THE WELDING TUTORIAL
INTRODUCTION

The use of welding and some form of welding plant has for many years been an accepted and important part of even the smallest engineering and maintenance workshops. Since the late fifties it has become increasingly available to the home handyman.

Australian industry, centered largely in major cities has relied on manual metal-arc welding as its major metal fabrication process since the early thirties. While this form of welding is being supplanted to a large extent in industry with higher productivity, semi or fully automatic arc welding processes, its continued place is assured by its wide range of application and overall versatility.

The wide spread expansion of electric power reticulation throughout the settled country areas has led to the availability of the small, low-priced and convenient AC transformer type welding machines for almost everybody wishing to employ this quick convenient means of joining metals.

DC welding generators, powered by petrol or diesel engines or as an attachment for the farm tractor extend the availability of the process to field usage.

Manual metal-arc welding, the subject of this booklet, is not difficult, but like all practical arts, the learning of the basic principles and correct techniques at the start is the only real basis for its successful application. It is hoped our step by-step introduction to arc welding, its application and safe working practices, will set you off in the right direction to achieving the most from the process, your WIA arc welder and electrodes.