There's probably a metalworking forum out there that may be more appropriate, but my desires are focused on working on my 944 so maybe one of you guys can offer some advice.

I don't have any machine shop experience but I've always wanted to and I think now is the time to start. I do know some about woodworking, but I haven't gotten my head around what's involved with metal.

Do I just buy a welder and start figuring out how to use it? Learn from a book? Take a course at the technical college? Try to get somebody to show me how?

What do I need to get for fabricating stuff? I figure a drill press would be handy. I understand what a lathe does but don't know how to use one. I've heard of a mill but that's about it.

I don't have a specific project in mind right now, but I would like to learn how to do it myself. Any advice is appreciated.

 

Timely post, I've been itching to learn how to weld!

 

For welding, your first step should be to take a course at a tech college. I teach welding to adults a few times a year.
take the class see what they have for welders and equipment . with my classes the local welding store offers a discount to students.
Milles and Lathes are a different story. first the cost is pretty high second you can pay someone to mill and turn the parts you are in need of for little money. usually. In my area there are ,lots of little shops that offer help to off the street folks
Hope this offerd some sort of Help.

 

i have a video that came w/ my welder....

 

I learned by having a guy come over to my house and weld up my first project. Once he got here I showed him my welder, he set it up nice, and did a quick how to for that particular type of welder (flux core). Then I practiced with some scrap a few times while he worked, and actually welded up one of the last few pieces of the project I paid him to do. Worked out nice, though I am still not very good (no practice since) but it was a well spent $150 (education + project)

BTW: Welder advice, you get what you paid for. His gas rig was a lot easier to use than my el-cheapo gasless mig. I guess it should be when it is a tow behind monster that costs 100X's what mine did.

 

Buy some books on welding, and then buy a MIG and go to town on the scrap pile. With a little practice, almost anyone can weld with a MIG. Like it's been said, you get what you pay for though. Gas over flux. Name brand over china special.

I dove right into it with the purchase of a plasma torch and a large TIG. Burned many many things and lots of bad welds later, I am to the point where I can make things stick...
Good luck

 

Lincoln makes a good middle of the road MIG with everything needed to get started. Their machines are not the best and certainly not the worst. You pretty much add a bottle of gas hook it up set the regulator and practice, practice, practice. In a few hours of burning holes in some scrap sheet metal you'll be welding. Don't even waste your time trying to use flux core wire. It is messy and you will get discouraged tying to learn with it. I have a SP-135T Lincoln and a Miller TIG unit. I have used the Lincoln with aluminum and mild steel with no issues and it works great. The TIG is nice but takes more skill and the MIG is just handy, easy to use, trouble free.