Fabrication looks.... daunting

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So in my four years of on and off community college, I took numerous classes to see if I could find find my niche. One of those classes was an intro to Machining class. By the second or third week i was beyond confused. At that point my instructor handed us a blueprint and said "make this." I had no idea where to even start. The other students in the class seemed to know exactly what to do, which was even more confusing. Deciding not to waste my time further on a subject I didn't even enjoy, I dropped the class and moved on. Spring quarter I took an intro to welding class. THAT was a blast. I had a great time in spite of not being able to oxyfuel cut anything that didn't turn into a slag covered nightmare. I couldn't weld straight lines but I welded the hell out of my plate anyway. So I decided to stick with welding. I want nothing more than to succeed. But understand that I've never built a darn thing my whole entire life. I couldn't build a Hooverville shack. I was even bad with legos. Some of the people in my class I swear were born with a welding torch in hand ready to go. I was not. I have to work hard just to keep up. And I fear that fabrication will leave me in the dust. Green with absolutely no prior skills in building anything, I'll have to start from literally the ground up. And if I'm expected to hit the ground running like in Machining, I may wash out. I'm just scared. I would love to be a welder, and I'm scared that I won't get to be.Thanks for listening.
Reply:search some books about reading blueprints, and try to get a job in a factory that does either work from blueprints, or repetitive work.It will probably just "click" one day, and then you'll be set.
Reply:Fabrication and welding go hand in hand, but aren't necessarily the same. There are plenty of welders out there who don't "fabricate". A typical example would be a production job in a factory. You make the same thing over and over again, welding the same joint/s on the product day in, day out. This would drive many guys nuts, but it's a common type of job.Fabrication is also a skill that can be learned. Fabrication is really about fitting and assembly. In years gone by, it was something many did out of necessity. If you wanted a club house, or a toy, chances are you would build it since your parents couldn't afford to buy it. Wood, metal, plastic, heck even cardboard and paper all use many of the same basic assembly skills.  Can you read directions, measure, cut and fit? Parts are assembled with fasteners ( nails/screws bolts) or fused ( welded / glued). I can remember building plastic models as  a kid as well as cutting up wood to build things.Today many kids don't get that chance to learn these things early on. You can just go out and buy completed objects if you want one, and schools don't offer simple things like shop class any longer. When I went to Jr high, it was mandatory every student take one semester of basic shop, and one semester of Home Ecc. Looking back at what I learned in school, those two classes probably were some of the most useful. I wish now I'd paid as much attention to what they taught in Home Ecc as I did to what they taught in shop class. I've also noticed that many kids today don't learn any of this stuff from their fathers, mostly because their fathers don't know how to do stuff either. I was almost constantly watching and helping my dad do projects around the house..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:DSW speaks for me too. It's sad that today there are not the skilled people that there was 40 years ago. I also learned much from my father. Today's dads and kids don't seem to be on the same page. Something breaks, go buy another. Some of the modern shops of today ONLY can use a computer program for work. IF the computer dies they are shlt out of luck ! They get the ''OLD GUY'' to layout the sheetmetal fittings by hand because the youngins can only push the on button for the computer.  As for your situation , some teachers might not be the best for communicating to others who are 100 % beginners. Some teachers can describe something in a half hour where as a experienced hands on guy can show you in five minutes.  What would be extremely helpful is to find a member here that is nearby for a one on one class. In class the teacher most likely can only spend a few minutes with each student and then jumps to the next page. You will find that you will grasp some things easily where as others will take time. Learning is not just at class , it's a lifetime experience. Every teacher and welder has their own way of doing things which works best for them. What works for one may not work for the other. It sounds like class will only show you the basics and it's up to you to refine what works. Do you have a welding machine ? If not get one and start burning rod.
Reply:People just think they can "take a course".  In medieval times a master in a trade took between 8000 and 10,000 hours of on the job training.  Most apprenticeships are four or five years.  At 2000 hours a year that is about right.  Welding is not just one process.  There are more than half a dozen that are in common use today and dozens more that are out on the fringe.  If you enjoy welding then take a welding course and find employment.  Most reasonable employers do not expect a beginning welder to have the same skill set as someone who has done ten plus years.  The young guy out of school might have more theory knowledge but welding is a hand skill primarily and it take practice much like playing a musical instrument.  Fabrication is really another skill set.  In small shops one is expected to weld and fabricate.  Once there are over twenty men then the skills are divided.   So to be a fully qualified welder and a fully qualified fabricator you would have to spend 8 years in associated industries to really get a handle on it.... then you start learning until your die.  LOL
Reply:Keep at it. Read as much as you can and check out welding tips and tricks.com. The vids there will help u out a lot if u havent been watching them already. Also, look into buying ur own stick welder and maybe u can get some extra practice in ur garage or something.Dynasty 200DX   (2014)Millermatic 211 (2015)Optrel 864   (2014)Smith Medium duty MBA 30510 (Xmas 2014)Tennsmith 16ga 4ft finger brake (2015)Trailblazer 325 EFI and excel Thermal dynamics Cutmaster 82Miller maxtron 450
Reply:I don't work in the field but look at it this way... You have a fresh perspective and probably few bad habits. Learn the "how" and "why" behind what you're doing, and you know you'll be doing it the right way rather than just doing it the way you always have (which may not be correct/optimal)Not saying experience is worthless, just that you're probably not hopeless!Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
Reply:Don't be scared, just go for it. But always wear your protective gear! Don't be afraid to ask questions, even ones that might seem dumb. Better a dumb question is better than a dumb mistake!Ian TannerKawasaki KX450 and many other fine tools
Reply:I am still learning, I am young. But my boss tells me to make it I take a while to do it, get it done barely, even while asking him questions while doing it. Then I start pondering how I would of done things differently. Second time comes around it looks so much more professionally done. Just look what you do and see what you can do to improve upon it. Also watch the experienced guys and ASK questions, those guys would love to teach you so they don't have to do it.Miller Maxstar 200 SDPiperliner #10 Gold
Reply:I think that a large percentage of people in trades have a direction and experience somehow long before high school ends.I think a guy can go in green and do well though if he has the drive. I don't think he would make it if it was a "I don't know what to do let me try this."There are a lot of people in these trades that have been in it their entire life and still have trouble with simple  things. Good luck but remember luck is a skill!
