classes will just try to teach you basic techniques that would help get you started. Most people develop their own technique they are comfortable with. The most important info to take from a class would be the tech stuff like what size/type of tungsten to use on certain melt thicknesses and types and stuff like that how to setup the machine and use proper safety.
The actual making of a clean weld with proper penetration is a hands on skill that you will only get better at with practice.
I usually hold the torch like a pencil and always try to plant my pinky finger to something solid next to the weld as an index point. Im talking like on the work peice or a fixture that won't move from the weld area. This helps keep the torch more steady on small fillet welds and stuff like getting underneath the crossbar on some crowbars or something.
another thing is setting the machine to the proper amperage for whatever you are welding. You will probably learn what amps work best for certain metal thickness in class. But once you start welding you might decide to adjust differently depending on your technique. I know i like my pedal to be floored when I'm welding most the time. It makes balancing the heat easy, just floor it haha but sometimes i prefer to run my amps a little hot so i can run the pedal half throttle until i reach a thicker point of metal and i need more heat then i have a little more throttle left in the pedal to do it.
Keep in mind if you are always welding new things you will constantly have to learn different techniques. And you will never run out of room for improvement no matter how many times you repeat the same welds.
Hope this helps. This sport needs more people like you who are willing to put in work.
and yes deffinetly do TIG. If you can TIG you can do anything. going from wire feed (MIG) to TIG is harder than going from TIG to MIG.
