Welding courses/night classes near Milton Keynes.
Discussion
As per title I am looking for somewhere offering evening classes on basic welding. I don’t require any sort of certificate or qualification just the basic skills and opportunity to practice. I haven’t seen anything very local to MK, even though they have loads of colleges etc does anyone know of anywhere or even anyone willing to teach me for a small fee.
I like welding
I have gas, arc, MIG and (soon to be set up) TIG at home.
Rather than "I will buy a TIG set" say, it’s far easier to think about what you will be welding and where.
So questions like…………….
Am I going to be welding up cars, or sticking RSJ's/1/2" thick boiler plate together?
Will I be welding outside, or away from home in a field somewhere?
What material will I be welding? Mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, titanium, copper etc....
How much welding will I be doing, putting a sill on every now and again, repairing crash damage, or building a large trailer for a racing car? Doing all of the above every single weekend?
Will I be welding underneath a car on my back? (I don't like that)
Its not cheap to get started. My MIG set was nearly £600, my yearly bottle rental for the above is over £300... That’s rental, not actual gas consumption. Then you need a self darkening helmet, decent flame retardant overalls, gloves, and lots of spares for said MIG torch, as well as angle grinders for prep work, and so it goes on.
The big shock is the cost of steel, especially for the private user. Minimum order charge kicks in and delivery charge. Think of £75 minimum, no matter how little you buy. There’s always the option of nicking it from work, if you can, but the odd piece from the scrap bin is OK. Then you have to be in when it’s delivered, or have it delivered to work and cut it up there.
Anything else?
Bring your own steel, and you can have a watch/play at my house (Aylesbury)
I have gas, arc, MIG and (soon to be set up) TIG at home.
Rather than "I will buy a TIG set" say, it’s far easier to think about what you will be welding and where.
So questions like…………….
Am I going to be welding up cars, or sticking RSJ's/1/2" thick boiler plate together?
Will I be welding outside, or away from home in a field somewhere?
What material will I be welding? Mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, titanium, copper etc....
How much welding will I be doing, putting a sill on every now and again, repairing crash damage, or building a large trailer for a racing car? Doing all of the above every single weekend?
Will I be welding underneath a car on my back? (I don't like that)
Its not cheap to get started. My MIG set was nearly £600, my yearly bottle rental for the above is over £300... That’s rental, not actual gas consumption. Then you need a self darkening helmet, decent flame retardant overalls, gloves, and lots of spares for said MIG torch, as well as angle grinders for prep work, and so it goes on.
The big shock is the cost of steel, especially for the private user. Minimum order charge kicks in and delivery charge. Think of £75 minimum, no matter how little you buy. There’s always the option of nicking it from work, if you can, but the odd piece from the scrap bin is OK. Then you have to be in when it’s delivered, or have it delivered to work and cut it up there.
Anything else?
Bring your own steel, and you can have a watch/play at my house (Aylesbury)
mikey P 500 said:
As per title I am looking for somewhere offering evening classes on basic welding. I don’t require any sort of certificate or qualification just the basic skills and opportunity to practice. I haven’t seen anything very local to MK, even though they have loads of colleges etc does anyone know of anywhere or even anyone willing to teach me for a small fee.
I looked for the same and was suprised to not find something close to MK given the number of colleges. The closest I found was at the Bicester campus of the Oxford and Cherwell Valley College. http://www.ocvc.ac.uk/Study%20with%20us/Subject%20...
Depends where you are in in MK but it is about 45 mins drive from the train station.
In terms of buying materials to weld prices certainly have jumped but there are options
Metal Supermarkets in Park Royal west london will sell you any size of basic stock lines in steel and alloy. the price per meter is clearly highert than a steel stockholder but no minimums and open Saturday AM I think.
For any alloy try Alloy Sales in Herts at Welham Green. One sheet / length minimum and you save by collecting in person but a wide range aof alloys.
For a bit of basic 1.6mm mild steel sheet I have often just gone to a local fabrication shop and bought it on the spot. Usually cheap as long as you have the right cash. Sometimes very cheap as it goes in the " tea fund". Just ask for the owner first.
Metal Supermarkets in Park Royal west london will sell you any size of basic stock lines in steel and alloy. the price per meter is clearly highert than a steel stockholder but no minimums and open Saturday AM I think.
For any alloy try Alloy Sales in Herts at Welham Green. One sheet / length minimum and you save by collecting in person but a wide range aof alloys.
For a bit of basic 1.6mm mild steel sheet I have often just gone to a local fabrication shop and bought it on the spot. Usually cheap as long as you have the right cash. Sometimes very cheap as it goes in the " tea fund". Just ask for the owner first.
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