For those with the will, but not the skill...
Discussion
If like me you have all the enthusiasm, but are seriously lacking in the necessary skills to deal with your classic project / restoration / daily driver etc, then I'd like to recommend a little investment of time and money in attending some basic training.
I recently went along to Leeds City College and attended a week long summer course dedicated to 'an introduction to welding'.
I had never had the chance to actually get my hands on a welding torch before and considering my liking for classics and 'different' motors, I thought it was about time I picked up some of the skills that might help to keep them on the road (thats aside from the amount of money Ive paid others to weld things up in the past).
The course I attended covered the basics of welding safety and set-up, as well as giving lots of opportunity to practice what you've been shown. The course was taken by Terry Devaney who makes it look painfully easy, but is calm and relaxed enough to realise that practice will eventually make perfect from his students.
The surroundings in their dedicated massive workshops are fantastic, with more equipment and machinery than you are likely to have seen before. They have everything from the 4 post lifts, to spray ovens, to lathes, to welding bays, to metal folders, rollers and all sorts. An absolute aladins cave of gear.
I came away with the confidence to 'have a go' and am looking forward to finding a basic project to try and practice my new found skills!
I would recommend this (and any of their other courses) to anyone wanting to get hands on with their restoration skills.
They have recently added a facebook group to keep people updated of courses and events - which you can find here:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=133155766715...
They were a nice bunch of people too!
I've done my little bit to promote them anyway, and hope that maybe a a few others like me, who didnt have the experience or confidence, may find the enthusiasm to take on more jobs or even a complete resto project themselves.
The week course was 395 quid for a week.
They run a year long restoration course which is about 3950 I think, and Im pretty sure would be a great investment in your own skills if you had the time.
If anyone would like to know more about it, please feel free to contact me, or I would encourage you to contact the guys at Leeds to see what they may be able to offer.
Dom
I recently went along to Leeds City College and attended a week long summer course dedicated to 'an introduction to welding'.
I had never had the chance to actually get my hands on a welding torch before and considering my liking for classics and 'different' motors, I thought it was about time I picked up some of the skills that might help to keep them on the road (thats aside from the amount of money Ive paid others to weld things up in the past).
The course I attended covered the basics of welding safety and set-up, as well as giving lots of opportunity to practice what you've been shown. The course was taken by Terry Devaney who makes it look painfully easy, but is calm and relaxed enough to realise that practice will eventually make perfect from his students.
The surroundings in their dedicated massive workshops are fantastic, with more equipment and machinery than you are likely to have seen before. They have everything from the 4 post lifts, to spray ovens, to lathes, to welding bays, to metal folders, rollers and all sorts. An absolute aladins cave of gear.
I came away with the confidence to 'have a go' and am looking forward to finding a basic project to try and practice my new found skills!
I would recommend this (and any of their other courses) to anyone wanting to get hands on with their restoration skills.
They have recently added a facebook group to keep people updated of courses and events - which you can find here:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=133155766715...
They were a nice bunch of people too!
I've done my little bit to promote them anyway, and hope that maybe a a few others like me, who didnt have the experience or confidence, may find the enthusiasm to take on more jobs or even a complete resto project themselves.
The week course was 395 quid for a week.
They run a year long restoration course which is about 3950 I think, and Im pretty sure would be a great investment in your own skills if you had the time.
If anyone would like to know more about it, please feel free to contact me, or I would encourage you to contact the guys at Leeds to see what they may be able to offer.
Dom
Bump.
Perhaps I should have made the title a little clearer rather than trying to be cryptic. (Mods:- Restoration Courses - learn welding/fabrication etc).
I'd like to give everyone the opportunity to advance their skills, and also give Leeds uni the exposure for being the apparent 'centre' for anyone wanting to learn restoration skills in the UK.
I know there are other courses offered such as contourcraft, which I have no doubt are also excellent, but Leeds will only be able to continue to run their courses at the prices they currently do if they have the numbers of students to justify it.
It was already apparent that with a recent combining of the colleges in Leeds, that money was a big driving force, and it would be a very sad loss for those of us who want to be able to learn how to look after our old cars if it disappeared.
I will update again as and when I hear what courses are being offered and when.
Perhaps I should have made the title a little clearer rather than trying to be cryptic. (Mods:- Restoration Courses - learn welding/fabrication etc).
I'd like to give everyone the opportunity to advance their skills, and also give Leeds uni the exposure for being the apparent 'centre' for anyone wanting to learn restoration skills in the UK.
I know there are other courses offered such as contourcraft, which I have no doubt are also excellent, but Leeds will only be able to continue to run their courses at the prices they currently do if they have the numbers of students to justify it.
It was already apparent that with a recent combining of the colleges in Leeds, that money was a big driving force, and it would be a very sad loss for those of us who want to be able to learn how to look after our old cars if it disappeared.
I will update again as and when I hear what courses are being offered and when.
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