20 of the Best Welding Books to Go from Beginner to Expert

Want to know about the best welding books? Finding it challenging to select the right book that will help you learn the tricks of the trade? You are at the right place. Here we will reveal our pick of top 20 welding books that will help you go from starter to master.

Beginner books on welding

1. Learn to Weld: Beginning MIG welding and Metal Fabrication Basics

The book will teach you the basics of Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding and metal fabrication process. The book contains techniques that will allow you to practice welding projects in your home studio. With the help of the detailed and illustrative tutorials, you will learn about the process of grinding and cutting.

Learn to Weld teaches you about setting up a studio at your home. You will learn about the right safety equipment. Moreover, you will learn about safety procedures to avoid injuries when welding. The book contains easy-to-understand instructions on using different welding tools.

A great feature of the book is the detailed index that serves as a quick reference. The DIY book contains all the information required to get started. Initial exercises may seem simple. But they lay the foundation for more complex welding skills. The book is well written and targeted to beginners.

2. Welding Fundamentals

Written for junior high students, the book is best for students who are taking welding classes for the first time. In this book, you will find a lot of topics on different welding techniques such as shielded metal arc welding, oxyfuel gas welding, gas metal arc welding, Gas tungsten Arc Welding, resistance welding, and flux-cored arc welding.

The book contains detailed, easy-to-understand illustrations. The charts and tables illustrate the right variables for each welding project. The book also includes a lot of technical information for weld testing and inspection, welder qualification, and welding symbols.

You will find updated safety information regarding electrical and chemical hazards. The book contains eight sections that you can read in sequence or independently. You should buy this book if you are preparing for the AWS SENSE Level 1–Entry Welder certification.

3. Welding for Dummies

Welding for Dummies is yet another excellent book for beginners. The book contains simple and practices advice on completing different types of welding projects. In this book, you will find information about evaluating materials for melding. You will also know about the process of welding, including detailed information on MIG, TIG, stick, flux-core, and oxy fuel cutting.

Beginners can grasp the basic welding concepts, such as proper finishes and safe welding techniques. Moreover, there are also sections on selecting the best welding products for different projects. The book also contains welding best practice tips. You will know the right technique to weld various types of projects.

The book is well-written and easy-to-understand. You will find a lot of information not found in most welding books such as acetylene welding and cutting. Moreover, the book contains information about plasma cutting that you won’t find in many other publications. Overall, this is an excellent book for beginners who want to transition to expert welders. 

4. how to weld

The book contains fourteen chapters that inform you about tools, safety processes, and welding techniques. You will learn about using different types of tools and equipment that are used in the metal fabrication process. Moreover, you will learn about the different types of metals and properties.

In this book, you will find information about gas welding, braze welding, arc welding, shielded metal arc welding, and tungsten arc welding. The book contains exercises at the end of each chapter that will help you practice the concepts. Every section is illustrated with colored photos that explain the techniques in detail.

The book starts with a brief history of welding. It teaches different types of welding processes and the safety practices in the initial chapters. You will read about examples of poor welding jobs. Overall, the book is a must-read for beginners and those who want to refresh their necessary welding skills.

5. TIG Welding: GTAW need to know for beginners & the DIY home shop

If you want a welding book for TIG welding, you should consider reading this book. The book is written for beginners. The chapters cover the basics of welding, including information about proper materials, safety techniques, and methods.

You will find in-depth information about protective equipment to use when welding. The book contains information about different TIG welding methods. It is intended for a newbie and not suitable for welders who want new information about TIG welding.

The book is excellent for those who want to take on welding as a career. You will learn about the basics on your own time using your own TIG machine. Learning about the basics will give learners a big leg up over others in a welding class when starting from zero.

6. Ready, Set, Weld!: Beginner-Friendly Projects for the Home & Garden

The big is one of the best books for beginners with clear and concise information about DIY welding. You can learn about welding different types of home and garden projects. There are lots of illustrative, colorful photos that teach you about welding techniques.

The book is best for the newbie who seems to be intimated by the welding projects. In this book, you will find out easy-to-craft projects with clear instructions and illustrative photos. The book contains step-by-step instructions that will give you confidence in welding projects.

In this book, you will find out basic information welding. You can weld different items using simple metal parts such as roads and bars found in a salvage yard. After reading the book, you will learn how to create a garden chair using parts from an old tractor seat. Moreover, you will know how to weld and create a tri-fold screen, plant stand, and many other items for the garden. 

7. Farm and Workshop Welding: Everything You Need to Know to Weld, Cut, and Shape Metal

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The book contains information about welding on farm equipment, cars, and motorcycles. It has lots of tips and suggestions for beginners to improve welding. The book is well illustrated, making it easy to learn the basic concepts. You will find information about conventional welding techniques.

The book contains practical information on welding safety, metal identification, workshop techniques, cast iron welding, hard facing, pipe welding, soldering, taps, dies, and drill sharpening. There is helpful advice to avoid common mistakes that will help you save money and time. You will be able to tell the difference between good and bad welds by looking at high-resolution images. 

