Topic: Welding practice projects - looking for ideas

I'm finally going to pull out the welder I bought and start using it. I've acquired a fair bit of practice and project materials, and I'm looking for ideas beyond what I can imagine ("I don't know, I can imagine quite a bit").

I have a fair stock (~25) of 36" crowbars, a fair stock of 1" painted steel bent tube (from school bus seats removed from my mini-skoolie, and I think are .120"), a fair stock of 1.5" x 30" (?) _thick_ (thicker than the 1" tubing, very heavy and sturdy) straight painted steel tubing, some 1.5" x 40" anodized straight aluminum tubing (with threaded inserts to attach end-to-end), some painted aluminum odd-shaped flat parts, and some painted steel formed pieces that could be turned into drawer or bin-type pieces.

Since I don't know the grade of the thicker tubing, and the pieces are mostly shorter than I expect would be required, I'm not looking for any of this to be cage material; though space frame encirclement for various things isn't out of the question - though it is heavy stuff.

There's not a whole lot of money in any of this project material. I bought it for practice stock, though if I cut it up for panels for a racecar and don't have to clean it for welding, all the better.

I'm in a quandary, in that I'm having problems thinking of projects. I have limited ideas of what I'll do with this material, so I have plenty of extra.

What I have in mind already, already covered what I paid for it.

Most of my ideas have to do with things to help repair cars outside, like:

car stand cribs, ramps, support pieces, brackets, tubing- based car dolly, things like that.

I probably have enough to weld together a frame for a vehicle mover, as long as the vehicle is light.

That might be a pie-in-the-sky idea - I'm sure a UTV is less work - but I have all this practice material!

I've looked at various welding sites and their recommended projects, and I'm not enthused.

I know the idea of 'homemade' support pieces is concerning to lots of people - me included. For myself, however, I've been told I'm a little too particular; so if something isn't right, with this much material, I can cut it up and start over.

Any ideas, desires, or needs?

Re: Welding practice projects - looking for ideas

Do a google image search for "welding practice projects", tons of things out there.

Don't worry about trying to make usable objects as you practice.

Most people start learning on "coupons", like 2x4" small pieces of flat sheet metal, scribe a line, then just weld single straight passes. Then you can practice simple corner welds by welding your used coupons together.

1989 Merkur XR4Ti: Project Merkur Space Program - Wins: Class C - Colonel and the Sinkhole 2023 | "Heroic Fix" The Pitt Maneuver 2023 | "Halloween Meets Gasoline" The Pitt Maneuver 2022
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Re: Welding practice projects - looking for ideas

I made a custom weld cart, I wanted a smaller footprint and all terrain wheels.

Really glad I did that cause I forgot to swap my polarity when going from Flux to gas and my welds looked like butt so glad it wasn't anything important lol.

Once I realized my mistake I was like oh good I didn't forget how to weld

Re: Welding practice projects - looking for ideas

KeiCarMike wrote:

Do a google image search for "welding practice projects", tons of things out there.

Don't worry about trying to make usable objects as you practice.

Most people start learning on "coupons", like 2x4" small pieces of flat sheet metal, scribe a line, then just weld single straight passes. Then you can practice simple corner welds by welding your used coupons together.

Yes, I've done that:
I've looked at various welding sites and their recommended projects, and I'm not enthused., though I didn't emphasize that.

I've watched hours of Justin on "The Fabricator/ion Series" to learn, and I'm a 'Certified "Internet Expert" Welder' because of that.

^That, by the way, was facetious.

And I guess I should have specified: it's a TIG welder, and that's how I'm starting out. After all,  "How hard could it be?"

((As an aside, my first impression of your post was a little bit on the comedy / conspiracy theorist side, in that - and this is my sense of humor - I thought you were making a humorous reference to my numerous postings suggesting to newbies "a little research here on the forum" for information.

And to be clear, I'm only attempting to be helpful to newcomers here when making that suggestion. I have fallen into the "just a quick question" mode a few times, usually when I'm in a time crunch to make a decision; I try to have as few of those issues as possible be due to my previous decisions.

So I was ROFL on my first impression of your post; but my second impression holds now, in that I believe you were being helpful. Regardless, thank you.))

