Learning How to Weld: A Spring Break Story

Now that Rochester has experienced warm enough weather for me to have worn shorts for a week, I figure it’s about time I talked about my spring break. (And because Rochester thinks it’s wicked funny, today it decided to snow.) Don’t worry, I’m still wearing shorts.

The part of spring break I was most looking forward to was sleeping in. Instead, on my very first day of vacation, I was meeting at the Baja SAE shop at 7:30 a.m. so that we could drive to the Arc + Flame Center to take a (free!) 8 a.m. welding class. We were met there by the owner, Mike Krupnicki, and another employee, conveniently named Mike. The pair of them spent the next four and a half hours teaching us the basics of welding.

The type of welding we learned is referred to either as Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) or Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), which is the same type of welding we do in the Baja shop for our car. (If you’re surprised by the fact that we built a car, you should check out the Baja link above.) We were each provided with all the appropriate safety gear . . .

. . . the only item of which you can’t see in this picture is a Mahany Welding Supply beanie that we each got to keep.

There were fifteen of us attending the welding class, and we all met at the tables in the center, learned about the next welding techniques we were going to try, watched a demonstration and then each went to an individual station to try it for ourselves. There are some stations behind me in the above picture. While we were working, Mike and Mike would move from station to station observing our work, and helping us if we had trouble. They were very supportive and really wanted us to master the techniques. When I was working on the last skill, welding two plates at an angle, Mike Krupnicki saw that my first try was pathetic (he didn’t say that, but I’m all for honesty with myself), went to get me more plates, and then stayed there to watch me weld them and offer suggestions if they were needed.

(Pictured above: skill)

I was able to take this class for free because Mr. Krupnicki offered it to our Baja team. However, if you’re interested in learning how to weld, blacksmith, or blow glass here in Rochester, while you attend the University of Rochester, there are discounts for college students, and sometimes there are events sponsored by the U of R to go to the Arc + Flame Center. And if you ever need a buddy to go to any of these classes with you, come find me, and I’ll be your buddy.

So come to Rochester, and have an opportunity to put a new spark in your life. You won’t regret it, even if it does cut into your precious sleep time.