Jackson Morley - The TAB Guide to DIY Welding: Hands-on Projects for Hobbyists, Handymen, and Artists

About the Author

Jackson Morley pursued his interest in design and fabrication while studying industrial design at the University of Kansas, where he gained experience with MIG welding and fabrication techniques including working with sheet metal blacksmithing. Mr. Morley is involved at an industrial arts organization called the Steel Yard, which is best known for creating unique public art and offering courses in welding, blacksmithing, ceramics, and more. He teaches sheet metal forming, bicycle maintenance, and MIG welding courses that instill creative problem-solving techniques, work-smart practices, and efficient design principles using new and recycled materials.

Technical Reviewer

Randy Shapiro was born and raised in Rhode Island, and graduated from the Thielsch Engineering School of Welding in the spring of 2009 with his American Welding Society certifications in SMAW, GMAW, and GTAW. He currently owns and operates a full-service fabrication business in Cranston, Rhode Island.

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W elding is a process that is responsible for the creation of much of our modern world but is shrouded in mystery and I think generally misunderstood. This is not all that surprising, reallyafter all, its only been around in its current form since the advent of electricity. Weldings mysterious status is only enhanced by the required safety equipment; it can make just about anyone look quite intimidating. (But isnt that part of the appeal?) Without welding, the modern car, skyscraper, airplane, bridge, and ship wouldnt be possible. Its pretty amazing to think about how recently welding technology has evolved and that now just about anyone can create a decent weld in less than a few hours.

People who want to learn to weld come from all walks of life. At the Steel Yard, where I got my start teaching metalinert gas (MIG) welding courses as an assistant to Howard Sneider, our classes consisted of students ranging in age from 15 years old into their seventies. Enrollment was split right down the middle of the gender line, occasionally with more female students. These students became interested in welding in every way imaginable. Some had a specific project in mind, such as a skateboard grinding rail or a musical instrument; some wanted to learn welding as a possible career choice; and others wanted something fun and creative to do in retirement. Some students were looking for a memorable way to spend the Mothers Day weekend (at our Welding with Mom Workshop), and other students with an arts background just wanted to add welding to their repertoire. However, Id say that the majority of students shared one thing in common: They had at some point become fascinated by welding and were looking for a way to get behind a MIG welder to see what they could do.

In those classes, I learned how to make welding accessible. I learned how to communicate the trickier aspects of welding in simple terms that made the whole process click for my students. I learned a lot about the difficulties first-time welders face and how to help my students overcome these challenges. I also created a number of small projects that introduce basic principles slowly and challenge the welder. My hope is that by following along with this book, your understanding of welding and metalwork will greatly improve, enabling you to think about the world in new ways and create freely.