How to get into metalwork
Metalwork is a traditional skill that has many practical applications and can benefit your life. For example, you may want to follow a career in this area or even start selling what you make online. However, it is one of those areas where the path to success may not seem immediately apparent. There are plenty of steps that can help you develop your skills and see if this is a route that you would like to go down. Here is what you need to do.
Take a class
Before you go any further, you need to start by taking a class or two and seeing if this is something that you enjoy. If you enjoy sharpening up your practical abilities and working with tools, there is every chance that metalwork will appeal to you. It can also appeal to people who want to take on an artistic route as well. You will find loads of classes available, ranging from the informal to the more intensive. How far you want to pursue this path is entirely up to you.
Think about setting up your own studio or workspace
When you are only taking classes a limited number of times a week, you are not going to have access to the tools for as long as you may need. Therefore, setting up your own studio could be the perfect answer to the problem. You will need a space that provides you with some peace and quiet, but you also need it to be safe, as many of the tools you are working with are dangerous and can potentially cause an injury.
Build up your range of tools
Once you have decided that you want to pursue this path further, you can then start to build up the range of tools that you have available, which is particularly important if you are setting up your own studio space. A metal laser engraver is going to be a great starting point as it is an accessible tool that has a range of different functions and purposes. This will provide great accuracy and high-quality products by the end. It is also worth investing in personal protective equipment as this is essential in ensuring that you have maximum protection when you are working with potentially dangerous tools.
Practice and improve
It is then a case of practicing and improving all of the different skills associated with metalwork. First of all, there is the typical skill of cutting that will become like your bread and butter in metalwork. Then, welding two pieces of metal together is another central part of this. Also, you have forging and casting that tends to be more technical, but as you become more advanced, these are abilities that you may well need to pick up. Not to mention, you also have the fun aspect of developing your laser engraving skills to make each piece you make even more special.
Getting into metalwork is the type of practical skill that you may only want to take up as a hobby, but it may also have career benefits and even allow you to start selling what you create online. These are a few of the ways that you can get into it.
