Learn to weld, step by step, with this beginner’s guide.

Welding for Beginners, adapted from Stephen Blake Christena’s Learn to Weld, has outlined the basics required to build a successful welding hobby and illustrated them in these pages. Both practical and inspiring, this book teaches you the basic equipment you will need, setting up your work area, techniques for beginners with project ideas for practicing your skills, dos and don’ts, and welding safety.

If you are inexperienced and want to start out strong—whether working in a home workshop, school workshop, blacksmith shop, or auto shop—this is the perfect reference. The projects illustrate the basic foundation techniques that every welder needs to know while also helping you tackle problems and fix mistakes as well as shortcuts and level-ups. Photographs and illustrations teach welding, and clear, concise, easy-to-read text takes all the confusion out of the learning processes. 

This easy-to-use book includes:

• Welding techniques for simple, practical repairs and small artisan home projects 
• Safety and protective gear
• Workshop set-up plans
• Basic equipment and upkeep
• Basic welding types, including arc and MIG
• Common mistakes and troubleshooting
• Project ideas
• Instructive photos showing process details for successful results 
• Tons of quick tips and welding hacks to give beginners a strong foundation to improve upon

Get welding!

Mother Earth News is pleased to bring you expert advice for self-sufficient living in the new and updated Collector Series: Modern Homesteading. This special guide brings you more than 40 articles covering self-reliant living, livestock and poultry, DIY projects, gardening, food and recipes, and more.

Our goal at Mother Earth News is to provide information and inspiration to help you live more simply, more securely, and more sustainably. Packed with timeless tips, beautiful photographs, and helpful charts, this collector series guide has more than enough information to get you thriving with your homestead.

Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve lived your whole life with your hands in the soil, you’re sure to find some helpful information to live a modern yet simple life on the homestead.

Selections from the 160-page softcover book include:

• Financial Planning for an Off-Grid Homestead – A young couple from Idaho shares their savings plan.
• Mob Grazing Made Simple – A mob of cows in a paddock system can help you cut hay expenses, improve soil, and maximize herd performance.
• 5 Affordable DIY Rocket Stoves – These compact cookers are the perfect addition to any homestead.
• Eat From Your Garden All Year – With these expert-recommended techniques and crop varieties, you can break through season barriers in your climate.
• Easy, No-Knead Artisan Bread – Methods guaranteed to make everyone a baker.
• Herbal Heart Tonics – Incorporate these five delicious herbs into your daily routine to strengthen and gladden your heart.
• Turn Food Scrapes into Poultry Feasts – Give your chickens additional nutrition by balancing their rations with good garden waste.
• Solar-Powered Pumps – Pump water with the power of the sun.
• Fruit Trees Pruned for Small Space – This revolutionary pruning method will enable you to grow any type and variety of fruit in small spaces.
• Brewing Beer: The Basics – Bottle your own beer by using four ingredients and following four steps.