Starting my career as a metal worker/auto/motorcycle fabricator

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LafayetteLightn

New member
This probably isn't the best place to ask this question but I've received valuable advice in the past from my fellow Lightning owners so I figured I would give it a shot.

I want to learn how to work metal and weld. Restore classic cars and maybe even get into custom motorcycles (cafe racers and old harleys).

I have recently graduated from a highly respected 4-year university. The jobs lined up for myself are office jobs, and after putting on a suit, interviewing and visiting these places I know this is not what I want to do. I need to do what I'm passionate about, work with my hands and take pride in my work.

I'm testing the waters here to see if anyone might have some good advice for me, maybe has experience doing this kind of thing or knows someone who does. I'm starting from scratch here so anything would be helpful.

Right now my thinking is I will need to do probably a 1.5 / 2 year college program in metal working and welding, then I will need a master metal manipulator to mentor and apprentice under for at LEAST 5 years before I will have the skills and know how to open my own shop. This is the rough outline for my new life plan. However, I need to speak with someone who is where I want to be in 10 years.

I live in the SF Bay so before I do anything I'm looking to sit down with some of the best metal and classic car workers in the area for advice. I would email Jesse James but I think my chances of getting a response are better here.
 
I think you are on the right track with the exception of going to school for metal working and welding. Just go apprentice somewhere and be done with it. Every job I've had the last 12 years has required welding and not a single time have I been asked if I had a certificate, just whether or not I could do it. That is where you are going to be as well. If you go to welding school they are going to teach you about things like structural and pipeline welding that you really don't need to know. You will learn stick, MIG, TIG and gas and you will likely only ever need to know MIG and TIG. Take a night course on welding at a local votech or community college.

What's your degree in? If it's useful in a shop at all (business, marketing, finance, etc.) you can use it to get in the door and then learn as you go. When I was working in the shop I had probably half a dozen apprentices over the years. The only one that was worth a crap was the one that didn't have a single day of formal schooling in his life and he knew nothing when he started. All the others went to school to learn the job and none of them could find their *** with both hands and a lazer range finder.
 
I think that is strong advice given. Yes education is a good thing to have but there is a difference in book smart and knowing the trade. I worked with a guy that had degrees for welding computer tech crap and a journeyman electrician. The dude had never laid a bead or twisted a wire nut to save his life. He could tell you all you wanted to know about calculations or metallic properties blah blah but simple dumb easy **** that a tradesman would know he didn't have a clue.

As far as contacting Jesse James an email wouldn't be that far fetched. I mean what do you have to lose.

I know first hand what you mean about doing what you love. I was an electrician for ten years with nothing more than a GED and decided that although wires and electricity has ALWAYS made since to me it was not how I wanted to spend the rest of my life making an income. I work for Peterbilt Motor Company now and have the BEST job in the world in my opinion. I get to implement my knack for electrical troubleshooting everyday while being able to wrench bull**** with the guys and get paid well to do it. For me its perfect.


Jump in head first and if you start to sink swim harder
 
I don't know about this doing what you love for a living thing. It pretty much completely ruined what I loved doing. It took my favorite hobby and made me hate it. I haven't turned a wrench for a check in over three years and I still dread the thought of working on our vehicles when they need something done.
 
oilwell1415 said:
I don't know about this doing what you love for a living thing. It pretty much completely ruined what I loved doing. It took my favorite hobby and made me hate it. I haven't turned a wrench for a check in over three years and I still dread the thought of working on our vehicles when they need something done.
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X2 on that. I'm in the resto&collision repair side and am looking to get out soon!!!! Insurance companies suck!! Talk about not knowing!! But they can tell you how to do it, better, faster, cheaper & how much there gonna pay ya!! Not to mention all the hacks in this field just ruining the industry. So I would caution you on the move. It will ruin your hobby!!! And it's hard to be just a resto shop you gotta pay the bills and most people won't spend the $$$$ and time. It ain't what you see on TV. Some of them rat rods are that way cuz their tight***** in the first place!!
 
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