Lessons from My First Welding Job

[@thomasjefferson1457]

I've been burning rod most of my life off and on. I never had any school training but I've welded for a living at times and did machine maintenance most of the other times. I always wanted to get schooled at it but I finally retired. Now I weld for home projects. I love your videos because it teaches me some of the "schooling" I always wanted to get. You're never too old to learn new things.

[@nicowolf2383]

You may be too old.

[@garcia1832]

Thank you Thomas Jefferson Very Cool!

[@KingKillersKastleKKK]

“Burning rod” 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@jasonhawks2225]

@@KingKillersKastleKKK Thank you internet Grammar OFFICER! Whew! Close one!

[@KingKillersKastleKKK]

@@jasonhawks2225 I didn’t even correct him 🤣🤣🤣🤣 damn how stupid can you be?

[@sabotabby3372]

this job story is one of the best arguments for Unionizing I've come upon

[@ildefonsogiron4034]

What a humble man you are: "I knew I was worth nothing and that they were paying me to teach me". That's the way great men think of themselves when, on the contrary, they are worth every penny. Best regards.

[@gernblanstien4968]

Great way to see things. at 17, I worked at Jackson guitars and couldn't believe they were paying me to learn. 40 years later, i still use much of what I learned back then....

[@Dogleg1957]

Whenever I start getting full of myself I look at videos like this and realize I still have a lot to learn

[@erik5645]

dogleg 1957 Thats a good way to humble yourself back to reality

[@leebarnhart9725]

You have the best arc shots on KZbin and have the prettiest welds all around. Bet you're good at anything to choose to be. You're a cut above. You're the Godfather.

[@thomasbeck9075]

He's the best

[@Enviousttv]

anyone can be a "bench" welder. id like to see him try and weld out in the field in a cement or lime plant. thats how you seperate the good from the great. if he was really good the slag would be peeling behind his puddle

[@leebarnhart9725]

DynamicOperations ....Jody has paid his dues. I've welded in cement plants, fertilizer plants, food production, pet food plants, military ammunition plants, farm feed lots, nuclear plants 200 ft. off the ground, welded in the rain, snow, hot, cold, you name it, and repair welded earth moving equipment for a Cat dealership for 21 years. I kinda know what I'm talking about and I stand by my comment.

[@ChevyConQueso]

The big question is why you're even here wasting time watching his channel instead of posting up videos of your own badassery for everyone else to see. Too good for that huh?

[@jacobgarcia8224]

@@Enviousttv I don't think he's ever claimed to be a great welder. He claims to be a good instructor who is always learning and started teaching bc he knew his body couldn't hold up long term and the pay was better. Seems about as legit as possible. Don't see any reason to hate on something he has never claimed. If you think his tips and tricks are bad then you have a legit complaint.

[@gutsandcasca4244]

I just started going to Tulsa Welding School in Houston Texas, and a week before I went to school I found your channel because I didn’t know much about welding, and going on my 2 to third week now. And I want to thank you for being very instructive, having high quality video, and interesting stories. Thank you sir

[@johncuervo3019]

How did it go

[@mikem1956]

I am now retired had a few jobs welding I just learned more from this video than anything I picked up while working . Thanks

[@joshmonk8509]

To this day, this is my favourite welding video. Watch it countless amount of times! Great video

[@leebarnhart9725]

In my early days I didn't even know I had a crappy job till I got something better. 65 years later I realize just how crappy some were! We all pay our dues to get in to the old mans club.

[@FNZOTV]

Lee Barnhart what are u doing now?

[@leebarnhart9725]

Alfonso Lopez e......After 45 years of welding, machining and fabricating oddly enough I'm the manager of a water plant and have a part time welding shop at home where I pick and choose the jobs I want to do. Couldn't turn down the money offered by the water district but I'll be welding and fabricating till the day I die. Heavy stick welding like this is still my favorite form of welding above all others........all is good under the hood!

[@georgiojansen7758]

lee the easiest job i had payed also the most

[@ajs96350]

This is true.

