Should I learn to weld, how to design LED lighting, or fire dance? 1

[casseopeia]

While unemployed, I have been looking for ways to fill my time with projects. I now have an opportunity to work as a volunteer for The Crucible, a non-profit creative arts and education facility that has classes in stone cutting, metal working, foundry, electronics, kinetics, sculpture, fire dancing, welding, etc. As a volunteer I can choose any class at no cost.

Although fire dance is intriguing, I don’t really have any intention of using it in performance. I don't have anywhere to practice and there aren't many places to do it other than Burning Man.

So now I’m looking at the class list within the framework of learning something that would look good on my resume. Mig and Tig welding are a consideration because they have special all girls classes, but then machining and electronics look interesting as well.

So if you were going to hire a forensic architect to gather and analyze field data for various types of building and structural failures, what would be best? Seriously, I’m really torn.

Here's a link to their class overview if interested...

http://thecrucible.org/classes/overview-of-classes

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[KENAT]

I was just thinking, the LED lighting might not be especially useful for your current litigation/failure specialisation. However, if LED lighting takes off and you want to get more into the design side - it might be useful to have.

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[btrueblood]

I'd think welders probably have longer life expectancies than fire dancers...but have no data on which to base that assumption

Fire, no plasma torch dancing...with LED's...I'd go see that show!

 

[Ron]

Cass...definitely welding...good for the forensic side. I was a certified welding inspector for about 10 years and I held certification as an ASNT Level III for radiography for quite a while as well. Both gave me credibility when I would opine on poor welding in a building structural failure or a product failure.

 

[SomptingGuy]

Wasn't there a film in the 80's about a women that welded by day and danced by night?

- Steve

 

[Ron]

Flashdance...Jennifer Beals

 

[SomptingGuy]

Note to self: Avoid subtle references in these waters.

- Steve

 

[IRstuff]

That was subtle?

TTFN

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[casseopeia]

I hope that is where the similarity ends because I have no plans to go back to the tragic big hair of the 80's

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[IRstuff]

But, if you could gain J.B.'s 80's body?

TTFN

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[casseopeia]

Actually all of the dance sequences were performed by a French dancer including the now famous water shot. I take a workout class on Fridays where we sometimes do chair routines and still call a certain move the "Jennifer Beals"

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[Ron]

Steve...any reference to Jennifer Beals requires comment, subtle or not!

 

[TheTick]

If you screw up welding, you could be fire-dancing in no time.

 

[IRstuff]

Yes, I remember the bit about the French dancer. Nonetheless, JB's body was still nothing to sneeze at. She was recently (~1 yr ago) cast in an occasional part "Lie to Me," and she's held up pretty well over the last two decades.

TTFN

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[racookpe1978]

Definitely welding.

Then add it to your resume as a one-liner:

"Personal skills: Welding, machining and metal work, stone cutting. Volunteer instructor at xxx for yyy months teaching new users and young adults."

Shows you have skills - but doesn't "fake it" by claiming you are certified or are a "actual welder." Shows you are active, alive, and do contribute - all skills missing too often in most companies. Shows you can TEACH others, and have real world experience teaching adults. Also skills needed more today as the experienced workers retire out.

By the way, real welders don't "feel the force" ... They ARE the force, using every mental joule they've got forcing the melted liquid upwards, sideways, and backwards into those cracks and crevices where it doesn't want to flow, and holding up the plasma against gravity forcing it to bridge gaps and canyons where steel shouldn't go.

 

[casseopeia]

I got the position and start next week. I also got the full tour and decided I'll probably start with TIG welding. Now I have to scrounge around my yard for metal scraps to use, if only to just cut it up with the plasma torch.

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[KENAT]

How about Super Roofa's vehicle?

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[casseopeia]

KENAT. You are certainly good at reading between the lines, or you're psychic.

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[KENAT]

Not to brag, but I think I do OK reading between lines - must be all the practice I've had.

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[Careful34]

I'm rather surprised at how everyone thinks a course in welding will help much professionally. It's a handy skill to have if you work on your own stuff, but you won't be Doing any welding as a forensic architect (or any sort of engineer typically), and you don't really need to weld to tell a decent weld from a lousy one, and to really know if a weld is good I believe you have to at least x-ray it. Machining or electronics sound more useful.

 

[ewh]

Congrats, Cass!!!
As for how much a welding course will help professionally, I have always felt that it was a good idea to get a feel for what the guys in the trenchs do.

"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]