[.ca] Welders Handbook (ISBN 1557882649)

Too little info, too many mistakes:
Instead of being a useful reference, this book ends up being a sugarcoated overview of the trade, with little really practical information. If you were completely unfamiliar with welding, it would probably give you an idea of the various processes and theories involved, except that it is riddled with inaccuracies and incorrect information. I was very disconcerted as I started reading it and came across one questionable statement after another. For those of us who are seeking tips for improving our welding skills, it's almost completely useless. The book misses the mark on several counts - for example, the last chapter, "Welding Certification and Training." The lead sentence in the chapter says "The reason for including this chapter in the Welder's Handbook is to give you a taste of what high quality welding should look like." Yet the chapter goes on to picture a welding truck, a red iron erection project, and a few line diagrams. There is nothing whatsoever to give you any idea of what high quality welding looks like. I was amused by the projects section too - after the author spent the entire book touting his credentials as an aircraft certified weldor (sic), the welding table project described how he had to take the materials to a commercial welding shop to have them pre-cut to length for him. ??? My 25-year-old college lab manuals from my metal fabrication engineering courses continue to be a better reference than this book. I'd hoped for some insight into the latest technology, such as inverter machines, but the author sweeps such topics away saying they are too complex to cover. Pretty covers with glossy photos from Lincoln Welding - but that's about it. Pass this one by.

Leading the beginner astray:
While some of the information contained in the book is useful, the reviews given here by beginning welders to beginning welders is potentially misleading. For example the author fails to provide proper information on the basic gas welding set-up. He starts with opening the valves and skips to lighting the torch, completely by-passing the installation of the regulators and properly leak checking the complete OFW system (bottle valves, regulators, lines and torches), not to mention the importance of blowing out the talc new hoses contain. This is just the OFW side of the book and there isn't enough space here to cover the MIG/TIG side. Wanting to learn to weld? Save your money and when you buy that Victor kit you've been wanting you'll find that it comes with a small welding and cutting manual that has far more information and is far more clear, concise than this book.

Shouldn't be the only source of information:
This book is lacking two major points. First, it doesn't say anything about setting up the regulators. It didn't attempt for the fact that the regulator screw have to be all the way out to be in the 'OFF' position in most of the brands. Second, it doesn't say anything about the CGA standards for the regulators. It doesn't mention the 540 and 510 standards and the most common types of regulators and tanks you see on the market. Go to eBay and see how many types of tanks are there. Maybe it should refer the reader to the regulator's instruction manual, but these steps cannot be forgotten. I've bought an used outfit that came without instruction manual, I had a lot of trouble with the CGA standards and damaged my regulator by opening the cylinder with the screw all the way in. All that without mentioning the fact that I could have blown my head off. These books target the 'do-it-yourself' kind of people (such as myself) and should assume it will be the only source of information. If not, just refer the user to the instruction manual. Overall good book but I recommend caution. Look for other sources of information, gas welding is a serious matter.

Not very complete or accurate:
I returned this book because it had a number of faults. It was in general lacking in real detail compared to other references as published by the welding machine companies like Lincoln and Miller. It has a lot of mis-information, incomplete information and half truths. It has plans for some pretty poorly engineered trailers and other devices. After seeing his diary of a project toward the end of the book as a filler I realized that this was the same Finch who wrote the old Corvair book in the 70's and also had a project diary in the end as a filler. If this guy really insists he is a certified and or nuclear welding inspector I'd challenge that.

Another book for the shelf:
Perhaps I'm too tough on these authors. Over the past year I have purchased at least 5 of these types of books, and find myself disappointed at the lack of pertinent information. This particular book had some decent information on the various processes, but I do not feel that it went into any of the processes with enough detail. Finch states that you should learn GAS welding first. This was of no help to me. I purchased a MIG mainly to do sheetmetal / autobody repairs. I'd recommend looking at some of the welding manufacturers sites and buying technical manuals or videos from them rather than buy from Finch. Unfortunately, I will probably be too stupid to listen to my own advice next time I go to purchase a book. I'll come right back here and buy one of these crappy little paper-backs that don't give nearly enough information.