Welding Courses for Classic Car Restoration, Scooters and Motorcycles | Start your project right
There's something undeniably magical about repairing rather than replacing. As they simply don’t build things how they use to – each one (Classic cars) is a timeless symbol of an era gone by. They are testament to design and a vessel of nostalgia. From the sleek curves to vintage looks, these treasures hold a special place in the hearts of enthusiasts. Yet, behind each classic car restoration project, lies metalwork and welding. Having a bit more knowledge and skill can help save you time and breathe new life into these automotive treasures.
In this blog post, we will showcase a number of welding courses that are run by The Weld Space which might help you on your journey into restoring a classic car, motorcycle or scooter. Helping you to get going with your project, under your own steam and hopefully improving the quality of the overall work.
Why join a Welding Course?
If you’ve already brought your own welder and had a go but not quite pleased with the results. Maybe we can help. Embarking on a welding course might be a useful step to help you gain insight into how to use a welder, trouble shooting machine faults and the basic skills needed to properly fuse and join material together. Surely, all useful tips when looking to restore rather than replace a classic!
The Weld Space is an an Award-Winning Business that runs hands-on welding courses that teach people about the welding and fabrication. We are based in Plymouth, Devon and operate our course programme over the weekday and weekend. So hopefully, there is something suitable for you. The short courses we run, alongside an evening class programme is designed help you develop Welding and Fabrication skill that can be applied to automotive welding projects. We believe the transferable skills you will learn can be applied to your vehicle restoration projects. Our experiences are for adults, as a Gift or learning opportunity. They are tailored for beginners to enthusiastic DIYers, so that you can learn the basic needed to get going on a new project, hobby or just to develop the skills in a creative, safe and social way.
We aim provide a high quality experience that gets you welding and leaves you wanting to know more!
What welding course is for automotive work?
The Weld Space is not the only provider of welding courses, however, you will find that a lot of the established welding courses out there are run by colleges which are aiming to provide people with a qualification. Qualifications are great, if you need them for work.
Qualifications are not always necessary, if you are taking up welding as a hobby, a DIYer or just to help with your new car restoration project. The Weld Space’s short course format provides you with one-day or two day options in a group format or 1-2-1 Lessons. They are taught by Richard Evans - an experienced welder and fabricator of bespoke furniture. Richard’s project work varies in size and complexity, using extremely thin material through to heavy duty ones. With over 5 years of experience building bespoke objects. Richard’s real-life hands on experience has given him the knowledge and expertise on how to weld. What you are welding can always vary, but the machines and how to weld don’t. The Weld Space is able to provide tuition in MIG, TIG and MMA Welding Processes. Helping you learn how to weld a range of material including Mild Steel, Aluminium and Stainless Steel.
Whether you are looking to build a chassis, repair car body or panel work or just carry out welding repairs on a vehicle. We have the machinery and experience needed to help you get started with your welding project. As you will find out, we have a number welding class options that might be suitable for you.
All our our group sizes are no more than 4 people which we have found makes for a higher quality experience and provides you with more time to learn from the tutor, ask questions and practise welding.
A Welding course suitable for a complete novice?
If you’ve already brought a machine and never used it, thinking about buying one and don’t know where to start or look. Why not join our Introduction to Welding course.
Our popular Introduction to Welding is a hands-on one day course, where you will have the chance to use two welding processes MIG & MMA and understand the key differences between them. We will equip you with the knowledge of best practices for preparing material for welding, joining metal of different thicknesses and an understanding the technicalities of working with various metal types - which is vitally important to create strong welds.
The morning will start with an light bit of theory on the Welding Processes, explaining how they work and the hazards of using the machines. To accompany with this we will explain the different types PPE required for welding. You get to see what your money buys you for your budget with regards to Welding Helmets etc.Hopefully, meaning that you can buy once and buy well.
We will then move onto welding practise and your get a chance to practise the skills discussed. Our tutor will come around and advise on a 1-2-1 basis to mentor and guide you on your way to improving welding skills. We will have lots of scrap metal to use. This is your chance to explore and learn about the welding sheet material together for panel work or box section for chassis builds. Once you’ve had a go on the two welding processes. We will then learn about using angle grinders to effectively prepare metal for welding and discusss which is right angle grinding discs to use - there are many to choose from!
As you will find out, metalwork and welding isn’t just about welding two bits of metal together. Developing knowledge around different welders, accessories and troubling shooting is an important part. In the afternoon, we will provide you with the knowledge, know-how and facts around the the how to set up the machines and there accessories, so that you are equipped with the right information should you chose to buy one for yourself.
