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THE
NEXT BEST THING TO BEING THERE
By Alex Nagy
I've
been reading The World of Welding for a lot of years and
wanted to touch on something that I don't see you talking about
much. I am the head blacksmith for the Public Works Dept
for the City of Youngstown, Ohio. I've welded everything
from jail cells, bridges, and giant airport hangar doors to
steam radiators in City Hall. I have been welding since I
was 10 years old and have been welding professionally for some
34 years. I have
achieved levels of welding and freedom to experiment in my job
that most men dream of!
I came to your school a while back and took a week-long class
of welding dissimilar metals. There were a few other
things I had longed to come and study but I can't get away from
work to come to Troy. What’s the next best thing to
being there? "BOOKS"
and Hobart has a welding library and a training materials
department that is second to none. Just because you can't
get to Hobart doesn't mean you can't learn. I've spent a
lot of money buying books and learning the only way that’s
possible for me. (I'm not much for sitting in a classroom
for 8 hours a day anyway.) I bought an in-depth book you
had on TIG and proceeded to read and practice until I got
proficient at it. Your books are the best. They
explain everything in common sense English and are enjoyable to
read.
I
just want to tell people that if you were always curious about a
certain aspect of welding and can't get to a class, buy a book
from Hobart and study that way. The World of Welding
magazine should tell people about the printed materials they
offer. I have family near Troy and was buying books on a
regular basis when I was younger. Even if you can't
actually put a book to use in the skill end, a good welder has
knowledge of the best procedure for a certain project.
Take
a half hour a day while you’re eating lunch and read a manual;
basic knowledge alone can get you a promotion sometimes.
Supervisors and businesses always like to see they have people
with ability. When
a company feels it has highly skilled workers, it will tend to
grow faster and take on a bigger variety of jobs because they
are confident that the work will get done.
In closing, keep up the good work, Hobart Institute, and I
give you credit for keeping the skilled welder at the forefront
of all the Trades. (Hey, I'm biased, OK!!!)
Editor’s
comment: The Hobart
Institute appreciates the remarks of someone who has “been
there, done that” as Mr. Nagy has.
Sometimes when I work closely with something over a
period of time, I come to assume that everyone knows about it.
You may learn more about the Hobart Institute’s books
and training materials by checking our web site at http://www.welding.org
or by calling 1-800-332-9448, ext. 5433 or (937) 332-5433.
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