learning body work

I think a good recommendation on a "home" MIG welder, your own commitment, and Youtube will get you just as far as a semester of classroom.
Maybe spend some time with a copy of "Machinery's Handbook" in the properties of materials section.
Make yourself spend 2 hours per night either studying or welding on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a few months and you'll be on it.
The CC route is good if you seek certification...
 
Go find some scrap body panels and start following Youtube/forums as mentioned above. The best thing you can do is to do it yourself. If you screw up, sand it down to bare substrate and start over.

Go buy some sanding blocks (I like Durablock), get an inexpensive set of hammers and dollies, stock up on sand paper of varying grit. Work on getting panels straight with filler first. Then move onto metal working (shrinking/stretching) metal to avoid excessive filler. Once you have a handle on that, buy a nicer HVLP spray gun and practice practice practice.

If you want to save yourself some cash, skip the class and start in the garage. Buy a descent welder. I like the Lincoln Mig 180 (220V) for HD home use. You can get the 110V Mig 140 for a lot less cash too.

If you get into it and want to get deeper, then sign up for a class and go.
 
91trunk said:
If you're truly interested check out Washtenaw C.C. I have a few contacts over there and I also have a few employees going there now. It's not really a "pick it up quick" hobby though. I wish there were more younger folks going into the field, not enough body techs, plenty of "painters" though. Pre-madonna Painters like OJ :lol:
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easy there pumpkin.... But you are right, there are plenty of painters and even more people who want their shit painted for pennies, lmfao!!!!!

To the original poster, when you do start painting be sure to keep it to yourself!!!! Everyone will want you to practice on their restorations!!!!
 
orangejuiced86 said:
easy there pumpkin.... But you are right, there are plenty of painters and even more people who want their shit painted for pennies, lmfao!!!!!

To the original poster, when you do start painting be sure to keep it to yourself!!!! Everyone will want you to practice on their restorations!!!!
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lmao so true
 
I have been learning on my own for a few years. It is an expensive hobby to make mistakes at. To do a good job it is hard work for sure.

There no better feeling than doing your own stuff and watching it turn out awesome
 
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I'm not a body or paint guy but I have some experience with some friends that do it for a living. Some tips would be it's easier to ad filler then to sand it off lol, big compressor( 2 stage for piece of mind), and a shit ton of a.d.d medication to keep you focused lmao. Good luck
 
All jokes aside, I learned by doing it. I remember staring at my rusted out Coronet, saying to my friend "what the hell am I gonna do, I don't even know where to start". And he says, "fuck it, cut the 1/4 panel off!" So I did, and at that point I was committed hahaha. I had people I could ask for help, and I made some mistakes too.
If I were you I'd just jump in & start a small project instead of going to class. If you had more spare time I could see school being the way to go. There's tons of people on this site that can give good advice, and usually the counter guys at the body supply store have a good grasp on materials & how to use them. I love doing the custom paint & metalflake as a hobby, and it's nice to know how to do bodywork in case you need to.
 
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Tell ya what. I'll leave my garage unlocked. Supplies are in the cabinets. Feel free to call with any questions. Go ahead and start on any of the projects laying around.
 
orangejuiced86 said:
Tell ya what. I'll leave my garage unlocked. Supplies are in the cabinets. Feel free to call with any questions. Go ahead and start on any of the projects laying around.
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Watch what you say, I might come over & spray some metalflake. Then you'll have an excuse to not paint in your garage anymore. It'll be contaminated for life!!!
 
I have a really good system for containing it, but it still gets everywhere and on everything. I've had pretty good luck not getting stray flakes in things I don't want flaked, but they still show up now & then. All well, I enjoy the hell out of doing it.
 
I don't have the time to dedicate to an actual class... but if there was somebody here who would be willing to help a noob with the basics of mig welding on say... a few random Sundays, I would gladly pay for that.
 
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