Reply:Those that are not naturally gifted respect the journey that it takes to learn a process. Once the pathways are set, learning new things come easier. And after struggling with a few aspects of these processes they start to meld together. I too struggled in machine shop, but ended up buying my own Bridgeport and letting my employees teach me the tricks. Those tricks that you don't learn in a textbook make all the difference. So perseverance pays off in the end. When it comes to drawings, sooner or later it will click. If it was easy everybody would do it.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWFabrication and welding go hand in hand, but aren't necessarily the same. There are plenty of welders out there who don't "fabricate". A typical example would be a production job in a factory. You make the same thing over and over again, welding the same joint/s on the product day in, day out. This would drive many guys nuts, but it's a common type of job.Fabrication is also a skill that can be learned. Fabrication is really about fitting and assembly. In years gone by, it was something many did out of necessity. If you wanted a club house, or a toy, chances are you would build it since your parents couldn't afford to buy it. Wood, metal, plastic, heck even cardboard and paper all use many of the same basic assembly skills.  Can you read directions, measure, cut and fit? Parts are assembled with fasteners ( nails/screws bolts) or fused ( welded / glued). I can remember building plastic models as  a kid as well as cutting up wood to build things.Today many kids don't get that chance to learn these things early on. You can just go out and buy completed objects if you want one, and schools don't offer simple things like shop class any longer. When I went to Jr high, it was mandatory every student take one semester of basic shop, and one semester of Home Ecc. Looking back at what I learned in school, those two classes probably were some of the most useful. I wish now I'd paid as much attention to what they taught in Home Ecc as I did to what they taught in shop class. I've also noticed that many kids today don't learn any of this stuff from their fathers, mostly because their fathers don't know how to do stuff either. I was almost constantly watching and helping my dad do projects around the house.
Reply:Fabrication is really more about problem solving and planning than it is about welding.  Give it some time.  If you have the spare time, finding a job sweeping a local shop would be good.  Somewhere you can observe guys working and learn a little.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Originally Posted by OscarAmen to that.  It's a sign of the times.  My friend can't even install a pre-made flat screen wall mount, even though his Dad is more than a "handy man"; he just didn't learn from him and have that internal curiosity.  Thankfully I did and learned a lot from my Dad and now a days on my own, just by trying, practicing, and most importantly DO-ing.  I taught myself how to weld (as in--without any person guiding me what so ever), and right now I'm setting up a table for my 3-in-1 lathe/mill/drill that I don't even know how to use---yet, but I am determined which is how I know I will succeed.  SM412, if you want success, you need to want it, and your mind will forge itself into thinking you must know this thing that you are attempting to do and before you know it, the desire to learn will become intrinsic and will not require much effort to light.
Reply:fabrication IS daunting!!!i am a good fabricator in some circles. give me a drawing and i'll wip it out in no time and it will look great!!! fabrication is easybut look at my trucks. . . . . .my 4x4 needs nice plate bumpers and tube sliders, but every time i sit down to draw them, i get stuck! if somebody pointed and said "oh man, you could do this and that" i would have it! same problem with the worn out bed on the ford, im indecisive and dread criticism. . . . what if if i did build it, and somebody walked up and was able to say, "well, i would have done it different." so to the guys that design/ fabricate, im useless, i would never make it in a custom shop without a customer telling EXACTLY what to do. so fabrication is daunting.i work mostly with pipe, a nice compromise. the focus is more on the welding, but design and pre-fab is easy for me because turns are going to happen at 90 or 45 deg angles, and those limitations set me free as there is usually only one "best" way to design a system, and i know it only comes in one shape. supports are easy too as i will just match existing. some guys cant pipe between me and my monitor. fabrication is easy.we all tick a bit different, and as long as you stay open-minded, you will find where you tick the best. its a huge industry, and you could spend a lifetime chasing what your best at, and maybe thats what makes it funbosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin