Im looking at some of the builds that people are doing and thinking to myself where do you even start learning to do some of this work. So how did everybody get started whether it be welding school or trial and error?

 

Books, school, trial/error, family, friends, websites, and forums.

 

In your opinion what were the best books

 

Whichever ones tell you what you want to know. I have very few book. Experience, trial and error and web sites have told me a lot about that I want to do.

 

First thing I remember fabricating was probably in junior high metal shop (way back when there was metal shop in schools) and lots of trial and error. As a kid there was always working on bikes and making things fit right. The mentality has to be there to want to build and make something out of an idea in your head. Some people have the idea and concept but that doesn't transfer to their hands. Good fabricators have no problem transfering ideas to their hands. Later

 

Youtube, forums, many books. For a girl I do a pretty good job.
Was really proud of my self when I did my head liner, Just afraid to take the old one off and replace it with the refinished one. I don't want to brake any of my trim bracket pieces. My car is really tight. I hate slop. So if anyone know how to get the door trim off without braking the clips>>>Share!! Please

 

I don't have any books, 100% autodidact (self taught)

I bought a welder, scrap metal and went at it.

 

heh... break ****... fix it... break some more... fix some more... lather, rinse, repeat... For a while I stopped working as an IT guy and was offered a job at a speed shop by a friend, did installs and fabrication for them, that led to bigger and better tools (Bridgeport, metal lathe, tig welder...)

Eventually you get good at it or should find a new sport.

Good books, well it depends on what kind of fabrication. Sheetmetal and other metalwork, Fornier, Covell... Smith's _______ to win series covers most stuff (though I wish his publisher didn't stop him from publishing Screw to Win... oh well, if you read his stuff you'll know what I'm talking about)

Personally I'm more into engineering texts. MIT Press, C F Taylor, a few different kinematics texts.... If I can get the idea I can build it. If I can work out the physics, mechanics... behind it then I can sit down and build it somehow.

There's some very good stuff online, including forums, but I'm starting to believe that the atmosphere is as much an issue there as the actual stuff... have a good set of guys that will shoot the **** and help with things and you'll get further than a few that really know there **** (and often won't share enough to get you from point A to B or will only share incomplete or incorrect info so you can pay them for the rest, you'll find that most of the people that I will publicly badmouth are those that lie to try to make themselves look like they know more than they do or more than you).

 

Wow, got bleeped 3x in one post, and I wasn't even trying to be rude or vulgar... "stuff" gets bleeped... huh... REALLY???

 

X2

 

Isn't that shit annoying? lol

 

x3

The Carroll Smith books are good without becoming bland tech dribble that is just as easily forgotten

 

^what he said. Best way to learn is by doing.

 

3 years of Purdue FSAE and working in the Mechanical Engineering Student Machine shop at Purdue. For a student shop, all of our toys work and we have 2 master machinists teaching us what to do. We also have some great toys to use as well.

 

In my case mostly trial and error, but one thing I will say the first time cutting up removing or otherwise disabling or destroying a stock part in order to make modifications/fabrication is hard, just not easy cutting up your car the first time, lol. It gets a lot easier after a couple times though..I recently managed to rig myself a new throttle cable bracket for my new plenum using the old original and the one that came with the plenum(incompatible with my cable setup) I also managed to swap in a B&M shifter using the stock cable, and I've patched a rather nasty damage spot on my glass hood I bought 2ndhand, also had to cut a piece off the plenum to fit my throttle body.
It definitely helps to have some tools for fabrication, my dremel, drill and hacksaw have proven their use many times. Just wish I had more stuff for it, a welder would be fantastic...

 

I think most of us started with a hammer, screwdrivers, hacksaw and maybe a dremel, and then it tends to go from there... I have tools now that I couldn't imagine having an excuse to own 10 years ago... Of course, I can't get the car in the garage anymore...

 

Haha, same here.

 

Yeah, it is a slow process, just kind of buy things as you need them, then one day you realize the prepostrous amount of tools you have, lol.
Hey at least you guys have a garage I'm using my mom's house as a base, and even here there is no garage, my grandma has a pretty big 2 car garage, but 2 hours away, so without driving there(car is inoperable atm) wasn't an option

 

I have it bad. Having a 4 car garage and don't have any room.

 

Want to trade for my parking spot and porch, lol?

 

Nah, been there done that.

People are going to laugh at me, but sometimes use Haynes manuals. I got one that was about welding and it was better than me diving in and not knowing what to do.

 

If you are a newbie they can be somewhat useful, but if you already know what you are doing generally they are worthless, even for specs they aren't always good, honestly the best use I got out of mine was putting out a fire happening not but a few inches below the new engine I just got done busting my *** swapping in(open header test fire, shes a fire breather alright) grabbed the haynes and dove under there and flailed away like an absolute madman, probably the fastest I've ever moved in my life, haha.

 

heh, back in the day my brother and I put together his engine on the kitchen floor in my mom's condo while she was out of town and I used to have a spare LT1 stashed under the cover on the log rack that lived on her patio...

 

trial and error.

 

All you need to learn is lots of time a thick skull and lots of patience. The time is for goofing around with welders and benders and the like, the thick skull is to protect that brain and keep all the posers from sneaking crap into your brain and the patience is for when you screw up and burn you the house or your car to the ground (it can and will happen if your not careful SAFETY FIRST ALWAYS) Also awlays follow the KISS rule "Keep It Simple STUPID"

 

trial and error, and some pretty smart folks to help me along the way.

 

Lots of do-overs, curse words, and bloody knuckles.

Eventually you will start to see things before you start to build them and learn to anticipate certain things. Before you know it, you'll be building things once and coming up with pretty reasonable products.

Really the best way is to dig in. If you are already mechanical and handy, things come a LOT easier. If you arent...then taking some classes and reading some books will probably be a huge help.

The only books I own are for specific jobs. I recently bought a few LS1 books, and a T56 book. Mainly for reference, I havent read them cover to cover.

And...the internet has been priceless. SOOOO much good information.

J.

 

Being poor forces you to get creative and learn new skills

 

Like many said above, trial and error and learning by experience as you experiment when it comes to fabrication

actual building of motors and stuff, thats all web forum related stuff and books mainly...and then experience with actually doing it.

 

99.9% of the time...A picture in my head, then just go by that.Been doing that since i was a teen w/ bikes, skateboards & whatever.