Just signed up for a Welding class. 7 weeks 4 hours each week (one evening per week).

The local School District runs it. $75.

I am going to build Rockcrln (Kevin's) bed and cab lift for my projects.

I will take pics. I am very excited. Have to supply safety glasses, welding gloves and coveralls.

Look for one in your area.

ebfabman's DVDs says he assumes you know how to weld...Now I will.

good luck with it / thats the way i learned the basics

I did that at a local school district about a year ago. It was $90 for us and there was not much 'project time' - only the last day. Ours ran 4 hours every Wed. for 6 weeks. class size was about 12-15 and they provided everything for us. The curiculum for us was:

Day/week 1 - safety only, no tools touched
Day/week 2 - oxy/acetylene torch work and brazing
Day/week 3 - Oxy welding and Oxy cutting
Day/week 4 - Arc Welding (stick)
Day/week 5 - Mig and refreshers on other processes
Day/week 6 - project day & free practice - I brought in my arc machine and tig torch and we set it up and played with it

Great investment for less than a hundred bucks!!

They offer a Welding II class locally, after taking the first. It's also $90 and runs 6 weeks, 1 night a week, but it's pretty much free project work. Cool thing is you get to use the shop's tools - shear, break, stretcher/shrinker, any of the welding gear and consumables - you just provide the metal and the project plan.

I would recommend this for ANYONE even slightly interested.

Herb

I talked to the instructor. He said he does an intro the first night talking about safety and the different types of welding.

Then he turns everyone loose on the welders...lets them practice on the different types. He says mig is the most popular.

I will be building LFD's jigs...cab tilt and the cab and bed lift..

I talked to the instructor. He said he does an intro the first night talking about safety and the different types of welding.

Then he turns everyone loose on the welders...lets them practice on the different types. He says mig is the most popular.

I will be building LFD's jigs...cab tilt and the cab and bed lift..

Cool! - post up pics of the projects as they turn out!

Ask him about follow-up classes too - would be a good way to get projects knocked out without having to clean the garage.....

Herb

I am hoping he can also hook me into the local trades market...so I can meet some talented folks and get some good deals.

I am hoping he can also hook me into the local trades market...so I can meet some talented folks and get some good deals.

The packet of info we took at the end of the class had something like that - full list of supply places, gas places, steel sources for new and used - a bunch of hobby related resources for the local area. Be sure to be friendly with the others in the class too - one of the guys in my class has turned into a business associate and another was a hobbyist blacksmith - learned lots of cool stuff from him.

Herb

That is exactly what I am hoping...

I am generally nice to everyone unless they punch me.

I am hoping to get connected. I am a white collar guy who wants to be a blue collar guy.

Tim

I did the same thing almost 40 years ago. Its a great way to learn good welding habits. try welding with everting they have. You'll find that they all are usefull in the truck building field.

One piece of advise I give to all beginners is don't weld galvanized metal indoors or have the fumes go into your helmet. You'll think your going to die the next day . Its called metal poisioning and it makes you sick as a dog. If it does happen drink some milk.

Get a 3m 6000 series half mask with P100 type filters. buy a the 3m 6000 with the 2091 filter and it will fit under you helmet. Good luck

Man I cannot tell you how jazzed I am for this class tomorrow. I love learning new stuff...and building my network into the guys who can really help me locally to get some stuff done.

And whatever I can help with for them...I am thrilled to do so.

Man I cannot tell you how jazzed I am for this class tomorrow. I love learning new stuff...and building my network into the guys who can really help me locally to get some stuff done.

And whatever I can help with for them...I am thrilled to do so.

Have fun with your class tonight Tim!!:metal:

Herb

That is cool Tim, its great melting steel together. Take a look at the the site below, it is the premier metal workers website and reminds me a lot of this site.
I am pretty good gas welder, arc welder, and do well with a mig but I have never had the opportunity to tig weld, that is something I really want to do.

metal meet (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/index.php)

Jeff

Did the same thing and it was most definatly worth it.... even had to get "special permission" (lie about my age) so i could take it when i was too young ;)

OK...it is going well.

Here is a pic of a table I am making...I have made a pair of these....it will have a glass top and a glass shelf on the lower stringers.