ar design

Looking for a college or trade school etc with those courses, anyone know?

Trango

Like, are you looking to learn how to weld, machine, use basic power tools, etc?

For instance, a guy named Sid up here at CU runs a one week class teaching welding and basic "don't cut off your numbly bits" shop safety. I also know that Front range in Golden has machining classes. I furthermore am sure that there is a semester long basic welding class somewhere in Dtown that will also cover basic shop tools, but probably not power fab tools (these are easy numbly bit seperators).

What sort of projects are you interested in, and what skills are you looking to acquire? This last question isn't so much about finding a suitable school, but more to advise you what tools you can just start buying and using without getting too much over your head or using with bad habits.

Oh yeah - learn how to SMAW (stick weld) well on an AC machine, and you can pretty much weld anything you ever need, with any process.

HTH

ar design

I took woodshop in highschool, and have been around tools, construction, etc for a looooooong time before highschool. ...... As far as welding goes, I was wanting to learn how to TIG..... but you think SMAW is better? I need to build an exhaust system, charge pipes, brackets, manifold, etc etc. Actually want to make the charge pipes out of something other than metal though (shhhhh!)

As for the composites fab, I want to learn the basics on making things with composites - carbon fiber, fiberglass, kevlar, etc. Learn about materials, tools, processes (making molds, making parts etc), and get a lot of hands-on time.

I wouldnt mind also learning english wheel etc.....

kalgra

I would like to know about this as well.

OOOOya

I wouldn't stick weld it though. I think what Bob was getting at is that if you can master stick welding, everything else is a walk in the park.

I know there are classes offered at Metro State downtown in "hot metals" (welding, foundry...) and "cold metals" (mill, lathe, sheetmetal...)

ar design

I know MIG would work, but I have an obsession for the look of TIG welds.......

de (-eeez_nutz)

the "row of nickels" look is pretty hot

cpayne

Front Range offers a Welding Class in Westminster

Trango

...I can stack up SMAW (and even pulse the MIG) to look like dimes, too. This is dependant on filler and gauge, but just saying.

Also, "dime-stack" TIG is equally as dependant on puddle control, filler, material, etc.

TIG also takes about 10 times longer than MIG, and is much more demanding about fitup, material selection, cleanliness, etc. It's true "boutique" welding.

MIG (and related safety) is something you could learn in an evening. TIG technique will take you days, if not weeks, of practice to use competently.

For instance, you could drop $500 on a new MIG machine that would handle every light fab task an Audi could dish out (including aluminum, with the right gas and a spool gun) and be making stuff by the end of a weekend.

You know, if you ever want the skinny on all this stuff, come up to Boulder and I'll lay it on you over a lunch or something.

Oh yeah - the english wheel gets alot of press, but rarely do people need it. Body hammers and dollies will be fine for basic metal shaping, but if you're interested in thin sheet metal shaping (body work, essentially), I would be amazed if you could learn that stuff by doing anything short of a full body apprenticeship - bodywork and aesthetic sheetmetal work is super advanced metalwork.

ar design

Have you fooled with composites at all?