Newbie- Metalworking as a Hobbyist -- Where to Start?

[Monolith]

Hi everyone!

I'm hoping to get some advice on how to best educate myself on the techniques and capabilities of amateur metalworking. I'm mostly interested in working with aluminum, with steel a somewhat distant second. The aluminum would probably be sheets at least 2.0mm thick, although more structural pieces such as various size bars would be used as well. Similar dimensions for the steel stuff. I'd be interested in bending, cutting, and joining.

Is this doable for an amateur? I have a good workspace, but my experience with metalworking doesn't extend far beyond tin-snips.

What equipment would I need to purchase? These would be hobbyist creations, so i wouldn't need any assembly-line speed machinery. What books, tutorials, or links should I read?

Or, am I better off just designing pieces on a computer and having someone else do the metalwork?

[JWB_Machining]

If you're a hobbyist what's the fun in designing on a computer and outsourcing the work? What you're describing is definitely doable as an amatuer just know that you're not gonna get it right the first time. The best way to educate yourself is to just get out to your shop area and do it. I'm the in house machinist for my building here and I've learned most of the things I know through posting on this site and just using my machines and learning through Trial and error.

[Crevice Reamer]

Hi Monolith. Welcome to the Zone!

Here's some places to start:

http://www.janellestudio.com/metal/

http://www.majosoft.com/metalworking...ar_reduce.html

http://www.sandvik.saloneit.com/student/default.asp

http://www.speedymetals.com/showprod...productid=3128

CR.

[Crevice Reamer]

Here's some more stuff to keep you busy:

A fun site:

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/200...bending_w.html

Sheet Metal:

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-fo...et-metal-cone/

Welding:

http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thre...d-8ceb59ff8832

Casting:

http://besttechnoblogs.com/tag/diy-m...ting-furnaces/

Bending metal around a curve video:

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-fo...et-metal-cone/

Learning how to weld:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...eeded-993.html

CR.

[Monolith]

Awesome links, thanks very much!

[Guldberg]

You definitely want this book http://www.proshoppublishing.com/

[tikka308]

Check out my blog - I do all of this stuff in a small NYC apartment... bending, cnc mill, shearing, lathe, notching, etc: www.nyccnc.com