How do I learn metalworking skills as a hobbyist? Books? Trial and error?

[PaperclipGod]

I've been recently interested in learning some metalworking skills. Not only welding, but stuff like bending, joining, and cutting as well. Mostly I'm interested in working with aluminum, but I'm sure there are basic skills I can learn that would carry over to all types of metal.

Does anyone here work in a field which requires metalworking skills? Anyone have any advice as to what would be the best way to go about learning this stuff?

I know there are tech schools that do training for this sort of thing, but they're pretty expensive and time-consuming for something I just want to learn as a hobby.

Any chance a local metalshop/bodyshop would be willing to show me some basic skills? I wish there were a place where you could "rent" a workshop... I've got room for my own equipment, but the stuff is incredibly expensive!

 

[Ramma2]

I know our community ed programs actually offer metal work and welding classes for cheap. Worth a look.

 

[Fenixgoon]

i was actually thinking of that too, since i'm studying materials engineering. lots of interesting stuff to do with steel/aluminum

 

[compman25]

I actually received an AA in Machine Tool Technology way back in the 80's. It was all welding, machining, blueprint reading, tool and die stuff. It was the most fun schooling I've had.

 

[Jimmah]

I'm a CNC programmer and tool and die maker, albeit I don't do it for a living anymore. Learned most of the useful machining stuff through college, but the welding and hand-based fabrication part was all trial and error. You really don't need the more expensive tools to practice, really just a simple bench drill press, vice, angle grinder and hobby welder (Lincoln Electric Mig Pak 10 is FABULOUS for simpler stuff), maybe a hammer too.

All this would likely cost less than a 10 week hobby shop class at a local college (here it's 550$ CAD for one, and they don't teach you anything just rent the shop for 2 hours a week).

Get this stuff, then go spend 40$ at a scrap yard and pick up some tube (1 1/2 - 1 7/8 OD 1/8 wall mild is what you're looking for) and some flatbar (2" wide by 3/16" thick is plenty) and possibly some square tube of similar sizes. Then, go home and make yourself some subframe connectors for you car with one of the many how-to articles people seem to always make. I guarantee 100% you will be beyond proud of yourself after doing something like this, and willing to take on other things of similar difficulty.

Really, it's all about practice. Practice practice practice, then practice some more when you screw it all up. Always start with steel then move onto aluminum, it's cheaper and the tools are easier to start out with (GMAW is much cheaper and easier to learn than GTAW).

Good luck

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: Jimmah
I'm a CNC programmer and tool and die maker, albeit I don't do it for a living anymore. Learned most of the useful machining stuff through college, but the welding and hand-based fabrication part was all trial and error. You really don't need the more expensive tools to practice, really just a simple bench drill press, vice, angle grinder and hobby welder (Lincoln Electric Mig Pak 10 is FABULOUS for simpler stuff), maybe a hammer too.

All this would likely cost less than a 10 week hobby shop class at a local college (here it's 550$ CAD for one, and they don't teach you anything just rent the shop for 2 hours a week).

Get this stuff, then go spend 40$ at a scrap yard and pick up some tube (1 1/2 - 1 7/8 OD 1/8 wall mild is what you're looking for) and some flatbar (2" wide by 3/16" thick is plenty) and possibly some square tube of similar sizes. Then, go home and make yourself some subframe connectors for you car with one of the many how-to articles people seem to always make. I guarantee 100% you will be beyond proud of yourself after doing something like this, and willing to take on other things of similar difficulty.

Really, it's all about practice. Practice practice practice, then practice some more when you screw it all up. Always start with steel then move onto aluminum, it's cheaper and the tools are easier to start out with (GMAW is much cheaper and easier to learn than GTAW).

Good luck

what about hammer forging and hot working in specific shapes?

 

[IronWing]

I understand there is some sort of tech school in MA. Can't think of the name offhand.

 

[IronWing]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

what about hammer forging and hot working in specific shapes?

You can start learning that with a hammer, piece of rail road rail or cheap vise anvil, a pair of big pliers, and a burnzomatic.

 

[Sluggo]

Start on page 2, with "shaping the bowl"

metalmeet.com

 

[iGas]

.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: Sluggo
Start on page 2, with "shaping the bowl"

metalmeet.com

The English wheel is an amazing piece of equipment, and mastering it takes years. It is really an art form.
I used one to make patches for the airplane, and scrapped a lot of metal in the process
You would be lucky to find a shop that would let you learn in exchange for cleaning up on Saturday. Besides that I don't know how you could break into learning metal besides going to a class or vocational school.

 

[Triumph]

I'm no expert yet, but I'm learning metal working in a fully outfitted machine shop. So I'm kind of spoiled. But if you have a garage, and no neighbors, get yourself an anvil, a vise, a big hammer, an acetylene torch, and go to town. Next on the list would be a grinder, a drill press, and a band saw. A dremel works great for (very) small scale cutting, grinding, buffing, deburring, and etching. Harbor Freight has almost all of this stuff, for cheap, so you can try it out and see if you like it. Home Depot or Lowes usually has a very small supply of bar and round stock, so find an industrial supplier for anything large or specific.

Course, it would help if you gave us an idea of what exactly you want to fabricate. Making a weather vane is a bit different than making something that actually has to support a load.

 

[Bryophyte]

Most colleges/universities that I've been around have classes you can take. I took some rec-center type welding/metalworking classes down at UC-Davis, they weren't horribly expensive, and I had full use of their equipment. The instructor was awesome.

 

[zinfamous]

Well, you've got ten fingers before you realize you aren't cut out for it.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: ironwing

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

what about hammer forging and hot working in specific shapes?

You can start learning that with a hammer, piece of rail road rail or cheap vise anvil, a pair of big pliers, and a burnzomatic.

For buuuuuuurnzzing, and when necessary, un-buuuuurnzzzing, I take it?

 

[Leros]

The last town I lived in had a place called the Advanced Technology Center. It held classes for the local high schools and a community college. Computer networking, Cisco, metal shop, auto shop, etc. They had all sorts of open-to-the-public classes for metal working, auto shop, etc.

 

[Dirigible]

Yeah, I'd either just dive in with some cheap equipment, take a class at the local community college, or take a class at somewhere like this: http://thecrucible.org/

 

[PaperclipGod]

The Crucible looks fantastic... any idea if there's something similar on the east coast?

I checked a couple local community colleges, and none of them offer metalworking courses. The closest thing I found was plumbing-oriented, and it was uber-expensive (like 3 grand) to certify you as a journeyman plumber or some crap.

 

[Fenixgoon]

can someone explain the english wheel to me? i don't get how it creates curved surfaces, unless you're applying pressure with the foot adjust at the same time (but then i'd expect rolling the sheet through to be far more difficult)

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
can someone explain the english wheel to me? i don't get how it creates curved surfaces, unless you're applying pressure with the foot adjust at the same time (but then i'd expect rolling the sheet through to be far more difficult)

Wiki is OK.

This vid shows how a complex part can be made.