God help us all... Here's your sign!

[Welder Dave]

I got a call today from I think the dumbest person on the planet but it gets even better, he's a welding teacher! About a year ago he called and wanted to get an XMT 350 and wire feeder package the same as they use at the Canada Skills competition for students. He wants his students to be able to participate and wanted the same machine. Didn't really have a clue what size wire he wanted, what size TIG torch or anything else. He said he had done some stick welding in the past but beyond that seemed pretty clueless. Skip ahead to today and he finally got the machine. He said it worked fine on stick but when he tried to MIG it wouldn't work. The wire feeder worked but there was no welding current. He had the manual right in front of him and couldn't figure it out. I started going through how it had to be hooked up and then he said there was an extra cable on the floor that looked like another ground cable and he couldn't figure out where it went. I said that's the cable that goes from the machine to the wire feeder. Then I explained there should be a bolt by the drive rolls to bolt the cable too and then he asks if it's marked. I said the bolt isn't doing anything otherwise. Here's a guy trying to teach students yet he doesn't know to read a manual, couldn't fathom why he had no welding current on MIG and then needs a label to explain what the bolt (doing nothing) is for by the drive rolls. I challenge anyone to find more of an idiot. It's like buying tires and not realizing you have to put air in them.

[CEP]

Sounds like a government employee to me! We have millions of them down here.

[roadkillbobb]

I got a call today from I think the dumbest person on the planet but it gets even better, he's a welding teacher! About a year ago he called and wanted to get an XMT 350 and wire feeder package the same as they use at the Canada Skills competition for students. He wants his students to be able to participate and wanted the same machine. Didn't really have a clue what size wire he wanted, what size TIG torch or anything else. He said he had done some stick welding in the past but beyond that seemed pretty clueless. Skip ahead to today and he finally got the machine. He said it worked fine on stick but when he tried to MIG it wouldn't work. The wire feeder worked but there was no welding current. He had the manual right in front of him and couldn't figure it out. I started going through how it had to be hooked up and then he said there was an extra cable on the floor that looked like another ground cable and he couldn't figure out where it went. I said that's the cable that goes from the machine to the wire feeder. Then I explained there should be a bolt by the drive rolls to bolt the cable too and then he asks if it's marked. I said the bolt isn't doing anything otherwise. Here's a guy trying to teach students yet he doesn't know to read a manual, couldn't fathom why he had no welding current on MIG and then needs a label to explain what the bolt (doing nothing) is for by the drive rolls. I challenge anyone to find more of an idiot. It's like buying tires and not realizing you have to put air in them.

try looking at washington dc..no shortage of complete idiots there..would give your guy a run for the money...

[Pipeliner]

Just wait until the iPhone / ADD generation comes of age.

[7A749]

I've gotten those calls before.

I had a "professional welder" scold me for selling him a 17 series torch that was missing the water line...

Had another "professional" yell at me that I sold him a junk TIG torch only to find after listening to him bitch for ten minutes that he didn't have the power cable connected to the welder.

Had another guy who acted very knowledgeable thru email call me in a panic that the wire feeder I sold him didn't work.

He didn't have the positive lead connected to the drive either.

Takes all kinds.

[MinnesotaDave]

One of my friends is a high school shop teacher.

I told him to teach them stick and flux core.

He said nobody uses that stuff on the job.

Took me years to convince him that stick and flux core are important.

He still doesn't teach it and has never come over to learn how.

Now he teaches them an online welding course through a college where they learn on a computer....

Over the years I've even had to show him how to set migs correctly and turn his check valves the right way on torch lines so they will flow.
How hard is that? There are arrows stamped right on the damn things!

The stories are endless....

[CEP]

He said nobody uses that stuff on the job.

Really? Good to know! I can think of at least a couple hundred guys who didn’t know that either.

[MinnesotaDave]

Really? Good to know! I can think of at least a couple hundred guys who didn’t know that either.

Thought you might know a couple guys who tried it and stuff

[CEP]

On this job, the first order of self shielded flux core wire was 3,500-pounds. I forgot what the total amount of wire was to weld everything together.

