Need help with minor welding - Vancouver WA/Portland OR area

GeorgeH said
I didn't realize he lived in the same town, and I never said he can run out and get a full set up for $45O, but it will damn near buy a Lincoln or Hobart 140 @ $499 leaving a tank of gas, a helmet, and a little bit of a learning curve to get sorted. I know you have a vast amount of knowledge concerning suspension and tires.
Not sure where you're coming from here.

Right. So, you can't do it, is what you're saying. $500 for a welder, $80 for a tank of gas, $20 for a crappy helmet, you're in over $600 and you still haven't taught yourself to weld, hot tanked the K, blasted it, checked to make sure it's straight or laid down a single weld.

Where I'm coming from? I can't know more than suspension? I've been welding for over 20 years. I learned from a certified aircraft mechanic. I do all my own welding, all the chassis stiffening I've done on all of my cars is my work for better or worse. I use a couple of ancient welders I bought used and maintain myself. An old Miller 320 AB/P TIG machine circa 1972 and an old Millermatic 35 from around '75 converted to a Tweco gun. Yes, that makes both of those machines older than I am. I'm not, and have never been, a professional welder, so maybe you've got me there. And I'm still way better with a TIG than a MIG because that's what I learned on and probably still have the most hours on by far. But that doesn't mean I can't add, or that I don't understand what it would cost to go from an empty garage to having a machine and set up capable of welding up K frames. Because I've done a few of those myself as well, you know, being a suspension guy.

1968FormulaS340 said
Clackamas Commumity College has a restoration class, and yes, in that class you can just walk in, use their equipment and get basic instruction.

Awesome! Glad that's available local, but classes like that aren't always easy to find. How many hours a week is it and what are the registration and shop fees? Because not everyone can manage a class like that with a day job. And a class that lets you walk in and work on your own projects isn't exactly the norm, but I'm sure you know that.