You will learn about different welding techniques for creating and repairing metal equipment. The book contains detailed information on MIG welding, stick welding, TIG welding, gas welding, and plasma cutting. The book also includes a section on basic blacksmithing and plastic welding. Reading this book is a must if you want to become a certified welder.

8. Hobart Pocket Welding Guide

This is an excellent welding book that can serve as a reference for students who are learning about welding. The full-color pocket guide gives a brief overview of different welding processes. You will learn about welding symbols, filler metal selection, metal identification, joints, and welding position.

The book is excellent for beginners who are interested in learning about a wide range of welding techniques. In the book, you will find information about preheat temperatures for different metals. Moreover, the reference book contains information on the latest AISI designation for low alloy steels and carbons.

A great feature of the book is the troubleshooting guide. You will learn about the techniques to identify and correct welding mistakes. The book teaches about common welding issues and solutions. The latest edition of the book contains information about filler metal selection for welding ASTM steels. Moreover, the book includes definitions of different welding terms, metric conversion tables, and much more.

9. Welding: Principles and Applications

If you want a reference book that contains basic but comprehensive information about welding, this is the book for you. The book is a full encyclopedia of welding with 1000 pages. The table of contents of the book consists of 11 pages.

You will find a wealth of information regarding welding that will help you prepare for the AWS level I and II certification program. The book covers basic welding and cutting process. You can find varied topics relating to welding, such as calculating costs of welding projects and welding inspection.

The practice lessons, including the in the book, will help you prepare for the certification course. In this book, you will find information about advanced techniques as well, such as laser beam heat treating and magnetic pulse welding. The book also contains lots of colorful illustrations. The high-quality photos will make it easy for you to learn basic welding techniques. 

10. Welding Complete: Techniques, Project Plans, and Instructions

Welding Complete is yet another excellent book for beginners. In this book, you will read about decorative and practical welding techniques. This is a must-buy book for welding enthusiasts who want to learn about different welding techniques for metalwork projects.

The book contains more than 30 welding and metal fabrication projects. You will find information regarding materials used in welding projects. The book also contains illustrated plans and blueprints. There are lots of high-quality pictures that provide detailed information about welding.

The welding projects in the book are grouped into three categories. The shop category includes information about a portable welding table, curtain, grinder stand, cylinder rack, and more. In the home category, you will find information about the coffee table base, room divider, nightstand, nesting table, and many other projects. Lastly, the garage and yard section contains illustrative information about creating patio bench, trellis, trailer frame, and much more.

Intermediate books on welding

11. Introduction to Welding: Welding Process Training Series

Welding process training series is another excellent book. The book contains detailed information about electric arc welding. In this book, you will find out full-color text related to material joining, arc welding, and welding joint types. The book also contains information about different welding terms and definitions.

The book was initially prepared by a well-known equipment manufacturer, Miller Electric, for its employees. In this book, you will find out information about auto repair welding. The training series contains necessary information about metal cutting, shielded metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, submerged arc welding, gas metal arc welding, aluminum welding, and hard facing.

You will find out information about troubleshooting welding processes. The book contains information about different metals used in welding. Moreover, you will find information about necessary safety measures when welding. The book is a good investment for auto mechanic shop owners who want to train new employees about the basics of welding.

12. Audel Welding Pocket Reference

The Audel reference book contains detailed information about welding definitions and symbols. In this book, you will find information related to different types of welds and joints, oxygen cylinders, welding station configurations, US metric measures, and arc-welding charts.

With this handbook, you will learn the correct tools used for different metals. You will also learn about safe metal cutting practices. In this book, you can find out information about sticks, TIG, and brazing. The book contains information about the bonding of different metals and alloys.

You will find tons of useful information regarding different metals processes and terms from oxy fuel and deadly gases to joints and soldering. You can find information on different welding positions, welding, brazing, and much more. The book is not a textbook but serves as an excellent reference book for different welding techniques.

13. Horseshoe Crafts: More than 30 Easy Projects You can Weld at Home

This is an excellent book for people with intermediate-level welding skills. As the title suggests, the book contains over 30 DIY projects for welding projects you can try at home. The book will walk you through the steps in creating simple to complex items using horseshoes.

You will learn about the tools that are required to build welding projects. The book also contains instructions on setting up the machines. The book highlights the creative possibilities of horseshoes. You will learn how to use the welding tools to finish different types of projects such as picture frames, bowls, holders, paper towel, and drink racks.

The book contains detailed illustrations for many different projects. You will find step-by-step instructions on welding projects. The book will teach you how to transform the welding skills into an outlet for creative expression. You will learn how to use the welding tools to finish different types of projects such as picture frames, bowls, holders, paper towel, and drink racks. The book will help you master the craft of creating indoor and outdoor house decor items using your welding skills.

14. Welding Skills

Welding Skills is a great reference book for individuals with intermediate welding skills. The book contains detailed information about essential welding processes. In this book, you will find out advanced information about metal identification and welding processes.

The book contains lots of illustrations that make it easy to follow the text. You can learn about advanced welding terminology and processes. The book includes information on significant cutting and welding processes. The content of the book is well-written that results in easy comprehension of complicated terms.

