Gettin statred..

ya hey.. ive got a good bit on interest in fabriction, and oviously in cars.. im just wonderin were i cuold get started-like whats good tools and such?

What kind of fabrication? Metal, or fiberglass? Im pretty knowledgeable on metal, TSC is good on fiberglass, and everything.

lol way too braud of a question. depends on if your wanting to do really. If you wanting learn general metalworking skills I would suggest you go to a book store and buy a book on metal working and fabrication. Sence you mentioned cars a great book that I would definatlly recomend is Pro Paint & Body published by HPBooks. It covers pretty much all automotive restoration/body work/welding that you need to know, and has a refernce guide on where to buy tooks and it shows how to use all the tools that are mentioned in the book. Its very well written and is easy for a beginer to understand but has enough inforation for even a seasoned hobbiest to get something out of it. Sells for about $20 at book stores, you can get it on amazon.com for almost half that.

Most of it is going to take practice to perfect, and time and patience. If you have any more questions (a little more specific ones) there are several people here that can help. I'm mostly a composites person (fiberglass, kevlar, carbon fiber, ect), but GTMike can answer just about any welding questions and metal working.

metal fabrication mainly-fiberglass i have some experiance in-the rear quarter panel of my 93 ford escort lx got crushed in.. nice thing to try and pull...-But welding is mianly what i want to learn. What would be the strongest and most precise form of joining two types of thick metals? (lets say steel, stainless steel.etc) What would the equipment be? Id like to fix up an old Checker cab, it requires alot of body work. But more then just fix it up-tune it up. Put on a holly 420 Megablower supercharger.etc How would i go about making headers, exuast pipes, intake manifolds.etc gernaly i wish to learn everything there is to learn about welding-be it such a thing isnt even practical. Although as ive read you guys say Tig welding is prehaps the hardest form and the strongest, i suppose thats were id like to start off with. Ive no experiance what so ever.

As far as buying things.. well my budget is not in the least slack-ive no money. Nor a credit card. Making it rather hard to get started anywere.. if any of you guys worked in hamilton ontarioi suppose that would be a differnt story caus im 16 and need a job =P now that ive said somethings that have no place on this boardback to welding.. Were could i find stuff outlining the basics of TIG? (preferably internet)

oh and hey.. what is exactly needed to make a fiberglass dash and other such interior pieces?

Most everything you just asked about is covered in this forum, just read though some of the old posts.

I'm currently in the process of making all of that(fiberglass dash, intake manifold, exhaust manifolds, etc), so in a few months I'll be able to give you some tips. Right now I'm just doin the trial and error thing.

Ok Buddy, you want to do welding, I'll explain what I can. For some research, search the forum, I know I covered all the types of welding.

Keep in mind, welding is expensive as hell. When Im fabricating, I spend $20-$24 a week on Argon shielding gas. And I have a pretty decent size bottle.

TIG welding is the most precise, but the hardest, and most expensive. TIG welding is extremely versatile. Decent TIG welders start around $1200USD, and about $800USD used. I use an Miller EconoTIG, its about $1400-$1600USD. Then the bottle, which is rented, is a $100USD downpayment, and $20-$24USD for Argon refills.

MIG welding, is the easiest form, created just as good welds as TIG, and is cheaper. Its not quite as versatile as TIG, but as an amateur, you wont notice the difference unless you are welding thin shit. Some of Lincoln Electric's MIG welders are available as wire feed welders, thus you dont need Sheilding gas. MIG welders start at $350USD.

Anything else, post up. I'll help.

and ive just finished reading the intire form(along with any given links).. realy wouldhave thought thered be more there.
Now as far as types of welding"What makes it fun if its easy?" as you said in one of the earlyer threads mike, ill spend a bit extra and take the TIG. But thats a bit down the road. May be moving to alberta soon, and i dont have any money as i already mentioned =P. 16, no license, no beginners, no job, no experiance (sept auto shop im taking throughout the rest of my high school days)

The forum is very new, thats why there are just a few threads.

I just started thr forum 2months ago. Give it some time. Until then, ask me or Google. :) Or anybody else, we're all here to learn and help.

ah i see, i see.. just one last thing for now-anyone know how the hell you use the members gallery to post pictures? cuas i aint got the damnest clue..
*fiddles with rhinocerous* good program this, tis a shame then when you run through a practice the bloody thing auto-saves..:disappoin

up at the very top under the blue nissan skyline there is a link that says gallery, click it.

we're all here to learn and help.

I'm just here to laugh and riducule. Heh.

hmm.. ok.. let me refraise that.. how do you upload pictures?

ya and one last thing-for now-again.. when making a fiberglass interior door panel.. how can it be secured? like.. do you have to remove the origonal plastic strips that hold it to the doors frame? (like on my 93 2-door ford escort?)

once you click the gallery button, on the right hand side there will be a link that says "upload pictures". You can use factory style clips or screws. Those escorts have two screws in the handle you pull the door shut with, put scews in those locations and use clips around the outside edges would be the easyest thing to do. But remember those also have the rubber piece that goes up agaisnt the window built into them so you will have to incorperate that into the new door pannels.

i swear that ive gotta be blind or something causi just eralised you had to log in seperatly inoder to use the gallerys. BAH... as far as the panels-sounds good, all i needed to know, eventualy ill get round to maken some nice customs. thanks for the help. (oh and that there rubber piece is a bitch to get back in after removing it.)

I'v tore appart escort interiors many many times, I could do it with my eyes closed.

lol, i myself realy like the body of the 93 ford escort lx, with a 1.9 mounted under the hood. Good little reliable cars-even with 258k under the hood.. 900 bucks, plus 2000 in parts, oil, and general maintance sence we bought it last year. Then a nice dent in the side unfortunitly-almost reparied, to cold to apply body filler now(wich i coulda put a nice piece of steel in place of the filler-eventualy i will). Any ideas how i might repair a rusted out rocker panel(7ft of metal by 2 inches gone) exterior, and a bit of the interior one?

Weld in a patch pannel. If you've put $2000 in parts in a 93 escort, I wouldnt consider that a good car. There reliable, till they break. I had a 95 four door. I'm probably going to be building a rotory powered 96 escort wagon soon. Going to be converted into a two door though. And possably sport a completely Kevlar body.

There reliable, till they break.

Thats hilarious...that might have to go in my sig.

ya by the looks of it im just goin to try and find a better car, ider that or turn this one into a stock car witha nice v-8... sounds like a good idea ya got there to. any ideas (number wise) if rotory is stronger then a piston style?