Can I self-teach welding?

[B1GF00T]

I wanna help my mom with her old Volkswagen. By old, I mean REALLY old and rusting. We scouted and turns out we gotta pay $1500 for the repair and the respray. I want to clutch learning welding to DIY. It's not the complicated parts after all, just the parts rusting that might lead to problems for her. She doesn't wanna sell it so I want this to be my mother's day gift. Possible to start working on it and finish until June?

 

[Bumiee]

That's a fantastic idea, learning welding for a project like this is a great way to show love. If you start soon and dedicate time, June should be plenty to get it done

 

[theark]

I wouldn't call it impossible but it's not gonna be a walk in the park. There is a learning curve and as long as you're not expecting perfection you can get it done. There are tons of mig welders that can get the job done for this kind of project, so you'll have a lot to choose from. As for getting it done by June, it depends on how much time you have to spend on this. If you plan to work every day for a bit, you might be able to do it, especially if your deadline is the end of the month

 

[SparkyCool]

Excellent idea for a gift. Learn the fundamentals of MIG welding, practice on scrap, and then use cut-and-weld panels to repair rust spots. For protection, use primer and rust converter. To finish, apply paint and sand. It's possible, so get started now. Your mother will adore it

 

[The_giggle8]

This is such a nice gift! Curious what kind of welding are you thinking of learning? since practice can take a lot of time.

And have you had a chance to really dig into where the rust is on the car? sometimes what looks like a small spot can be much bigger once you start grinding!