[@justinmartin8887]

This guy is changing out truck frames an welding them. Little bit of fun and a little bit of crap combined, pays well

[@sudy5997]

I love when some one is willing to take the time to master a trade, even more so when that person is willing and excited to share that knowledge to others. This country has lost the mentor-ship that it used to have....so these videos are awesome.

[@euckilla]

Didn't expect these to still be available 3 or 4 years after this video came out, but they are! Thanks.

[@blakereaser6777]

Awesome to see someone promoting the importance and value of jobs that could easily be underappreciated. Thank you jody

[@howder1951]

Like you, my thoughts were; whenever there was a crappy job (and they are a part of even the good jobs!) it was always nice to take away something positive as well as the pay check . That positive attitude gets you through the day and brings out the silver lining on any pile of dung. Cheers Jody!

[@dkjoses12]

I’ve been watching your videos for some time now and I’ve picked up a lot of info from them. I just got my first welder and laid my first welds just a day ago and I realized it’s not as easy as you make it seem

[@WineScrounger]

Jose Abarca practice, practice, practice. How’s it going 6 months later?

[@Otherhats]

Jose Abarca not too hard either. Just time and practice, a lot of people want to say not everyone can do it; but anyone can. Time and practice

[@alfredgreen8894]

I totally agree with everyone that said something along the line of: You, J.C., are so kind & thoughtful, always doing your best to help me and millions of other aspiring welders & fabricators!! Thank You So Very Much , J. Diresta said it first at Fab-Tech, you’re our very own GODFATHER of WELDING and I think I can speak for all of your fans/friends; We love and always appreciate you for everything you’ve given back!!!

[@arthurcunningham530]

I'm 66 now went to Vocational School in high school. First job I got was in a shop that manufactured blast furnaces and hot metal cars. If you didn't average 50 pounds of welding rod a day they considered you slacking off. They weighed your welding rod out and you had to turn your stubs in at the end of your shift. You're right you get to the point to where you don't even think about what you're doing, 7018 vertical up 8 hours straight and it was mind-numbing but it earned me a good living to have such a skill. I would recommend that any young man learn a skilled trade. Beautiful weld by the way.

[@wicked5312]

Today is my first time Doing Open Root 1G I’ve been in welding classes for almost 3 months now and I absolutely love it

[@blimpyboyjohansen7083]

i have had that same flashlight for 4 years and have also dropped it many times. it still works great!!!

[@flame_half]

I was dual shield welding with 1/16th wire today, and I had my hood on the maximum darkness of 13. You are totally right about how bright it gets at higher amperage.

[@sorryvista]

Jody, you are a great asset to the welding community and a roll model for the future generation. I really respect how free you are with your knowledge and you don't discriminate between brands. I got a good chuckle seeing you in an ESAB hood, Lincoln gloves and a Miller jacket. Keep it up.

[@viscache1]

At 60 I’m amazed at how the stories from my past seem to come to mind from time to time. I’ve always loved welding and even during my career as a physicist I spent as much time improving my bead as I possibly could. I use it all the time on my sheep farm now and it saves me many thousands of dollars every year!

[@josephwhite9992]

I'm just learning how to stick weld with my everlast welder. Your teaching style is fabulous.

[@joshuathewelder24]

7018 rods are one of my favorite rods to weld with! I am taking a college welding class and our shop has every welding rod 6010, 6011, 6013, 7014, 7018, and 7024. Thanks for the tip Jody!

[@Supplayers]

landed my first welding job! started school at 19(still attending) 22 now and I'm doing production welding(mig) haha it's a sweatshop environment but man feels good to be learning and getting paid for what I wanna do better than my last job haha mcdonalds.

[@xmachine7003]

Good job young man!!

[@vendetta1306]

Jody helped me get through first year, I’m now about to sit my red seal next week. 🙏

[@jamessonger3]

I could listen to ur stories from the early days of learning to weld forever. Keep up the great great work!!!

[@DjGlenJon]

i subbed to you about 5 years ago when i started welding job........just bought a dc inverter tig .....im back to learn

[@garywestin6907]

Jody you inspired me to buy my first everlast welder and to continually learn and improve on my welding. I can't wait to get my first welding job.

