Thread: A survey on How To welding Videos

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

Here is an opportunity to have an input.
I am not offering to sell anything at the moment but merely seeking information as to whether its both possible and worthwhile to proceed.

I would definitely be interested in a stick welding DVD at the moment because I am trying to learn this skill. I borrowed a DVD from the local library recently and it was probably one that you refer to (an old BOC production if I remember correctly).

The DVD (I concentrated on episode 2 of 4) was brief but it was great to see an arc and also how easy it was for a skilled person to lay a bead and chip the slag. Seeing it done is a wonderful boost that keeps me going when I can't do it.

I suppose the point here is that a training DVD is great but maybe only for a short time. If the DVD I borrowed had more detail (the welding shots were very brief) it would have been much better.

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

I seek feed back from contributors as to :
• What you what to learn about – stick, mig
• The form of media you would wish to see it in DVD, Nothing beats moving pictures.
• The purchase price you would be prepared to pay Hard to say, with a book you can pick it up and flick thru before committing. DVD you take pot luck that it will be what you want.
I would be prepared to pay around $30-40. Something on the scale that you are proposing I would expect to cost a little more than that. Whether I would pay that much without sighting it is debatable.

.

Hi Steve,
Thank you for your feedback.

The actual video close up up of the arc deposition is probably the most technically difficult and costly aspect of the welding video production. I am planning some experiments with a digital camera through an auto darkening helmet to see what is actually possible.

As you can imagine welding arcs produce mega amounts of light and it follows that the light control is a major problem in photographing or videoing the process.

We had a fair amount of success in this very forum in guiding some forum contributors who initially had little faith in their own abilities to produce good welding.This was achieved through text and diagrams and using good techniques.I believe the specialised techniques are what the how to makers fail at as they are not immersed in the trade.

I believe if I can format the content and techniques properly, would be welders (weldors for Americans) watching a presentation a few times should be enabled to gain the confidence and successful practice needed to make them competent welders.

I am open to all points of view.

Grahame

Thank you Geoff,

Excellent feedback. I would be hoping to keep it to something around that figure but offer the consumer something quite different to what the run of the mill stuff does.

They ones I have seen in the past don.t seen to have the "fire in belly" type committent and have all the appeal of a slap in the face with a dead fish.

Over the years as a tradesman and teacher I have learned the there are little audible,visual and other signals that indicate or guide the user (if they know what to look and listen for) that a process is -or isn't - working as intended.


I incorporate things like that into my instructional presentations.Students tend to remember simple connections for a long time.

An example, I told an apprentice years ago that the sound of the oxy cutter torch ,cutting properly was like " a frog farting in a jam jar " I ran into him one day and he told me he had never forgot that description and always linked the sound to this description.Its like a memory hook.

Commercial presentations simply seem to follow what ever the text book says with out imparting genuine insights into the process.

Grahame

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

The actual video close up up of the arc deposition is probably the most technically difficult and costly aspect of the welding video production.

I asked a friend who does video work about this and he said it wasn't easy and didn't know how to do it. But it really is the most valuable content for a beginner. I'm amazed how digital camcorders can alter contrast to make the entire picture viewable so if a filter could be used to stop the flare then it would be a better view of a weld operation than most people using a helmet would ever see.

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

I believe if I can format the content and techniques properly, would be welders (weldors for Americans) watching a presentation a few times should be enabled to gain the confidence and successful practice needed to make them competent welders.

I like the American term weldors because it solves the ambiguity we have here.

Thanks for all your threads here. I've learnt heaps from this forum.

Great idea Graham,

I think that you should produce the dvd in chapters covering:

Gas welding and brazing of different materials
Stick welding of different materials
Mig
Tig

I have an excellent article on the pros and cons of different TIG machines, and the whys and where falls of aluminium welding. I will scan and pass on if required.

At the beginning of each chapter the pros and cons of the method could be explained, as well as typical present day applications of the method.

After each of the processes has been dealt with, I think it would be useful to have some other chapters such as:

Material prep
Job prep
Setting out
assembly
Finishing.... yes.... grinding away all of that good work!
Shop and work practice Safety.

I also think that you should cover each welding processes individual safety issues at the process chapter stage, as well as the general safety chapter above.


I believe that a dvd set out in a similar fashion to how one would expect to read an informative book would be the way to go.