[zank]

An online welding class?

[mla2ofus]

Just wait until the iPhone / ADD generation comes of age.

They'll be so busy getting their feelings hurt and looking for a "Safe Space" they won't have time create problems!! That and tracking everything on social media!!
Mike

[MinnesotaDave]

An online welding class?

Yep. Then a couple times a year they go to the college for a weekend.

It's even comes with a certificate of completion to show they know stuff....

[Pipeliner]

They'll be so busy getting their feelings hurt and looking for a "Safe Space" they won't have time create problems!! That and tracking everything on social media!! Mike

Man you're going to get my blood pressure up and swatted for not being in the off topic forum.

But eventually the power poles supporting the electrical grid will rott off at the ground and collapse. There will not be enough knowledgeable workers to rebuild it, and it will finally die (social media). That's my only hope.

[mla2ofus]

Man you're going to get my blood pressure up and swatted for not being in the off topic forum.

But eventually the power poles supporting the electrical grid will rott off at the ground and collapse. There will not be enough knowledgeable workers to rebuild it, and it will finally die (social media). That's my only hope.

Well, it's something we can hope for!!
Mike

[Welder Dave]

It's just as bad when journeyman welders don't have a clue how their machines work or what they can do. I remember I guy that a Vantage 400 and an LN25 and had no clue what the CC/CV switch on the wire feeder was for. Probably a $70,000 welding truck with all the latest technology and has no idea how it works. I can see if you got a new programmable wire feeder or something at it took a while to figure it all out but why have a high end machine if you don't know how to use it?

[NinjaRay]

I can understand that welder dave ! I have been trying to teach myself how to weld for close to 20 years and decided to finally give up.

Now I am the proud owner of one of these.

[vwguy3]

I was talking to a high school career center welding instructor and inquired about what processes they teach. He said oxy/fuel, stick, MIG and some TIG. I asked if they teach short arc and spray transfer and he said mostly short arc and they "fake" spray

[Robert Hall]

An online welding class?

I truly believe this is a case of doing far more harm than good.

I pray that I never go to a surgeon that has learned the same way.

[motochris]

Don't even get me started. I work in a weldng supply shop...the amount of DUMB is mindboggling at times.
EVERYBODY is a "weldor". Best recent one...dude asks for some aluminum tig rod, I ask what kind..the reply is "Just the regular kind" (you'd be suprised how often I hear that)...I ask what size he needs.... "Just the normal size"..... I ask what he plans to weld with it, his reply..."just regular stuff, sheet metal and engine blocks and stuff".
...sigh....

[7A749]

Man you're going to get my blood pressure up and swatted for not being in the off topic forum.

But eventually the power poles supporting the electrical grid will rott off at the ground and collapse. There will not be enough knowledgeable workers to rebuild it, and it will finally die (social media). That's my only hope.

God, we can only hope for that

[MinnesotaDave]

I truly believe this is a case of doing far more harm than good.

I pray that I never go to a surgeon that has learned the same way.

I completely agree.

[vwguy3]

Don't even get me started. I work in a weldng supply shop...the amount of DUMB is mindboggling at times.
EVERYBODY is a "weldor". Best recent one...dude asks for some aluminum tig rod, I ask what kind..the reply is "Just the regular kind" (you'd be suprised how often I hear that)...I ask what size he needs.... "Just the normal size"..... I ask what he plans to weld with it, his reply..."just regular stuff, sheet metal and engine blocks and stuff".
...sigh....

What's the problem?, just slap some filler on the counter and send him off happy

[Waller]

Seems incredibly dangerous. Now he's going to pass on his 'skills' to the next generation.

[castle]

Some might say that you are overly-critical, welderdave.

[wb4rt]

Motochris,

I understand, I truly do. Everyone ought to have to work with the public for 2 years.

I used to sell farm supplies, in the spring the gardeners would come to buy their seed. When I asked how much they needed, the answer was often "enough for 2 rows". So I would ask, "how long are the rows", and you already know the answer - "right smart".

I would just weigh up 5 pounds of whatever seed they asked for. And that is a LOT of turnip seed!!