As many airshow attendees can attest, attempts to successfully complete welding seminars or workshops often result in an irreversible coma. Well-meaning instructors droning on about metal chemistry and electrical polarity are often deadly.
Luckily, EAA, Lincoln Electric, and Jim Bollinger teamed up to produce a freewheeling, actually interesting and effective TIG welding seminar at AirVenture. Bollinger, who has no formal welding training, but years of valuable experience, is the star of numerous welding (and other fabrication) YouTube videos. His informative, exciting and humorous style is an educational breath of fresh air. Amazingly, his program not only brings rank newbies up to speed on the basics of TIG welding, it also manages to hold the attention of experienced welders, who report learning something new. Even though the seminar is great fun, it is readily apparent that Jim has a deep knowledge of the chemistry and physics taking place in the welding process.
After the seminar, Lincoln provided experienced instructors to give the attendees hands on experience in TIG welding, steel and aluminum. Rookies and experienced welders alike really enjoyed welding with the beautiful Lincoln Square Wave TIG 200 machines.
The TIG workshop has been a great success. Builders now have a real resource to help accomplish their welding needs. Of course, one half day course will not be enough to complete the learning process. For that, Jim Bollinger has a wealth of other welding classes in his YouTube channel, DoRite Fabrication. Those videos, and a lot of practice should do the trick.
