Duration of the online course: 7 hours and 2 minutes
4.5
(2)
Build real welding skills fast with a free online course covering MIG, TIG and stick basics, safety, settings and common fixes—learn confidently and advance your career.
In this free course, learn about
Stick welding fundamentals: equipment, arc control, and basic bead technique
How and why to use a chipping hammer to remove slag and clean stick welds
Methods to strike and restart an arc reliably to reduce wasted electrodes
Stick electrode types, flux-coating purpose, and choosing rods for the job
Stick welding polarity (AC/DCEP/DCEN) and how it affects penetration
Guidelines for stick welding thin materials, including tubing and minimum thickness limits
MIG welder setup: gas/regulator prep, wire selection, and machine configuration
How to tune MIG settings (voltage/wire feed) and key factors that drive adjustments
MIG technique basics: travel angle, speed, and proper stickout distance
Flux-core welding fundamentals and beginner tips to improve weld quality
TIG welding basics plus TIG brazing with silicon bronze and how brazing differs from welding
Aluminum welding essentials: MIG with a spool gun, shielding gas choice, and TIG fillet tips
Angle grinder operation and attachments for cutting, grinding, and prep work
Metal cutting and fit-up tools, including tubing notching/coping methods without a notcher
About the free online course
Welding is one of the most practical hands-on skills you can add to your toolbox, whether you want a new trade, better job opportunities, or the ability to build and repair metal projects with confidence. This free online course is designed for beginners who want a clear path from first arc to stronger, cleaner welds across the most common processes used in shops and garages.
You will learn how to approach stick, MIG, TIG, and flux-core welding with the right mindset and technique, focusing on the fundamentals that actually determine results: arc control, travel speed, electrode or wire handling, fit-up, and penetration. Instead of guessing why a bead looks wrong, you will start recognizing what caused it and how to correct it. The course also emphasizes practical setup decisions, like dialing in MIG settings, choosing polarity, and understanding how shielding gas affects performance, including guidance for welding aluminum.
Beyond the weld itself, you will build the workflow skills that make projects smoother and safer. You will explore essential shop tools used around welding, including the angle grinder and metal-cutting tools, and learn how preparation and cleanup influence joint quality. You will also see how to tackle common real-world situations like welding thin material, restarting a weld without ruining the work, and avoiding mistakes that waste time and consumables.
Safety is treated as a core skill, not an afterthought. You will learn to work in a safer, more controlled way so you can practice consistently and improve faster. By the end, you should feel comfortable setting up your process, making informed adjustments, and producing more reliable results on typical beginner projects.
With video lessons and quick knowledge checks, this course helps you turn scattered tips into a solid foundation you can apply immediately—whether you are starting from scratch or tightening up your basics to move toward more advanced work.
Course content
Video class: Stick Welding Basics for Beginners: How to Stick Weld24m
Exercise: What is the purpose of a chipping hammer in stick welding?
Video class: How to Strike an Arc: Stick Welding Basics for Beginners06m
Exercise: What is a recommended technique to strike an arc in stick welding?
Video class: TIG Welding Basics for Beginners31m
Exercise: What is the most important piece of safety equipment for welding?
Video class: MIG Welder Settings: MIG Welding Basics for Beginners07m
Exercise: What is a key factor in setting MIG welder settings?
Video class: How to MIG Weld for Beginners: MIG Welding Basics08m
Exercise: What is the recommended stick out distance for MIG welding?
Video class: How to Use an Angle Grinder: Angle Grinder Attachments04m
Exercise: What is a primary use of an angle grinder?
Video class: Stick Weld Thin Square Tubing08m
Exercise: What is the recommended electrode and amperage for stick welding thin wall square tubing with a thickness of 60 thousandths of an inch?
Video class: 5 Tips for Flux Core Welding Beginners: How to Weld with Flux Core05m
Exercise: What is the first tip for better flux core welds?
Video class: Stick Welding Electrodes Explained: Stick Welding Basics for Beginners10m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of the flux coating on stick welding electrodes?
Video class: How to MIG Weld Aluminum: Spool Gun Aluminum Welding for Beginners08m
Exercise: What is the recommended shielding gas for MIG welding aluminum?
