Welding . . .

[Rred]

Here on post we have a really nice auto shop with a full machine shop, a welding shop, and a couple of old gear heads that float the shop with advice. I've always wanted to learn how to weld. So i'm thinking about building bumpers, rock siders, etc . . . Only cost about $2.50 an hr to rent a bay. I'd get my own materials, and go to town.

Anyone know how much materials run? It can't be to much right?

[timgco]

LAMO! :jump:

1: want to learn to weld. Great, it takes skill and practice/ not an overnight process.

2: Than you want to make bumpers, rock rails, etc. Do you have any idea on how to design, CAD, properly support these new accessories?

3: You haven;t priced material yet. soooooooo, i'm assuming youhave no idea what materials are even needed to make the products.


I'm going back out to my garage to make a deisel/ hydrogen, LP, gas burning kit to slap into my motorcyle that I can convert into a hang glider.

I thought you were buying a Bentley. Yoou should start your auto mechanic trade so you can afford to maintain that first.

[Rred]

That's an interesting and awsome input you had there . . .

[OrangeCrush]

That's an interesting and awsome input you had there . . .

Well Rred, he's not that far off the mark. I've been in the bodyshop business for 26 years and I can tell you it takes YEARS to weld proficiently and keep the structural integrity (especially if you want to make stuff like bumpers that might be involved in a crash)

Then there's the ability to weld up "some pieces of metal"...lol. I assure you it's much easier said than done to produce a quality piece, make it secure, attractive and functional.

I'm not knocking your desire to want to build any of these things but it's way harder than think.

I spent almost 4 hours cutting and welding my own muffler/tips setup on my mini cooper yesterday.... no wonder it took the guys that custom made the entire exhaust from the head back almost 9 hours to build it originally.

Good luck, just practice lots first...


Mark

[twr]

Hi you should try to make a few smaller things and see how its goes. I have been welding and fab. for over 25 years and i takes alot time to be a good welder and use other machine shop tools.

[Rred]

Your right, gotta crawl before you walk... But you gotta learn sometime. I have a couple good buddies that are pretty good. We'll see how it goes.