[@fuzzylogic6609]

Working at a pipe yard helping boost production for a project. Welding 49” flanges, putting down 1/2” fillets, and 7/8” fillets. We’re burning about a 50lb can per flange. Talk about some hot stingers, some hot whips, and plenty of practice planning ahead on beads!

[@ernestorodriguez8228]

Im about to start welding school this summer and i just came across your videos and they are really really and i mean really helpful. I have no idea where to start learning or the terminology and i saw your other videos earlier and feel confidence starting to grow and ill be a step ahead with the knowledge you have shared with your audience through your videos. Thank You Sir. 🙏👍

[@TheDragonfriday]

Yes same here!

[@Ckcdillpickle]

I'd love to do welding school but English, math, and history college credits no fun.

[@aceseightsazhvacsparkyandg8138]

I remember learning and working as an apprentice and doing the stick welding. Can not tell you how many times I got hit with a welding helmet for going to fast and not cleaning up the weild . Thanks that brought back old times

[@corrienye7081]

I've got around 5 almost 6 years experience(now I haven't been able to find a welding job so it's not what I'm doing now) but I still find myself watching alot of your videos still and it's crazy you have videos for everyone and even your beginner videos I learn stuff from them and it's nice

[@johnodum8108]

My grandfather told me to never turn down any job even if you didn't know how to do it. You will figure it out after you have to redo it ten or twelve times. Thanks for the great instruction videos. I have been burning rods for fifty years but never professionally.

[@bruscifer]

Only people who have tried this stuff know what a welding God you are! Thanks for all the tips and tricks😀👍

[@ryanwalker388]

For lots of 7018 work, I keep a brick on the table. Nothing fancy, just a square paver. I tap the rod straight down, and scrape it to the side so starts are easy.

[@jeremyhanna3852]

Yep $1.68 ones from homedepot there kinga redish color or atleast the ones in my wife's flower bed if she figures out I'm the one stealing them I'm busted

[@tjlovesrachel]

Jeremy hanna hopefully she doesn’t watch welding videos

[@koistinen9368]

Yup. I usually just tap them to concrete floor takes few seconds and they restart nicely.

[@joopterwijn]

Jody, each time you show I am 😮 amazed.

[@toker53]

I had a job like you describe, welding fuel oil tanks for residential use. All Cold Rolled material with no cleaning so there was plenty of oil to burn through. One Lap Joint, two edge joints for the end caps and 5 fittings for the piping. 5/52 6013 just to fuse the joints. It sucked because it was so dirty but I got very good working with dirty metal at high current, this came in handy in my real job for an Electric Utility work when I had to close up the boiler skin after a wall tube repair in the Generating Stations.

[@caravantuggers1608]

Really enjoy watching your videos, brings back memories of my time in the pressure vessel industry especially this particular video with multi pass E7018 electrodes. The only issue i had with the Low Hydrogen electrodes was the final pass on a fillet would often leave you with a shoulder but I remember my charge-hand telling me that because of that shoulder and the increased chance of undercut being visible he would say use a general purpose electrode to finish it off. I remember saying but we have got to do ultrasonic tests on the fillets and the metallurgy of the weld would be compromised. How little I knew as he explained the dilution rate of the previous welds having a single pass from a E6010 would have no effect and with regards to undercut you just made it disappear plus the multi fillet pass was then a perfect mitre of equal leg length. Keep up the videos I enjoy watching them, I no longer am in the industry finishing some 26 years ago, but i keep my hand in as i retired 4 years early than my government retirement age in doing steel gates and panel fences along with flat truck floor repairs with my Thermal arc 3-1 Fabricator 181i invertor which i really enjoy using

[@Otherhats]

Caravan Tuggers Hey, you got words of advice for a new welder? I think my boss is kinda Asshat-ish. But the job is relaxing, we do anything from high rise staircases in NYC to 1700 artwork repairs for top antique traders. It’s a great job in that sense, but I want a kind workplace. With fun/ lighthearted people, can I find that welding? Or in a union?

[@kwmiked]

Nice tips, learning 7018 up hill now at my union welding school. Uphill is a bit tricky. I'll get it though 👌

[@jeremyhanna3852]

Thxs for this video I stick weld with 3/16 and 1/4 7018 almost everyday I work in a repair shop at copper mine you are very good

[@user-dg7sy8cz3b]

Taking pride in your work is . . . Priceless. Merry Christmas, and a fortunate new year to all.

[@jakenbake333]

I know about sweat shops, my first welding job was at a foundry fixing castings, was burning rod for 10 hrs a day, 6 days a week. You had to stay in your "cell" as they called it until break was called or you were fired on the spot. Had the the 2am to 12:30pm shift and it was the roughest job I think I ever had. Did that for 3 months and moved on. Learned a lot in a very short time, it was truly a trial by fire.

[@experttrolltrollingdirty2062]

This channel been going years been watching it years and still look forward to it.

[@johnc4352]

Marine Repair Service, S.I.,N.Y. Back in 1975, learned to weld and prepared us to deal with the rest of our lives in the real world.

[@JBguitar-cj8pc]

Better than my first welding job! Short circuit mig welding mufflers😒 basically not even true welding. Lasted 6 months, total nightmare! Now I make transformer tanks which also sucks lol they tolerate all the undercut in the world. Good way to learn bad habits!

[@mikephillips8538]

SAN ANTONIO TEXAS 💯 thank you for kickin down this knowledge to us it is greatly appreciated.

[@lendavidhart9710]

Thank you for the short story in the beginning, love hearing real experiences on the job, nothing like being a new guy, on a new job. Great channel.

[@ChrisB257]

Great story and demo Jody. Hard to imagine, even when younger, doing 10 hours of stick work!! Thanks as always.

[@BountyHunterLetsPlaysOnGoogle]

12:21 a good old whack on the end of the electrode against the table before sticking it in the stinger always worked for me.

[@spicychinchin6597]

I appriciate the positive attitude and genuine advice. I'm getting ready to graduate from high school. Trusting I keep my hood down hopefully I'll be able to pass my 3G smaw test at the welding class I've been taking since junior year and enter the field with some basic certs and experience. These videos help and give me some good examples of both technuiqe and mindset as I get ready to put food on my own table.

[@jonathankerner2094]

Another great video. Very instructional - I especially like how you do not assume that your viewers know the meaning of terms or why you are doing what you're doing. Things like the "toe" and so forth, or a dry run for stick angle. I'll even give you kudos for the dentist joke: "tooth hurty," (230 amps). Good one. Also, the speed up to illustrate stick use is a clever way to demonstrate that. Thank you.

[@willyjacobson1771]

Thanks Jody. Trying my best to learn good welding habits to use with my new powerarc stick welder.

[@xQuadroGamingx]

“Black booger club” got me dead that’s how I felt first day in the shop grinding

[@HaCmE1]

hey brother than you for making these videos, im in school now, second year and your videos really helped me progress.

[@oldlincolnpipewelder]

“Some experience is better than no experience..”- Amen!

[@TheBeemerfan]

That's a nice weld. I have seen other videos that the welds are terrible and without a fume extractor. Well explained. I love my trade of 35 years and 10 of retirement.

[@theovercomer2006]

Love your stick welding videos Jody. Thanks for sharing!

[@jerrybrandt9377]

Your back is impressive dan y

[@jocelynkelly3294]

Awesome! All of your useful knowledge helps. I'm going to be taking a welding fabrication class this coming semester.

[@genericjohn972]

So I'm learning SAME at this place called Schenck Job Corps and I've been kinda moving slow in the program. Been here for about 7 months and having a hard time making efficient progress. Then this one man who comes here, who's only welding like 3 or 4 times in his life blows everyone out of the water, makes me and my peers look really slow. He's been here for like 2 months and he's starting is G3 V-Grooves in a few days. I kept asking him how he pulls this stuff off. He told me to look up this KZbin channel

[@shadowops3653]

I’ve had the scrape burr. It dulled with heavy usage. Can still sharpen it but I didn’t think it was worth what they ask for them. Also they don’t lay flat on a table. I prefer a cheap Stanley 11” by 3” brick chisel for chipping slag and scraping bbs :)

[@carlosservidio3594]

Thanks Jodie for this old school lesson!Congrants for your great job for years in KZbin from Argentina!

