The Art of Welding
Welding is defined as the process of joining together metal pieces or parts by heating the surfaces to the point of melting using a blowtorch, electric arc, or other means, and putting them together by pressing or hammering. Welding is more of an art rather than a skill. It takes a special person to be able to completely master the art. Skills that a welder would need to have would be a very detail-orientated mind set. (Welding Basics) anyone can weld, but nobody is going to pay someone to weld something together crappily.
The reason I am doing my research on welding is because I want to figure out if this is what I would like to do the rest of my life. I only have minor experience with welding. But, the experience I have had so far has been fun and exciting. Most of the work I have done with welding has involved my cars which is most likely the biggest reason that I have become so interested in this field of study.
I have figured out that training for welding workers can range from a few weeks of school or on-the-job training for low-skilled positions, to several years of combined school and on-the-job training for highly skilled jobs. Training is available in high schools, and other types of institutions such as technical institutes, community colleges, and private welding schools. The Armed Forces have welding schools as well. (Jeffus,153)
While some employers provide basic training, they prefer to hire workers with experience or more formal training. Courses in blueprint reading, shop mathematics, mechanical drawing, physics, chemistry, and metallurgy are helpful. An understanding of electricity also is very helpful and knowledge of computers is gaining importance, especially for welding operators, who are becoming more responsible for the programming of computer-controlled machines, including robots. (Career Information)
During my search for information, I figured out that welding uses various energy sources: an electric arc, electric current, gas flame, friction, laser radiation, ultrasound, and electron beam. Advances in the technology allow now to weld not only in factories, but also in various outside conditions, underwater, and even in outer space. (Career Information)
Welding always has the risks of fire, electric shock, toxic gases poisoning, eye injury and other injury of body parts by the heat, ultraviolet, infrared radiation, and sparks of molten metal. Working conditions depend on the job type and job environment, but it is pretty much the same for all welders. I figured out that most welders wear protective clothing such as goggles, helmets, and other types of safety equipment. Welding gloves are very important when you weld, since the electricity used to weld produces a lot of heat. The leather gloves protect your hands and arms from being burnt. Long sleeve shirts and long pants are often recommended since large sparks can become airborne and land on the skin which can sometimes cause a very serious burn. Although these are all very important pieces of safety equipment, the most important thing a welder needs to have is their welding helmet. A welding helmet has a special auto-darkening lens built into it that allows the welder to see the welds he is forming. When a welder strikes an arc it produces a very bright light that can only be seen with the aid of this special lens. (Welding Basics)
Welding in a closed environment can get very hot and it is exhausting. It gives off an immense amount of heat. When combined with the fact that the welder has to wear a lot of protective clothing, temperatures can easily get above 100 degrees. “You have to be mentally prepared for it. It takes a strong minded individual to do what we do every day” Says Mr. Blake Gabel.
Welding has many advantages over other means of combining materials. A couple of things it had advantages over would be bolting and riveting. Welding lets you directly transfer stress between members eliminating extension and splice plates needed for bolted structures. The lack of holes improves the efficiency by making it more stable since it is a solid piece. It has less production cost when compared to other methods due to having fewer parts and it doesn’t require any drilling, punching, or tapping.(Welding Basics)
Welding is air and water tight, which is why it is so ideal for oil tanks, ships, and many other things. Welded structures also have an awesome appearance and allow you to be able to connect many different shapes together. Welded structures are more flexible compared to structures with riveted and bolted connections since welded material is more mobile than material bound by bolts or rivets. There is also less stress involved between the joints when they are welded, since there is no pressure between the two pieces that are being conjoined. (How Important Is Welding)
It’s crazy to think about how much we depend on welded structures every day. From the home, to the work place, there is going to be something that has been welded at one point. When I get into my car, there is welds all over the place. When I step into my work, the frame of the building and much more is also welded. It is mind boggling to think about how much welding is needed in our everyday lives.
From what I have found, welders are always in high demand. There are many people that are going into school for degrees to become a doctor, teacher, and other jobs that are popular. But, there is a lack of people who will work hard labor in the trade industry. Due to the high demand, the salary of a welder could be great. They range from 30,000 a year, to being able to make up to 200,000 a year.(Jeffus,296) So, obviously, there is a large range of salary types.
All of the information that I have gather so far has been of great help to me. It has helped me get a brighter view on the whole career of welding, and will ultimately help me make a decision on what I want to do with my life. It’s crazy how a little information can go such a long way.

Works Cited
"Career Information." Welding Career Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
Gabel, Blake. E-mail interview. 15 Nov. 2013.

"How Important Is Welding? - Curiosity." Welding in Everyday Life. Discovery, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.

Jeffus, Larry F. Welding: Principles and Applications. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning, 2008. Print.

Novey, Madeline. "Shortage of Welders Sparks Interest." USAtoday.com. USA Today, 21 Oct. 2012. Web. 16 Nov. 2013.

"Welding Basics." Welding Basics. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.