Learning Fabrication techniques... Need suggestions

[Komelika]

Does anyone have suggestions for fabrication books or videos for beginners? I'd like to take classes at the community college but I work nights and their classes do not fit my schedule at all. Thanks!

[nutz4sand]

Getting a nice welder and tools like a saw and a notcher are a good start.

Try to get cheap "scrap" metal out of the dumpster of the local metal shops for practice welding. Cut and weld angles and notches and notches at angles. Once you can do this good on a scrap you good for the "bones" of a frame. This will show you how to notch (round tubing used) or good angle cutting (square tubing).

Finding a set of good plans and building a simple buggy after that would be a good way to learn. Then you can ride the simple buggy while you build a nicer fancier one with what you learned from the first.

[Bullnerd]

Google "Ron Fournier"

[Bullnerd]

Here you go.
Fournier Enterprises {About}
When i was in about 6th grade(40 now) the only book i carried was The metal fabrictors handbook!
I knew every page of that book!

[Komelika]

Thanks a lot guys!

[TutTech]

Something else that might help if again this fits and can work is to find a local shop that does fab work talk to the owner to see if he could use a free hand for a couple hours at the time that fits your schedule. You will clean help out, etc. for a couple hours a day if at the same time you can practice or learn how to do stuff. Just watching how to do something really is my big thing. Once I see how to do it then I can go and practice doing it.
Depending on your tools you may have to see how to do it and learn how to do it with your own tools.
For example before a notcher I had to use a 4 inch grinder and grind and make all my notches for my first go kart wit that.
But I saw that you needed to notch so made sure I notched.
Get what I mean?

Might help?
Look through the site there is tons of examples and everything from everyday builders to full blown buggy builders on here.
So look around and take in as much as you can.
Ask questions and welcome to the site.

Tut

[kevin quesenberry]

I was lucky, had a friend who's dad had an old Craftsman stick welder, a scrap pile under the bench, and a lot of patience! I built my 1st buggy with that welder and a 4" Makita. I've since learned mig and tig, but I am most comfortable with mig. For me, being shown how really made a difference. From that point, it becomes practice. Probably depends on what kind of learner you are. There was another book by Motor Books I saw years back, but I cannot remember the name. It showed misc. sheetmetal techniques as well.

[Komelika]

I think I picked up mig pretty well. I had a little practice when I had my sand rail a few years ago and I just bought a Hobart Handler 140. I built a towbar under the careful eye of a friend who welds really good. He taught me quite a bit. I definitely have a lot to learn, but I understand it pretty well. I think I have enough of a grasp to put together a chassis. What I need to learn is bending, notching, and other fabrication principles, but that comes with practice too.

[N8ball]

There is as Tut said a wealth of knowledge here on this site that is specific to buggy building and to metal fab in general so definitely look around and ask ?'s.

You also might want to look around on you tube. I can't vouch for any particular vid but there are many steel fabrication videos that come up if you search for it. That is how I learned wood turning before I got a lathe. Practice is the best teacher but just seeing it done is a big help for me.

[Komelika]

Another good suggestion 8ball. The more I think about it, the more I think I need to just buy some plans, a good bender, and a notcher and just go for it. If the plans entail as much detail as everyone describes then it should be straight forward enough. The other thing I was worried about was the cost of the parts that I won't be able to make. I should have a price list soon. I think I should be able to get someone local to punch out a lot of it for a decent price. I know a machinist and he probably has some pretty good connections. Standfast lives nearby and I plan on picking his brain when I get a chance to go see his car as well.

All I know is I can't stop thinking about building one of these things. I get a little giddy when I think about flying down the wash in something I built from ground up. Doug Heim's damn videos aren't helping much either!