Basics & process choice
Can I teach myself to weld?
Quick answer
Yes — MIG and stick are genuinely self-teachable with modern inverters, scrap steel and a disciplined practice loop. What self-teaching misses is code requirements and bad habits a mentor catches in one glance. For structural or load-bearing work, get qualified eyes on your welds before you trust them.
A self-teaching loop that works
- Buy 20 kg of scrap of the thicknesses you'll actually weld
- One drill per session: beads, then butt joints, then T-joints, then positions
- Chisel, brush, photograph every result — compare against reference welds
- Change one variable at a time and keep notes
- Post bead photos to welding communities — the feedback is brutal and free