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Welder's Handbook: A Guide to Plasma Cutting, Oxyacetylene, ARC, MIG and TIG Welding, Revised and Updated
A newly-updated, state-of-the-art guide to MIG and TIG arc welding technology.
Written by a noted authority in the field, this revised edition of HP's bestselling automotive book-for over 20 years-is a detailed, instructional manual on the theory, technique, equipment, and proper procedures of metal inert gas (MIG) and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding.
Written by a noted authority in the field, this revised edition of HP's bestselling automotive book-for over 20 years-is a detailed, instructional manual on the theory, technique, equipment, and proper procedures of metal inert gas (MIG) and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding.
- GenresHow To
160 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2007
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47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 6, 2012
An easy to understand and surprising complete introduction to various welding techniques. Seriously, everything you need to know including that for whatever technique you need to practice, practice, practice!
February 21, 2026
An easy to understand and surprising complete introduction to various welding techniques. Seriously, everything you need to know including that for whatever technique you need to practice, practice, practice!
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September 26, 2016“Welder’s Handbook” is a good introductory text to basic welding. Yes, it does not have an endless amount of detail on most welding processes. And yes, in order to actually weld, you’ll have to actually weld. But reading this book first, and then getting basic instruction from someone who knows how to perform the type of welding you’re interested in, will get you off the ground very effectively.
The author, Richard Finch, who has been welding for decades, arranges the book by all the basic topics. He covers equipment, safety basics and metal basics, along with cleaning and fitting. He discusses oxyacetylene welding (and cutting) in considerable detail, using oxy welding to communicate basics of creating a weld pool, heating metal, and so forth. Later chapters cover arc (“stick”) welding, MIG welding, TIG welding, plasma cutting, and special processes. Within each chapter Finch covers techniques as they apply to the welding of different metals. He then suggests some projects and additional references for further reading. That’s it. Nothing fancy, and not a lot of wasted words.
Would I pay $150 for this—the cost for the much more voluminous “Welding Processes And Applications,” frequently used as a textbook? No. But I’d happily pay $10 or $15 for this, and did. And, with some minimal instruction and practice, I can weld—casually, not professionally. If I practiced more, I’d weld better, and this book helped my confidence level in getting started. For the home handyman, that’s usually all one needs.
The author, Richard Finch, who has been welding for decades, arranges the book by all the basic topics. He covers equipment, safety basics and metal basics, along with cleaning and fitting. He discusses oxyacetylene welding (and cutting) in considerable detail, using oxy welding to communicate basics of creating a weld pool, heating metal, and so forth. Later chapters cover arc (“stick”) welding, MIG welding, TIG welding, plasma cutting, and special processes. Within each chapter Finch covers techniques as they apply to the welding of different metals. He then suggests some projects and additional references for further reading. That’s it. Nothing fancy, and not a lot of wasted words.
Would I pay $150 for this—the cost for the much more voluminous “Welding Processes And Applications,” frequently used as a textbook? No. But I’d happily pay $10 or $15 for this, and did. And, with some minimal instruction and practice, I can weld—casually, not professionally. If I practiced more, I’d weld better, and this book helped my confidence level in getting started. For the home handyman, that’s usually all one needs.
April 2, 2013
This is a really good overview to the trade of welding. I've appreciated it because of it is a clear, easy to read book with some great hints and tips about how to get into welding. Of course, I found this book already after taking several evening classes and so I was approaching it from the perspective of someone who has a little bit of experience - most of which, outside class, is doing farm welding and a little bit of ornamental. The book definitely helped clear up some questions I had leftover from the class.
I keep this book in the shop with my welder and will use it occasionally as a reference. Often I can find answers I've read and forgotten. However, the more welding I do the more often when I do have a question it may not be included in Finch's introductory book. Especially regarding some of the more advanced stick or mig usages.
Overall, I recommend this to individuals who want to learn more about welding and either do or don't have time to take a class. I anticipate that I will keep using it for a while yet. The other nice thing is that it is easy to find, pretty much and Lowe's store has a copy of it in their welding section.
I keep this book in the shop with my welder and will use it occasionally as a reference. Often I can find answers I've read and forgotten. However, the more welding I do the more often when I do have a question it may not be included in Finch's introductory book. Especially regarding some of the more advanced stick or mig usages.
Overall, I recommend this to individuals who want to learn more about welding and either do or don't have time to take a class. I anticipate that I will keep using it for a while yet. The other nice thing is that it is easy to find, pretty much and Lowe's store has a copy of it in their welding section.
July 29, 2008
Love it, wish I could afford to actually make some neat stuff
February 3, 2012
This book provided some good general information and tips, but was almost too overly-general. It definitely had useful information for anyone to reference, though.
June 5, 2013
it's k...to read
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews