arm race I might rig me out a fresh new off the lot cab and chasis and build me a slick workable deck. I rigged that bed out in about two days.

By valeria Date 08-26-2014 05:49

I guess he is ready and eager to learn after seeing his picture. He seems enjoying what he is doing.

By unclematt (***)

Date 08-26-2014 17:14

Hello;
That's some mighty fine welding there. Better than some I've seen from the pros. I started out helping my Dad in the shop at about ten or so. Looks like your young fella has a pretty good grasp on things; especially at his age. Must be the teacher; and some God given ability. Best of luck in his continued education.

Have a good one;
Matt

By Stringer (***)

Date 09-05-2014 02:38

I'm very much in the camp that lawyers should be chained safely away and kids allowed to learn. Farm kids do better in welding because they're allowed to tackle stuff early. Not sure I'm comfortable with an 8 year old on a forklift, though. In fact, I'm not comfortable at all with that.

By hillbilly delux (***)

Date 10-14-2014 01:14

So I have been so busy lately with buying a new piece of property and working my tail off I have a couple of things to share with Avery's progress and just now have found time to post them. Well after the first couple of tries we finally got to where he can hold a steady arc. Now we have been working on straight lines which he is getting better and better. But this weekend we decided to have alittle fun as Mom had a project for us to do which was a perfect project for Avery. Making some Holloween pumkins out of horseshoes. Avery didn't see how it would go all together until I made the first one. The second one he welded all on his own with 3/32 8018 which is what I had laying around. All I did was help hold the horseshoes in place and he welded them together. My little apprenctice will make a fine pipeliner one day. Here's a combination of pics from us practicing welding in straight lines and welding horseshoes together.