By the end of the day; we hope you will not only walk away with newfound knowledge in welding and the skills require to complete DIY project builds. So that you can see how good material preparation, right machines settles and skills with an angle grinder come together we do make a small object on this course which you can takeaway.
Have the basics, but want to learn more about the Metal Fabrication?
If you feel you have the basics and want to learn a little bit more about metal Fabrication to make 3D objects from metal so to repair or maybe build trailer frames, chassis or internal structures for classic cars or motorcycles. Then our Fundamentals to Metalwork might be for you.
Might have found out , the heat created in the welding process causes a lot of movement in metal no matter the thickness. This movement can be mitigated with the right knowledge and skill. The aim of our Fundamentals to Metalwork course is to develop your welding skills so that you are familiar with MIG and MMA Welding. You will then learn about interpreting drawings, creating cut lists and using machinery to cut raw material to length. We then take a deep dive into fabrication, that’s the process of making 3D objects from metal.
The 3D object you will make is a Plant Stand. The object isn’t necessarily important, the skills you learn along the way are. Although this is a straight-forward looking object, don’t let the design lead you to believe it is easy to make! The important skills involved in making this product are challenging. and making sure the stand comes out nice and square will help teach you that preparation is key. This object will help press home the importance of having good weld penetration, so that you're Weld aren’t too proud, resulting in lots of grinding. To make this object, we will be using metal box section and you will get a chance to practise metal joinery skills on the fillet and butt joints too.
To finish everything off, you will learn about the correct use of an angle grinder and angle grinding discs in order to clean up welds and finish an object. All important skills when trying to achieve a high-end finish.
We have found this course to be very helpful to those who are looking to build confidence in working with metal and improve welding knowledge and skill. All the skills learnt in this intensive hands-on course are useful when it comes to classic car builds. Find out for yourself, by reading our awesome customer reviews.
Fancy learning more? Why not try our 1-2-1 welding lessons.
We understands that the group course format might not be right for everyone. Whether you are time pressured or after more bespoke advice to develop your knowledge, skills and experience around welding. For that reason, we can offer private welding lessons on a 1-2-1 basis for customers. You might be wanting to explore TIG welding in more depth using different materials or just don’t want to wait until a course date arrives.
If that’s you, our private welding lessons are designed so that you explore the different welding processes in more detail. The 1-2-1 session can cover your chosen welding process be that MMA (Arc), MIG and TIG Welding or all three. Other topics might include knowing more about welding thin material to thick or welding aluminium and stainless steel. Through a 1-2-1 Welding Lesson, we can explore how the machines are set up and simple fixes to resolve issues on the go.
You might have found through trail and error, some welding processes - like TIG Welding - have a steeper learning curve than others - like MIG Welding. Gaining 1-2-1 Tuition in TIG Welding can really help give your skills a boost. You’ll Save you money on expensive argon gas and improve your TIG Welding skills.
Bring your own machine, we can help with setting it up?
Bring your machine to the weld space and we can help you demistify the language and settings. Don’t worry you can also use our machines to see the difference but we can explore the language unique to welding machines that can cause a bit of confusion when go about getting started. It doesn’t matter if it’s new to you or out of the box. On the whole, machines you similar methodologies to direct the machines controls.
If might have found, lots of manufacturers, welding shops or suppliers don’t offer instruction on how to get started. YouTube is helpful but it doesn’t always tell you where you are going wrong or right for that matter. That’s where we can help, as our experienced tutors will provide you with 1-2-1 coaching and development in how to use your machine and how to improve your welding.
Best Welders for Classic Car Builds, Vehicle Welding or Beginners?
Well this is a big question, The Weld Space doesn’t sell welding machinery we provide short courses that teach you how to use the machines and get going. Over time you will develop and improve your weldings skills in the specific processs. Some processes are a steeper learner curve than others.
Saying that, The Weld Space is pleased to have a relationship with R-tech Welding a Welding Machine and consumable Supplier. Who’s machines are perfect for new welders or those getting into welding. They are based in Gloucester and aim to get you welding, keep you welding and support you welding.
Booking a course with us will allow you to explore some of their best selling machines and equipment. The Weld Space and our tutors have used there machines for some time and feel they represent good value, high quality welding and great customer service. Helping you trouble shoot any technical issues you might encounter. Booking a course and becoming part of The Weld Space community you will receive a 10% discount code for R-tech Machinery.