I have recently been looking into Wyotech in sacramento. Specifically for the "Street Rod & Custom Fab" program they offer. I am not really looking to be a mechanic, but i would enjoy working with metal to bring artistic visions of customs to life. I have taken some welding classes at my local community college, but their focus seems to be centered around iron workers and getting the students prepared to work on bridges, building, etc. Unfortunatly they dont offer classes in english wheel, machining, or anything of that free form nature. The closest thing i have discovered would be the wyotech program. I have done some research and there seems to be some mixed attitudes regarding the vocational atmosphere of wyotech. I am in the Sacramento, California area. Does anyone have any advice or feedback about Wyotech or leads to other educational opportunities in the area? Thanks!
some body correct me if im wrong but i think that you have to take the entire auto tech course before you can add on the electives like chassis building and custom metal fab.
not to burst any bubbles... but you have to know how they work before you go cutting them up. (in my experience) most of the most tragic mistakes are made with a good idea...and no idea at the same time. The beauty of the automobile is this- 90/ of the custom work you see serves a purpose -there are your more radical body mods, but as far as building a car, you need a pretty solid automotive background to begin with. and it's not easy to get there (if it were easy...everyone would do it.) my suggestion- before you sign on for the classes at wyotech, take the metal courses at your community college. you might hate this shit. or, you, you may lay a sollid foundation for future work in the automotive field. worst case scenario...you learn some of the skills you will for sure need when it comes to this stuff. and once you are done with the community courses, sign up for as many of the classes as you can afford to take at wyotech. engine, drivetrain, all of it. then, in your last semester, take the hot rod courses. and even then, once you have completed all of it, you will still be a basic tech. There are alot of custom shops out there...but anyone hiring expects some amount of experience before we turn you lose with a hammer and a torch. not to be a shit, but you are on the bottom rung of a very long ladder. (I have been doing this since I was in grade school...and I still have a long way to go.) You can do it. commit, and stay commited. but don't think that next week the discovery channel is gonna be knocking on your door.
yup, take the oxyacetylene welding class a few times, see how good you get with a torch, if you have "the knack" then you'll know, if not maybe you should look into something else. Lotsa guys want to be metal magicians...very few really are.... but you can go a long ways with determination.
Im going to Wyotech right now, the blairsville campus. Right now im almost done with the Collision course. which is 3 months of just collision work. this includes frame pulling, panel replacement, sectioning, dents, all that good stuff. Next is Refinishing, where i learn to paint, and all those little ins and outs. finaly, after 6 months of being here, ill be able to get up to street rod. after that i plan on taking Trim, chassis fab, and ASM (the buisness course, so i come out with a 2 year degree) youll learn barely any metal working in Collision. straightening panels, thats it. in street rod you learn the custom stuff. BUT, in street rod you can go one of two ways, cutom paint, or custom metal, thats basicaly it. If you want you can PM me for more info, the recuters will tell you anything to get you to go, and they lied to me alot. i dont wanna see that happen again. Evan
I went there...Pa campus...like others have mentioned..the core programs are required before you take anything else...you got to know where you come from before you know where you're goin idea....if you only want to take some metal shaping...look into Ron Covells, Faye Butler...et..expensive, and they're only a few days..but those guys are metal magicians....good luck...if you have any questions..PM me...its like everything else in the world opinionwise...some like wyotech (like me...but I had skills goin in, and a background because I went at 24) others don't and screw off...and if you want to be in the industry, well...its not easy to get into even with a school behind you....
Thanks for all the replys! That answers my question, now i just have to come up with a bucket load of money!
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