Skills needed to complete a rocket build

[casesensitive]

Hi all,

I' ve been reading the logged builds with great interest, but a recurring thing keeps popping up; I worry that I could drop a lot of money into this project and never get a running car out the other side.
Most of the builds appear to involve fabricating or heavily modifying brackets, rails, panels etc. I can't weld at all now, is that something I'd have to get under my belt before I start?
I'm about to embark on my first proper running-car-to-boxes-of-parts teardown in a few weeks, which will give me an idea of where I stand in terms of my skills. My all-round DIY is pretty decent, but car-specific skills are coming slowly to me.

I have SOME tools (Wifey would say far too many), but I don't have any I could fabricate panels or brackets with outside of grips, hammers and snips!

Has anyone compiled a newbies list of skills required?
Welding (MIG/TIG/ARC) ?
Alloy sheet forming/cutting?

edit:
Obviously the list of tools is going to be long; but big expensive ones (welding kit, car lifts, large vices etc) would be great too.
Instructables.com articles usually have a list of tools and materials required for a particular project; that'd be brilliant to have here, maybe it could be selected from a master list (extra metadata field on each project build, click the tools etc you used?).

[Deleted]

"I have SOME tools (Wifey would say far too many), but I don't have any I could fabricate panels" - Not really requiired, tin snips, jigsaw, marker pen..

or brackets (vice, or workbench) with outside of grips, hammers and snips! ( all required)

Welding (MIG/TIG/ARC) ? - MIG but not essentia (GAS ONES ONLY)l. Bob has built his rocket without any welding. No Arc at all.. please no..

(Tig - good skills to learn. And you can weld very thin metal with no distortion. However, decent sets are expensive. Avoid scratch start sets.)

Alloy sheet forming/cutting? use tools above.

(Personally, id love a water jet, but theyre MEGA expensive lol..)

Really depends on what you want to achieve. I chose to push the boundaries of what can be done technical wise, if it was a straight no frills build, it would be done by now.

Instead, im finding homes for electrics, and tanks under what minimal bodywork is there. Its a learning excercise.

off the top of my head...

Minor fabrication skills, jigsaw, drill, drill bits, rivet gun, thread tap set, spanners, sockets, vice, selection of light and heavy pursuaders,(hammers), rubber mallet (ESSENTIAL), flat surfaces, crimp tool, crimps, kneeling mat, tape measure, set square, copperslip, grease, torque wrench, wire brush, and angle grinder.

Other tools will be required.. depending on various factors.

On the subject of MIG welders, i buy one, use it for my requirements, and sell it on. They hold the value very well. (as long as theyre looked after).

[airforceone]

I found no need for welding kits, my local garage covered any welding for a minimal cost.
Pressing in the wheel bearings, again cheap by my local garage.

The only big items I bought were an engine crane and stand. I only did this due to the fact
that it was going to cost the same to hire the kit as it was to buy it. I got both brand new
from ebay for 100 quid, delivered.

As for tools, again not really that much needed. A good quality socket set, screw driver set, Rubber mallet,
jigsaw, hacksaw, tin snips, rivet gun, rivnut gun, heat gun, grinder, soldering iron, and loads of solder, lecky tape, electrical fittings and heat shrink.

It sounds a lot but I would same most have 60-70% of these lying around the garage.
I bought a load of my socket sets and such from halfords. Their professional range of tools are good
and they are usually on a 50% off sale.

Don't panic, I had never touch car mechanics or electrics before I built mine. Just take your time
and ask loads of questions if you are unsure. There are loads of stunning builds on here to follow
and tech support from RTR is excellent.

Ned

[roadtrackrace]

Mar 15, 2013 12:55:49 GMT airforceone said:

tech support from RTR is excellent.

Ned

Thanks for that Ned.

Every garage on the planet has a press as it's regularly needed and in terms of welding, the steering column has to be extended and for a small fee we will supply you with an extension bar which is basically a piece of 16mm bar with a Ford Ka universal joint welded to it.

Again, as Ned stated, a simple job that any garage will carry out for you for a few pounds.

RTR.

[casesensitive]

Thanks a million for all the replies, that was quick! Doesn't look too bad; I have about half of those tools already, including more sockets, spanners and screwdrivers than I've ever need. The metal cutting tools are are going to need to be found, and a better, bigger vice. Oh, and a wider selection of persuaders too :-)

[leicesterkev]

Hi Casesensitive,

I managed to build a rocket and I knew nothing about cars. Half the fun was the learning process and although it took longer than most, it is possible with a bit of determination and a willingness to ask questions (no matter how stupid they may be). From zero knowledge, a hacksaw and a £10 hobby vice from homebase, I now have a road legal rocket that goes like the clappers and is immense fun.

If you've got the time (and patience) just do it!

Cheers

Kevin

[carbonbob]

Hi I built my rocket and welded nothing ,drilled and tapped a lot of holes so would say more important to get a set of taps and drills decent ones the only vice I used was a 3" smal record one and an angle grinder 4.5" and 1mm cutting discs saved a lot of time for cutting some of the panels and bits just go for it its a fantastic experience that only gets better when ou drive it

[chizzy]

As people say you wil learn as you go, with a bit common sense and imagination, reading what other peolpe have done to resolve any problems on here you should get by fine, i am a fully skilled mechanic/technician, MOT tester, do full diagnostics ect....so have the skills needed, its time that can be the issue!! Don't under estimate how much time it will take up.

[casesensitive]

Update: I've sorted my garage, built a really big bench out of scaffolding planks, and bought some great storage racks. Picked up a compressor in Lidl (dontcha just love Thursday specials?)and I have the lend of a gasless MIG welder, with the option to pay €60 for it. Not great for the rocket, but the plan is to learn to weld a bit using scrap I have lying around, then make up some brackets etc, before I spend a lot on a proper one.

Donor being delivered this week, excited to get started, I'm afraid I'll be on here a LOT looking for help