In this book, you will find out information about intermediate level welding skills exercises. The book contains a detailed section on welding safety. The book includes information on the latest welding techniques such as Flux Cored Arc Welding, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, and gas metal arc welding. Moreover, you will find a section on dissimilar metal welding, and AWS SENSE recommended content.

15. Metals and How to Weld Them

The book contains detailed information about different types of metals. In this book, you will learn about the internal structure of metals. Moreover, you will learn about the properties and weld-ability of different metal types. The book discusses various methods that can be used for welding metals used in industries.

You will learn about modern welding methods. The book contains information on crystallography, heat treating, and preheating metals. The text in the book is accompanied by illustrative charts, photos, and diagrams. You will find out the key characteristics of steel alloys and learn about the fundamental processes in metallurgy.

The book will help you know which metal is best for different welding projects. A unique aspect of the book is that it takes a scientific approach to help readers understand the various welding projects. Most readers praise the conversational tone of the book that adds context to various welding projects.

16. The Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding

This book contains detailed information about arc-welding. You will find out advanced techniques and processes that are illustrated with photos, charts, and drawings. The content of the book is dedicated to the topic of arc-welding, including history, best practices, and applications. In this book, you will find out information about a lot of different arc-welding concepts, including submerged arc, dual-shield, SMAW, GMAW, and GTAW.

The book contains a lot of information on mastering the technique of arc-welding, shielding gas data, troubleshooting, geometry, and weld design. The book can serve as a handy reference book when carrying out welding projects,

The information contained in the book is informative and comprehensive. Whether you are in the final stages of your engineering degree or at the start of your career, you will find this book extremely helpful that you will refer again and again when working on welding projects.

17. Welder’s Handbook: A Guide to Plasma Cutting, Oxyacetylene, ARC, MIG and TIG Welding, Revised and Updated

Intermediate level welders will also love this book as it contains a comprehensive guide to advanced welding and cutting techniques. In this book, you will find out information about oxyacetylene, plasma cutting, MIG, ARC, and TIG welding.

The book consists of a detailed manual about the most common welding processes and safety techniques. You will find out information about cleaning and fitting metals for different welding projects. You will also know how to use the oxy welding technique to create heating metal and weld pools.

In the later sections of this book, you will find out information about unique processes for plasma cutting and other advanced techniques. Every welding job is evaluated from efficiency and performance point of view. After reading this book, you will not only learn about advanced welding techniques but also good welds.

Expert books on welding

18. Modern Welding

Modern welding is an excellent book for welders with expert level skills. The book contains complete coverage of advanced welding techniques. In this book, you will find information about different welding and cutting techniques.

You can find theory and practical application of different welding concepts. The book consists of over 900 pages making it an encyclopedia of welding. You can learn about modern welding techniques such as resistance welding and plasma arc cutting. The book contains illustrative photos to help readers understand the topic.

In this book, you will find out detailed sections on welding symbol testing, interpretation, and inspection. There are lots of tips and tricks for safe and effective welding. The book contains everything that is required to pass a welder certification. Moreover, the book can also serve the purpose of DIYers and backyard welders.

19. Welding Licensing Exam Study Guide

The book is ideal for experienced welders who want to prepare for a welding exam. The book contains all the information that will allow you to pass the exam on the first try. After reading the book, you will gain the skills required of a full-fledged welder.

This book is not intended for welders with beginner or intermediate level skills. You should first learn the basics of different welding concepts before tackling the book. In this book, you will read about welding math calculations tips. You will also learn about the latest safety procedures when welding. The information in the book will help you know about the best practices for welding like a pro.

The McGraw Hill series training guide contains over 200 illustrations and guides. You will find out information on a lot of different concepts, including oxyacetylene, shielded metal arc, braze welding, metal allows, tools and die steels, weld terminologies, and much more. This is a recommended book for experienced welders who want to get certified.

20. Math for Welders

Math for Welders is a combination of workbooks and text that will let you learn about necessary math skills for doing a proper welding job. You should get this book once you have read the beginner and intermediate welding books and obtained certification. Consider keeping the text in your tool chest as a reference for working on welding projects.

The book contains a lot of complicated formulas for different welding techniques. You will find information about calculating the right flux, amp setting, and wire-speed selection. The book is a must for experienced welders who work on different metals in an industrial environment.

After reading the book, you will know about achieving the correct weld penetration and thickness by setting the right amp setting. Each mathematical operation is fully explained, and instructions are written clearly to perform the required action. The book will serve you well throughout your welding career, making you a star welder.

Summary

The best welding books mentioned in this post will serve as a useful reference as you train and attend welding workshops. For beginners, expert supervision is essential as it will not only help you learn faster but also remain safe when welding. Make sure you take protective measures mentioned in the books to avoid injuries. 

Remember that learning to weld is similar to learning any other skill. You should first try to tackle the basic concepts and practice them before moving on to complex ones. You need to practice a lot if you want to gain mastery over the welding techniques. Books alone won’t make you a master welder.