Overview

Ryan Friedlinghaus, the celebrated guru of automotive customization and host ofWest Coast Customs on Fox Sports (read About the Author for more), adds practical knowledge to William Galvery's acclaimed welding insight and everyday tips and tricks developed over his long professional career as an educator.

This unique and original book improves upon the shortcomings of competitive titles by providing complete, in-depth coverage of the equipment and techniques used in the most popular welding processes: oxyacetylene, stick welding, MIG welding and TIG welding. What's more, it presents information in a lively, easy-to-follow design. Each chapter contains the pros and cons of each process and information on equipment, setup, materials, safety and welding techniques.

To provide a solid footing for the novice welder, there is a chapter that provides an overview of welding and another on tools and materials. The bulk of the book is devoted to the more popular welding techniques. The authors also provide a chapter on soldering and brazing and another on plasma cutting. The Art of Welding is perfect for anyone who wants to learn welding, to make repairs or as part of a hobby. Even experienced welders will discover many tips and procedures to improve their welding technique.

Features

• Presents the accumulated experience and knowledge of two welding professionals. William Galvery provides insight to the proper use of equipment and the science behind welding, including how welding affects different metals. Ryan Friedlinghaus provides the tips and techniques he uses everyday at West Coast Customs.
• Offers in-depth information about all popular welding processes, step-by-step photos and an engaging design that will appeal to do-it-yourselfers and hobbyist who want a solid background in welding.
• Emphasis is placed on safety with sections on selecting the proper clothing and safety lens for welding. Each welding process includes tips on approaching the job in a safe manner.
• Contains troubleshooting guides offering users an opportunity to learn from their mistakes by comparing inadequate welds to the troubleshooting guides located throughout the book. A chapter on welding projects shows welders how to compensate for the natural distortion that welding causes to various metals

Ryan Friedlinghaus

Ryan is the founder and president of West Coast Customs, a world-famous car remodeling company he launched in 1993 on a loan from his grandfather. West Coast Customs began with a modest customization shop in Orange County, California and quickly grew to a larger shop in Los Angeles near the LAX airport. In 2004 WCC rapidly gained celebrity status when the MTV show Pimp my Ride hosted by Xzibit aired. WCC was the exclusive builder of all the vehicles for the original Pimp my Ride episodes season 1- 4.

After Friedlinghaus successful reality TV show concluded with WCC as exclusive build shop for Pimp my Ride, he decided to put his focus back into his shop West Coast Customs and expand globally. Friendlinghaus began franchising West Coast Customs and opened locations in Dubai, Mexico, Germany, Malaysia, Russia and Japan.

Following this aggressive global expansion endeavor Friedlinghaus went on produce Street Customs and Street Customs Berlin, TV shows that truly captured the capabilities of WCC and showed consumers that WCC was not just a custom car shop but creators of automotive art. After rising in ratings to the top of the TLC network, Friedlinghaus determined that it was time to take his TV career to the next level. He pitched his concepts and ideas to the Discovery channel and Inside West Coast Customs was born. With several successful seasons on Discovery's HD Theater the network in 2011 decided to move the show as a headliner to a new network Velocity.

Today, West Coast Customs on Fox Sports (learn about the show here) is a wildly popular car buff reality show that highlights state-of-the-art tradecraft in welding, bodywork, upholstery and design.

Friendlinghaus has truly captured the essence of the tattoo across his fingers self made. With several successful TV shows and countless numbers of lucrative vehicle builds Friendlinghaus is living proof that with ambition, drive and heart you can still capture the American dream.

William Galvery

Bill graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a Bachelor of Vocational Education. Professor Galvery has more than 30 years of industrial welding experience. He is an American Welding Society (AWS) Certified Welding Inspector and a Certified Welding Educator.

In 2003 the AWS presented him with the Howard E. Adkins Memorial Instructor Award, its prestigious national teaching recognition award. And for the second time he was chosen AWS District 21 Educator of the Year. Also in 2003, Bill was also presented with an Excellence in Education Award by the University of Texas, Austin. Bill has served as an officer for the AWS Long Beach/Orange County Section and recently retired as Professor of Welding Technology and Welding Department coordinator at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California.

Chapter 1: An Overview of Welding

• What are the most popular welding processes for the do-it-yourselfer?
• How are welding joints prepared?
• What are some of the basic types of welds?
• What are the special procedures for welding thick plates?
• What are some common welding positions?

Chapter 2: General Tools, Materials and Safety Equipment

• What hand tools are used in welding?
• What power tools are used in welding?
• What types of clamps are used in welding?
• What are the most common steel products used in welding?
• What are some basic safety requirements?

Chapter 3: Oxyacetylene Welding

• What are the applications that OAW is best suited for?
• What metals can the OAW process readily weld?
• What are some basic safety procedures?
• What types of equipment are needed?
• How do you select filler metal (welding rod)?
• How is the equipment set up?
• What are the joint preparations for welding?
• How are welds judged?
• Oxyacetylene welding tips from West Coast Customs

Chapter 4: Shielded Metal Arc Welding: Arc Welding and Stick Welding

• How does the process work?
• When can stick welding be used?
• What is the basic equipment setup for stick welding?
• What are the functions of stick welding electrodes and how are they selected?
• How is stick welding equipment set up?
• Stick welding tips from West Coast Customs

Chapter 5: Wire Feed Welding Processes: MIG Welding and Fluxed Cored Arc Welding

• How does the MIG process work?
• What metals can MIG weld?
• What is the basic equipment for MIG Welding?
• How do you select MIG electrodes?
• What part does shielding gas play in the MIG process?
• How is the welding wire transferred to the welding pool?
• How is MIG equipment set up?
• What are some joint preparation steps for MIG welding?
• How does the orientation of the electrode during welding affect the weld?
• What are typical MIG welding problems and solutions?
• How does the flux cored arc welding process work?
• What equipment is needed for an FCAW welding outfit?
• How do you select FCAW electrodes?
• What are typical FCAW problems and solutions?
• How is FCAW equipment set up?
• MIG welding tips from West Coast Customs

Chapter 6: Gas Tungsten Arc Welding: TIG Welding

• How does the process work?
• What is the basic equipment setup for TIG welding?
• How are the electrodes selected?
• What shielding gases are used with TIG welding?
• What is the TIG welding setup process?
• What are some problems and solutions for TIG welding?
• TIG welding tips from West Coast Customs

Chapter 7: Thermal Cutting: Oxy-Fuel Cutting and Plasma Arc Cutting

• How does oxyacetylene cutting work?
• How does a cutting head differ from a welding torch?
• What other fuels can be used in oxy-fuel cutting?
• How do you set up cutting torch equipment?
• What are some basic cutting techniques?
• What are OFC troubleshooting techniques?
• What is plasma arc cutting?
• Plasma arc cutting tips from West Coast Customs

Chapter 8: Brazing and Soldering

• What's the difference between brazing and soldering?
• What are the types of brazing/soldering?
• What are some common joint designs?
• What's the purpose of brazing and soldering fluxes?
• What are the properties of brazing filler materials and soldering alloys?
• What steps help ensure safe brazing and soldering?
• How do you solder copper tubing?
• What are some troubleshooting tips for soldered and brazed joints?
• Braze Welding tips from West Coast Customs

Chapter 9: Welding Tasks and Tips

• What's the best corner treatment for a welded rectangular frame?
• What's the best way to check if corners are square?
• How should a cracked C-channel truck frame be repaired?
• What are some tips for welding pipe and tubing?
• What are some ways to deal with metal distortion?

Glossary

Index