[@zanpekosak2383]

What we used to do is lightly tap the stick onto some clean concrete to freshen up that tip a bit. But the electrodes have to be nice and dry.

[@Boabreath]

Nice welds and advice Jody. I've been in the industry for about 3 years now and have had 5 different jobs. The first was mostly MIG welding auto parts. Tedious work and very repetitive, 60+ hours a week with low hourly pay and no benefits. From there I moved on to fabricating scissor lifts, which taught me a lot about measuring and layout, welding techniques, running saws, grinders, milling machines, etc. The pay wasn't great, but it was valuable experience that helped me get in the door at better companies. Where I'm at now I've run MIG, TIG, stick, flux core, and even a bit of oxy fuel. I also do some occasional machining and assembly. The crappy jobs I worked definitely helped me progress as a welder, and I got a lot of the really stupid rookie mistakes out of my system on non-critical jobs.

[@matthewssamples6537]

I really appreciate how you describe a lot of .how to and what not. In your videos, they're pretty great.

[@zachbrinley5370]

Currently working my first welding job. Sounds very similar. I knew nothing about spray mig I had only done pulse. I'm adjusting well though. Its the greatest place to get experience, but I only turned 19 this week. I have time to learn

[@samting2009]

I so enjoy your videos. It inspires my to go out to my shed and practise. A true welding word smith. Thank you Jody.

[@ynotphillip]

Always telling myself “ill do it like that next time!” when I watch your channel. Daily after-work routine haha

[@johnspringer9451]

Thanks so much for doing these videos. I am teaching myself to stick weld and literally learning every time I strike an arc. Even ur comments and stories are helpful. Preciate it man!

[@ElBellacko1]

i enjoyed hearing your experience in the sweat shop job and how you recreated your whole past experience.

[@Roensmusic]

these are the stories i like the most to hear at work, only men that do the work understand them

[@gregkral4467]

I used to like about 280 - 300 A for my 316 flat, usually 230 - 260 on the 5/32... usually 14 on 1/8... undless outta flat... loved keeping it as hot as possible on the flats.... depending of course on the position and alloys... looking good though. Fun vid. Thanks.

[@afatdad2]

You can look at those first few jobs as getting paid for training and experience. Great video as always Jody

[@drugtalk101]

Thank you I’m self teaching and appreciate the tips!

[@rogerj7327]

I've had that same Slyde light for a couple years now. Great little light. Should mention that the end of the light actually has a nice strong magnet on it too. I've had several other small lights that have a magnet on the end, but its nowhere near strong enough to support the light when you hang it upside down. I've used this light countless times when I'm working under cars.

[@COBARHORSE1]

Best videos and arc shots anywhere. Thanks for all the work you do making these videos.

[@darmstrong9334]

Very good insight! I never went to school for this so I am thankful for those sweat shops to get that seat time. I started out at Bise Welding and Fab back in 2000 in Houston Tx for 9 bucks an hr. I worked there 2 years and I got 1.50 in increments throughout that time. I was mad back then because the owner pulled up in a brand new Camero SS that he baught cash. Not sure what the record is now but 6 years ago, Kelly Bise (owner of the shop) built the Worlds fastest twin turbo Camero to run the Texas mile at 263.2 mph. The video is on gearheadficks racing channel here on KZbin. You made a good point in one of your earlier videos about having a goal when you get into welding. Get in the game and move up the ladder. You dont want to be in your mid 30s or early 40s(in my case) crawling up under pipe or on your knees for 10 hrs on the day welding. I appreciate you sir and sorry for the rant.

[@joshua.recovers]

Dude, I love your videos. I'm in school for welding and your videos have helped so much

[@timothyball3144]

Good note about things to watch. I think that you could go into more detail on that. One problem with watching your videos, is that we usually only see when it's done right. I need you standing over my shoulder telling me when I'm doing things wrong. I do very much appreciate what I am learning from you and will continue to watch and learn and grow. Also, that slyde light is awesome. It has a magnet on the end and I have left it hanging under a car and took it for a test drive and it was still there. But get the rechargable one.