I hate practice. And homework. And mindless activity without purpose. So the coupon thing won't work for me. Besides, I'd have to buy them, or cut them, and still have to clean them, so I don't see the point. I'd rather make something useful.

One of my thoughts is to create a 'top cage corner weld configuration' - free standing - to practice; though without being inside a car, I know it isn't the same.

No, I was looking for ideas other than "make an art project", or coat rack.

Tripod things might be good. Maybe a generic portable support for an engine at the pnp, so I could pull a tranny by myself - the local yard's hoist is huge, never in the right row, and they don't allow jacks. Shock tower to shock tower, also supported by the top fender grooves, carry in with my tools.

The heavy tubing could be metal crib units - open to reach through for access, maybe configured to support tires.

Easy lift frames, just no hydraulics - initially.

Any ideas?

Re: Welding practice projects - looking for ideas

Zacks - great idea; I'm outside on gravel and dirt. I still haven't picked up a bottle, so I can custom configure.

Re: Welding practice projects - looking for ideas

I have a bucket of roll cage bits and whatnot that are too small for actual use but are perfect for welding practice, if you want to stop by for them. Perfect practice for actual cage welding.

I'm currently learning to TIG after getting pretty good at MIG, my first project was a fireplace grate as I needed a new one, made entirely out of scrap roll cage tubing.  I'm now making a fueling cart, which we do kind of need, but mostly as welding practice.

Chris from 3 Pedal Mafia

Re: Welding practice projects - looking for ideas

Practice the things you think you'll weld. That's always what I told people when I was teaching (note, I'm not certified in any way, but I got decent enough to teach noobies at the maker-space). If you're learning because you want to weld things for your race car, practice on that type of material. If  you end goal is cages, play with tubing. If you're looking to make brackets, play with plate and tube. It helps put it all together.

Unfortunately, TIG just flat out requires time and practice. I can teach someone to be ok at MIG in an afternoon (or an hour if we're ambitions). They won't be laying beautiful beads, but they'll be confident enough to go do it on their own and get better. TIG is different. Over the few years I taught intro to TIG I almost always had to meet with people a few times until it started to make sense. It just takes time and practice, because you're doing 3 different things with 3 different appendages. Comes more natural to some than others.

A few tips to make learning easier.
1. Replace your tungsten the second it gets contaminated. Don't stubbornly just stab the pedal harder. A contaminated tungsten welds worse and teaches you bad things. Buy a pack of them, sharpen them all, be ready to change them a lot.

2. Clean everything, then clean it again. TIG is intolerant of contamination in a way MIG isn't. Clean your metal, clean the tungsten, clean your filler.

2A. Do NOT use brake cleaner to clean your parts. Regular brake cleaner will create phosgene gas as you weld over it, which is bad. There are non-chlorinated brake cleaners that are ok to use, but it's way easier to make a blanket rule and follow it, especially since some brands now use the green label on their chlorinated formula as well. Acetone works great.

3. Make sure you can see. MIG you can kind of fumble around in the dark, but with TIG you want to be able to see. Setup supplemental lighting, make sure that under the hood you can clearly see the tungsten, the weld pool, and the filler. Don't pick a shade on your mask that's too dark and doesn't let you see everything. I'm at a 9 or 10 for everything I do. Just be careful where supplemental lighting is placed, if it's somewhere that it can create glare inside the weld mask, that can make it worse.

4. Once you're reasonably comfortable welding various things, practice welding in weird positions. If you plan on welding on or in cars, you have to be ok doing it all hunched over, on your side, or upside down. It's hard. I'm effectively ambidextrous with MIG at this point. Doesn't matter what weird place I need to weld, I can figure it out. TIG I'm still improving. I'm almost at the point I can weld lefty, and I'm decently ok rightly in weird positions. It's taken years.


I don't have any good project ideas really. My only advice is make things that solve a problem you've been having in your garage. A welding cart is a classic learning project because it gives you something you'll use from there out, and it's a lot of practice. Ramps and other devices that a car will rest on? Well, be your own judge there. Make sure your practice project can't fail and kill you.

20+ Time Loser FutilityMotorsport
Abandoned E36 Build
2008 Saab 9-5Aero Wagon
Retired - 1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby 2011-2015 "Lifetime Award for Lack of Achievement" IOE, 3X I got screwed, Organizer's Choice

Re: Welding practice projects - looking for ideas

Good advice Chris, thanks!

