Welding teachers at local high schools have a real challenge: to both teach the fundamentals of welding while providing new and exciting welding projects that capture the interests of students and keep them on task. Since welding is a very practical profession, it’s good to move from scrap metal to real projects as soon as possible. However, teachers always need new welding project ideas if they’re going to keep up with all of the students coming through their shops.
This month we’ve got you covered with 10 different kinds of welding projects for high school students or any other beginner welder.
Repair Household or Personal Items
While it creates more work for an instructor, simply asking students what they want to work on may be a good place to start or to plan a major end of year project. Some students may have items at home that need to be repaired. Others may have a hobby or special interest that they never connected with welding, from music to hunting.
There’s a good chance that some high school students would even love to work on a car to make some modifications, such as adding a new bumper or putting some custom racks on the back of a truck. Provided it’s a safe project that has the permission of the students’ parents, many welding students may be extremely motivated to learn how to do their own maintenance work on cars.
Gifts for Family Members
Around the holidays you can encourage students to make gifts for their family and friends. Book ends are one of the most common early welding projects, but students can make anything from a candlestick to a tool rack for their parents.
More ambitious students can explore technical art welding if they want something that is more customized to their parents’ interests, or they could read on for additional ideas. However, for the beginning welding student, it’s always a good idea to begin with a small win by working on a project they can start and finish quickly.
Furniture Welding Projects
Tables, desks, coffee tables, and wine racks are just a few of the many furniture welding projects that you can work on with students. Best yet, this projects generally call for similar materials and plans, so you can adapt each project to be roughly uniform, making for an easier instruction time, while still allowing students to work on projects that fit their needs or interests.
If you can partner with the school’s wood shop, you’ll be able to add custom-designed table tops to these projects and add another skill for each student.
City and Town Welding Projects
Welding students may be especially motivated to work on welding projects for their school, town, or city. By working on public projects, they’ll be able to show friends and family what they can create in the welding shop, adding an element of pride to their accomplishments. A custom sign project can also become a source of side income as students earn a reputation for their work.
In towns and cities with limited budgets, students can work on public projects that will be educational for them and beneficial to the community. For instance, as bikes take on a greater importance in cities, there will be a high demand for bike stands.
Music Welding Projects
You may not expect music to have many connections with welding, but guitar stands, speaker stands, microphone holders, and music stands can all be welded together. If a musician needs a custom-designed set up, welders can provide the exact lay out necessary.
If a music director at a high school has broken equipment, welders may be able to either repair it or fashion new equipment for them.
Yard Welding Projects
Backyard welding projects are especially ideal for beginners since they’re extremely practical and they have a wider margin for error than a piece of furniture that’s in the living room. A charcoal grill or fire pit have tons of examples online and don’t require significant welding experience. Smaller projects such as a plant stand or bench can still provide unique challenges for young welders.
Seemingly advanced projects such as welding an ornamental gate can be broken down into simple steps and only become “advanced” in terms of purchasing materials or bending metal for certain designs.
Hunting Welding Projects
Hunters are sorely in need of a variety of items that can be made in a welding shop. For instance, custom gun racks or gear bins can be fabricated or modified by students who already enjoy hunting.
Even a simple deer stand can be welded together in part or in whole at a high school welding shop. For hunters who need to get off the ground, a simple stand is a great place to start.
Farm Equipment
While farm projects won’t interest every student, there’s a good chance that some schools will have students who are interested in farming as a profession. If so, then they’ll need to learn how to weld machinery, gates, and equipment for their farms such as a sheep feeder. Encourage these students to visit a farm to see what needs to be replaced and to base their project on what they find.
Shelving Welding Projects
Shelves are a simple project that you can work on for home, work, or school, but welders can make particularly durable shelves that will be useful in a wide variety of applications. There are most likely plenty of staff members at your school who could use a new storage system in their rooms or closets, and a welding class can be a part of the solution.
Welding Shop Projects
It may go without saying that you could build a welding table, welder cart, or tool rack with your welding class, but when you’ve got a class full of students, you can also ask them what they think their welding shop needs. Students can work on welding projects that will make their shop more functional and user-friendly. Or perhaps they saw something online that they’d like to build for themselves.
