Evening classes

[LeeLee]

I'm thinking of doing evening classes in bodywork/spraying cars,
Has anyone any experience in doing a course,
how expensive are they,ideally I'd just like to be able to do really good body repairs for myself and my friends and any future projects,

[arshad76]

I used to work as an F.E tutor at and was lucky enough to wangle an evening class in paint and repair. Unfortunately had to give it up when I was asked to work nights at the same slot.
The tutors can be a bit of a mixed bag. Some very up-to-date with the latest techniques and very keen to help - others leave you to rub a panel down and then check up after a couple of hours.

It's still worth doing, because of the people who are there, apprentices from bonafide bodyshops who really need a paper qualification to back up their experience are huge sources of knowledge. And if like me you are able to work on your own car then brilliant. I was only expected to pay for the paint - which came to £200 odd quid. The filler, new metal parts, and most importantly the labour was all free. Sadly that and other colleges don't all allow the facility as much

[nas80]

I applied to go on a course and it was for welding, it cost 250 quid but then I started thinking why bother with that when I can buy £100 quid of material, go on youtube and watch some instructional vids and then just have at it and learn from my own mistakes.

I can now weld pretty well although im not a master. I suppose as with all these types of things with cars, with experience comes greatness.

[LeeLee]

Cheers guys very reassuring only reason I wanted to go on a course is I want to be able to do really quality work,I see body repairs done not so good and would really like to do quality repairs and paint

[nas80]

im sure they do these courses for free if your on the dole or something, anyway what I would do is buy equipment - go the scrappers and then buy a small bonnet and then basically have at it. Most of it is just practise and learning from mistakes.

[Eddie.]

As above, unless it's a qualification that you need for your job, I'd say learn at home.

You'll probably make more mistakes but that's how you learn.

I'm currently teaching myself how to weld. After just a few hours, I can already get some really strong butt welds, they look awful but it's great fun learning how to do that sort of thing.

[healeyneil]

I learned to gas weld many years ago at an evening class. I think I was the only one there on a voluntary basis. Everyone else had to be there as part of their job. A benefit of the course was learning why things went wrong, and how to fix them. With MIG, Im self taught and sometimes struggle if it all goes tits up !

[arshad76]

Interesting comments and what makes a more fruitful discussion!

As an ex-tutor I'm biased, but it's not just about a more structured and hopefully more disciplined learning through classes from experienced instructors, but also being with a bunch of like minded people to help when you're stuck on a particular task.

Practice doesn't make perfect, prefect practice makes perfect as a good friend once said to me