Since there really isn’t a way of reading yourself into the techniques and performing welds—a good reference &amp; guide is only as good as you make use of it, helping you while you practice hands-on welding. It does a tremendous job at teaching in-depth on the technical aspects such as the proper rods, abrasives, gas &amp; anything that can be funneled down to strict information needed.<br><br>I did read through it and coupled with a YouTube swath of Essential Craftsman, AvE &amp; Weld.com — this gave me a great intro and laid the groundwork that I need. I’m a wood carpenter and won’t be doing this for a profession. Anyhow I’ve found im going to use this book most as a reference I’ll turn to when I’m doing any welding projects. It’ll help me make decisions, straighten out some technique along the way &amp; etc. Great resource!