Video class: How to Set Up a MIG Welder - MIG Welding Basics for Beginners05m
Exercise: What should you do before connecting the gas regulator to your MIG welder?
Video class: Stick Welding Polarity Explained: AC vs DCEP vs DCEN09m
Exercise: Which polarity typically results in deeper penetration during stick welding?
Video class: Notch Tubing at an Angle without a Tubing Notcher: 3D Printed Tube Coping Tool08m
Exercise: What is the purpose of the code that Tim created for notching round tubing?
Video class: Stick Welding: How to Restart05m
Exercise: What is a crucial skill to learn in stick welding to avoid wasting electrodes?
Video class: TIG Brazing with Silicon Bronze: How to TIG Braze04m
Exercise: What is the difference between TIG welding and brazing?
Video class: 10 Tools for Cutting Metal: How to Cut Metal for Welding Projects18m
Exercise: Which cutting tool is recommended as the first purchase for metalworking?
Video class: 5 Welding Problems Fixed: Welding Basics for Beginners07m
Exercise: What is lack of fusion in welding and how can it be corrected?
Video class: Can I Stick Weld Razor Blades? | Thin Steel Stick Welding Tips10m
Exercise: What is the recommended minimum plate thickness for stick welding according to the expert?
Video class: Aluminum TIG: Fillet Welds Made Easier09m
Video class: Learning to Weld? Start with Stick.08m
Video class: Weld Distortion Explained and Fixed08m
Exercise: What happens to a welded plate during cooling?
Video class: Stick Welding: How to Read the Puddle06m
Video class: Stick Welding: How to Tack Weld06m
Video class: Gasless Flux Core Welding Basics for Beginners15m
Video class: How to Stick Weld with 6013 Electrodes07m
Exercise: What does the number 60 in 6013 indicate in terms of the strength of the weld metal?
Video class: How to TIG Weld with Lift Arc09m
Video class: Stick Welding: Which rod is my favorite?03m
Exercise: What is the advantage of using a 7018 electrode for welding?
Video class: Stick Welding: How to Strike an Arc05m
Video class: MIG Welding: What Size Wire Should I Use?05m
Exercise: What is the recommended material thickness range for 0.035 (35 thousandths of an inch) wire for MIG welding?
Video class: Gas Shielded Flux Cored Arc Welding (Dual Shield)04m
Video class: TIG Welding: The Most Important Thing02m
Exercise: What is the most important thing to keep in mind for successful tig welding, according to Tim Welds?
Video class: How to Be Safe While Welding16m
Video class: Perfect Mig Welder Settings in 3 Easy Steps09m
Exercise: What is the recommended wire feed speed range for 1/8 inch thick steel plate with 30 thousandths of an inch diameter MIG wire?
Video class: Help! I Can't See When I'm Welding!10m
Video class: Sheet Metal Fabrication Hacks | Build Anything with Basic, Affordable Tools11m
Exercise: What tool does Tim typically use to make a long straight cut on sheet metal?
Video class: Angle Grinders 101 | How to Use an Angle Grinder13m
Video class: Do I Need to Store Welding Electrodes in a Hot Oven?05m
Exercise: Why is it important to store low hydrogen electrodes in an oven?
Video class: Spot Welding Basics06m
Video class: Plasma Cutting Basics: How to Get Clean, Straight Cuts09m
Exercise: What is the main thing that differentiates one plasma cutting machine from another?
Video class: How to MIG Weld Aluminum: The Complete Guide13m
Video class: Stick Welding: #1 Beginner Mistake and How to Fix It06m
Exercise: What is the biggest issue that beginning stick welders run into?
Video class: MIG Welding: What's Happening at the Arc?07m
Video class: TIG Welding: What filler metal should I keep on hand?08m
Exercise: What are the two commonly used filler materials for welding aluminum?
Video class: Stick Welding Amperage06m
Video class: This Stick Welding Rod Makes Tacking Easy04m
Exercise: What type of rod does Tim recommend for tack welding?
Video class: Practice Welding with Less Material06m
Video class: How to Weld Different Metals: MIG vs TIG vs Stick vs Flux Core08m
Exercise: What is the most common type of welding used for steel fabrication projects according to Tim Welds?
Course comments: Learn Welding
Lorenzo Gordon
going well so far