Chris from 3 Pedal Mafia

Re: Welding practice projects - looking for ideas

Good ideas, good suggestions - thanks!

Yes, this is mostly practice for welding racecar cages.

The 1" tubing I have came from school bus seats, maybe 40 seats total; that's a lot of tubing. I think it's .120" thick, so matches up with the idea of cage material, just smaller diameter; I think it's probably DOM, so good practice in that regard.

BUT: it's painted, and in some sections, painted on the inside, also, a near as I can tell; it could be it's just overspray. But Sonic: if your pieces are bare, I might stop by. Though:  figuring out how to strip the paint and clean the rest off means I have a LOT of practice material.

I'm also thinking:

1. space frame units to organize and secure things on a trailer
2. Hitch mounted workbench
3. Trailer space frame enclosure to put up removable walls and roof
4. Trailer mounted workbench

Yes, anything that anyone would crawl under I'd have to have confidence in; but I ALWAYS use jack stands and eye protection; I mention that as an example of the importance I place on safety best practices.

Thanks again!

Re: Welding practice projects - looking for ideas

I'd try a couple pieces in a liquid paint stripper and see if that cleans them up. If it does, you can strip just the end few inches you plan on welding, then clean with acetone.

All those ideas sound like something that solves a problem and leaves you with something useful, not space wasting scrap, so sounds like a good plan.

20+ Time Loser FutilityMotorsport
Abandoned E36 Build
2008 Saab 9-5Aero Wagon
Retired - 1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby 2011-2015 "Lifetime Award for Lack of Achievement" IOE, 3X I got screwed, Organizer's Choice

Re: Welding practice projects - looking for ideas

Just a suggestion and I am not sure how far along in learning to TIG you are but when I first started learning to TIG my instructor had me start with butt welds with no filler rod. This helped me learn how to "walk the cup" and keep a consistent uniform puddle without having the additional worry of when and how much filler rod to add. Once I learned this I moved on to making welds with filler rod which made learning process easier for me.

One idea for a quick and easy project is to weld together a snipe handle. I've heard them called ratchet extensions or triple handles but its basically a long and short piece of pipe or tubing welded together in the shape of a bent tee (instead of being welded together at 90 degrees they are welded together at around 110 to 120 degrees). Aside from the additional leverage these are helpful when the end of the ratchet or allen wrench is being blocked by something that doesn't allow for a longer ratchet or a piece of straight pipe to be used. Of course you want to be careful the first few times you use it for obvious reasons. I also recommend pulling into the obtuse side rather than the acute side. Pulling into the acute side can cause it to slip and rotate and lead to smashed fingers.

Just a Noob trying to take the long approach to doing it right.

12 (edited by Lemon_Newton-Metre 2023-01-10 06:52 AM)

Re: Welding practice projects - looking for ideas

All the above are great suggestions - thanks, all.

I'll look into paint strippers and acetone. I'm hoping that works well, but I'm prepared to clean.

Welding experience:
I haven't even opened the box the welder came in - it's been a busy year. It's been since high school, it was one beginner project, and it was gas.

The seat I ordered still has not yet arrived; it made it through customs and out of.NY Hub, "On its way to the final destination", and then just disappeared. I've been waiting since April. The vendor has recently shipped another, which I'm hoping to receive this month.

And - well ... since I've read, understood, and bought into the idea of mounting the seat before planning the cage (and shared that suggestion liberally), I haven't bothered to open the box, or get a bottle.

After all, "How hard could it be?" (Sr VP Dev, asking the engineers).

jethrojet: interesting project suggestion; since I've never seen what you're describing, I'll go on a snipe hunt for pictures.

Aaaaand, doing that little search distracted me.

Now I'm thinking about things like these little items:
__________________________
*** Cool little chain-driven thing:
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/411J7DO8lfL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

__________________________
*** Neat wrench extender:
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51v7mIVMxeL.jpg

__________________________
*** Stubby adapter thing:
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71iGJ9R5HdL.jpg

__________________________
*** Another adapter thing:
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/718meoDjXoL.jpg

Well, that was entertaining; and now: back to the project ideas.