[@angelmendez2298]

Thank you for this video and all the videos you make sir, I, myself, am a welder too even though I stopped welding a while ago. This video made me rethink going back to welding or at least perfect my technique, which I never did, I hope to be one day as good as you 🙌

[@eal9698]

LOL "the black booger club"...yes, I did some electrical apprenticing at a coke oven at a steel mill...black booger club indeed. Great channel, keep it up!

[@ToTheTopCrane]

As always, great and informative video! I too have had a few "sweat shop" jobs. If nothing else, those jobs will teach a person where they don't want to work. 🙂👍

[@txdocprich_8404]

Hey Jody, just graduated Tulsa-Houston. Many companies building pressure vessel skids are testing on a 6g 3” xxxl MiG root and hotpass, FC fill and cap 👈 Idea, there ya go🤙

[@thegt3clickcrash329]

I did the same thing when I was going to weld school. 2nd shift production welding , oh boy ! But it did give me some experience and I learned a few things in the process. I thank god that I went to weld school and got my career going ,otherwise I'd still be installing brick patios.

[@Gidjoiner]

Yep, it pays in the end to do the hard graft, I'm a joiner it's the same in my job, when i was younger I took jobs not just to earn a living but to learn, one job on a student housing estate i hung 750 doors, planing, chopping hinges in & fitting locks, by the end of 2 months i could hang a door blindfolded 👍😉

[@shenyathewelder9695]

People keep telling me “welding will get old” but it just can’t I think. I weld all day at work, and on my brake I do some more welding (adding security bars to my trailer). Had fun with both.

[@yamoya7339]

제가 영어를 알아 듣지는 못 하지만, 올려 주시는 영상 감사하게 잘 보고 있습니다. 훌륭한 영상 감사합니다.

[@thekarmafarmer608]

What a wealth of knowledge you must have. What you`re doing with the videos is fantastic. Thank you for posting. PoSuM

[@davecollier8054]

Terrific camera work. Super clear puddle great light filter.

[@simclardy1]

Story time with Jody is the best way to end the day lol.

[@motooilermotooiler9597]

Bloody impressive as always Jodie. Looking forward to full review on this machine. All the best. M

[@gregnorris8039]

You honesty adds great value to your product Jodie. I really appreciate that and the variety of work types from Mig, stick and Tig. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[@MrDavidelliottjr]

Nice. Been years since I have welded 7018. All we weld ATM I nr232 and nr 233 innershield .

[@ChrisWojnarski]

Thanks for the great video Jody your a good teacher you taught me more than I learned in welding school thanks for all your hard work.🙏👊🏻

[@RC-Heli835]

Those welds look fabulous Jody. I enjoyed hearing about your 1st job experience also. I'd love to try one of those Esab welders. They look very nice with lots of nice features and seem to weld as good as anything else out there with a skilled guy under the helmet. I have an older Syncrowave 250 at the house and have built a 50 amp welding outlet in the garage for it. I have welded my entire life but never went to school for it. If I had it to do over again I would have went to school. Learning stuff by trial and error takes much longer. Having someone tell me to use 6010's for the bore casing I was welding is one of the best things in this world I'd learned. I'd been using 7014's and they just don't seem to like vertical welds or anything but flat really. They make a beautiful smooth flat weld but I'm not sure anyone could use those to weld verticals or overhead. Maybe there's a way but I never found it. 🤣 🤣

[@paulkurilecz4209]

First jobs are usually miserable, but you learn so much from them.

[@brandonbegay9858]

I find what you were saying very very helpful and just wanted to learn more from you if I can.

[@mikefasan325]

I like the “rant” and the “bleed” good on ya! Most people need to hear it

[@Samuel_E23]

I had to give a like for that dad joke. Amazing quality

[@supernewf3722]

You should try the kicking horse MA200TS welder made in Canada. It's a multi process welder and I love it.

[@josesegura95]

It’s awesome to see you welding those bids