Perhaps you could copy the structure of a good welding book.
Is there a really good welding book available, that covers what you want to do?

Oh, I have another idea......

Mabey you include visuals of problems in welding, and then offer the solution.

ie: too low amperage on stick welder and the result with solution, or blowing through thin walled tube etc. Given that you will be making moving pictures, I think it would be a great opportunity to show the problems visually.

yep I agree with Fossil, each method sold seperatly ...I am interested in stick ....I dont or probably wont own mig or tig, and I am led to believe the methods are similar ....what you could do on stick would probably come out a whole lot better on mig or tig work ...as for oxy ...few and far between ...I think most of the home handymen own stick ...perhaps we should start a poll on it ......see who has what ...it'll probably give you a better idea on the market and where to aim at with your tuts..good on ya anyway its a great idea

Grahame

In answer to your questions, I think that stick should be dealt with first, then mig, tig and gas.

As for format, I wonder whether it is best to start this off as a free download (perhaps using the video distribution of the WWF) of a series of videos which once they have been subject to refinement following feedback, might then be released commercially, along with written notes. To be frank, I doubt if your first few efforts would be saleable. So use them to make a saleable product, taking advantage of the ready audience you have here to give you helpful feedback.

I recently had the benefit of a friend (cousin of my FIL who had been an industrial arts teacher in SA for several years) show me how to do stick welding and then help me though the first few moments until he thought that all I needed to do was waste some steel and sticks to get my technique up to scratch).

I reckon that is what you should be aiming at - and it would be good to have a newbie being taught by a good teacher as the basis for the video. It's one thing to see someone experienced stike an arc and do a weld, but doing it yourself is another mater, and a video would be best to show both an expert and a newbie doing it, so that it becomes clear what needs to be done to get better!

I doubt that you will ever get rich doing this, but it would be a great service and might make you some pocket money!!

Graham,

Bloody good idea!

I basically agree with the content issues forumites have already raised.

I'm probably stating the bleeding obvious here but most people will only pay hard $$ for professional level production products. The production should look invisible, ie it should not get in the way of the material VERSUS u-boob clips that really do look like a bunch of amateurs with a camcorder and one too many drinks under their belt.

Next I think a burst on meaningful OHS is sadly missing in a lot of DIY type media . I don't want to be told just to do something but why I should do it - this sticks much better with most people than - do this - WHY? - just trust me.

Something else that would be useful especially for newbies is "what do I do when I this stuff up". Basically folks want to know "can this be recovered and if so how, or should I start again"

A welding handbook or compendiun that goes with the video and with basic facts would be easier to have on hand in a shed than a DVD.

I have been watching a 10 DVD set on how to make an acoustical guitar by Chris Wynne of Thomas Lloyd Guitars. This really shows the level of professional production, OHS detail, how to fix mistakes and handbook compendium I'm talking about.

Good luck and feel free to use us a guinea pigs/beta testers. Post a few clips and we'll critique them if you like.

Grahame,

I'd like to see:

• Welding 101 - basic theory
  • Welding safety;
    • hazards,
    • health risks,
    • protective equipment.
  • Introduction to various metals and which welding types are best suited to them.
  • Tools related to welding, their purpose and usage;
    • cutters
    • torches
    • grinders
    • etc
• Stick Welding
  • For the home handyman
  • Advanced stick welding (whatever that may be!)
• Mig
• Oxy
• Tig
• Advanced techniques

Format of DVD or .avi file would be suitable.

Cost - up to $20 per disc.

Great concept for me its more into outside the norm.

Brazing and welding Cast Iron
types of rods etc
Allyo welding various types
Stainless Steel welding

Grahame ,
The older course 3445 did have a fairly well thought out sequence to it.

What market? A hobbyist should start with OH&S.... measuring....soldering ...brazing...oxy...stick... tig.... mig.
With the advent of the Chinese AC/DC Tig/Sticks the progression may blurr.

I would most definitely approach Lincoln , Miller etc they are quite into education and brand recognition.

As for content , it takes 5 seconds to learn and remember torch angle etc the rest is seat time ,Its machine set up, tuning etc and visual assessment of weld faults and the diagnosis of why those faults are occurring that require a mentor .
I will think about this and give you a proper answer Grahame.

Brett

There are some very short, basic videos here...

http://www.expertvillage.com/video-s...ing-basics.htm