I've been itching to learn some welding, so I head down to the local community college. They tell me they will not accept "hobby" students, and will only teach those who are in the trade, or who want to be in the trade. Hmmm.

So, being that I am not looking to build a skyscraper or submarine - how hard is it to self-teach welding, specifically wire feed? My intent is to be proficient enough to be able to repair trailer frames, body panels, and exhausts when the need arises.

There defiantly is technique involved. Ten minutes of description and then go practice is a big part of learning.
Having some one to critique a weld can move your ability forward very quickly.
Part of it is getting the settings on the welder in the ballpark, that can be a catch 22 for a first timer, knowing if a bad weld is technique or machine setup.
Are there any adult education classes available? I took so many evening classes for 15 years it can give a good insight to many subjects for little time or monetary outlay.
Any friends who can really weld? Not just self learned but either work as a welder or at least taken some classes.

You can spend hours learning, but perfecting an error has no value. Every weld should be considered a critical weld.

Find a Mentor is the best advice I can give. Nothing I have ever accomplished with my truck was done without oversight from my mentor.

You can teach yourself welding. Just a bunch eaiser with someone showing you the ropes. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Check with your local welding supply shops. The General Air shops in my area (Denver, Colorado Springs, etc) give 4-hour welding classes on Saturdays, taught by welding professionals.

I bought a Hobart (Miller) 140 amp flux and gas MIG and a Haynes welding book. My son was a lab assistant in the welding lab at Embry-Riddle and critiqued my technique and we cut open some practice welds. I'm no gasline welder, but I can make an exhaust stick together. Good dim light eyesight is essential, as is a steady hand with the torch. An autodarkening helmet is a real plus...

I'm no expert either, but I did have a friend who was a proper welder show me what to do. Especially with welder set up and that helped me a lot. I started with flux-core mig wire and did OK. I then got an argon/CO2 tank and used regular solid wire and found that so much easier to control. I don't weld much now and without practice I've definitely lost 'it' a bit. When I was welding most days building a Lotus 7 chassis I ended up making some really pretty welds using a cheap mig.

Good luck <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Unfortunately the three things that you listed (trailer frame, body panels, exhaust) are some of the most difficult types to master. The exhaust and body panels, particularly the body panels, are very thin and thus, very easy to burn through. The frame welding is getting into the realm of life threatening consequences of not doing it right.

Of all the technologies, wire feed is the one which is the easiest to have look really good and not be worth a damn. It actually is pretty hard not to lay a nice looking bead with a wire feed machine.

As hinted above, I would get a bunch of scrap steel and practice, practice, practice. And then cut your welds apart and see how well you did. u My local community college is much more enlightened, so I took a total of 5 quarters of welding (stick, out of position stick, wire feed, oxy-fuel, and TIG). I was also once of twice per week using the stick welding at work. Each time I welded I became a bit better, but only if I were welding regularly. I haven't done much for a few months, so I would have to run a few practice beads before I would attempt anything important or pretty.

Self-taught MIG is certainly an option, but with so many others who already know how, and who can drastically shorten your learning curve, at least ask around for some hands on help. It's probably not as dangerous as self-taught sky-diving, or self-taught scuba, but it's worth being careful.
I took the High School evening shop classes, and it was the best way to go for a thorough grounding (no pun intended), as you'll also learn from the other students mistakes.
The tech schools want to graduate cert'd welders, and that takes a long time, with many many many hours on stick/MIG/TIG, steel/Al, thick/thin, vertical/overhead/horizontal, butt/lap/round, 60k/70k//110k steel, etc/etc/etc.
Way beyond the needs of the hobby welder.

It's realllllly easy for a beginner's MIG bead to suck you into thinking you're a welding prodigy.

I second the comment on being taught re thin body sheet welding. It ain't as easy as you might imagine.
And since you want to weld on items that will be on the road (with other innocent victims), make damm sure you are welding properly, with the join being stronger than the surrounding metal.

It's real easy to weld two flat pieces together, and it can be a real over-confidence builder. When you go to weld on a vehicle frame, you'll discover it's in an awkward spot, overhead, hard to reach, needs cleaning badly, and your visor won't sit exactly right for you to see what you're trying to do. That's when a little training can go a long way to prevent some really nasty bodily harm. Dripping melted steel really cuts through clothing quickly...

Exhaust can be a special problem, especially with coated metals, beware the fumes.

Of the students I've seen, it seems to take a year or so of welding a few hrs 2x a week for them to seem and feel confident and competant. There's no shortcuts, really.

That is so true and it's usually in those situations when my welding sucks the most. Once I had a fairly good sized chunk on molten steel fly down the waist band of my jeans <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> Ouch!

I made an exhaust for my Miata once. It was not an easy task for someone of my fairly limited experience. It turned out OK with a nice twin tail pipe that was straight, but getting the darn exhaust leak free was harder than I thought..sheesh. I had that exhaust on and off the car several times plugging tiny holes.

Having said it was a nice feeling knowing that I had made it and it worked...eventually. Welding is a very satisfying thing to do when it goes well and very frustrating when not <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Thanks to all for the replies <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Unfortunatly, non of the local Adult Ed schools will admit personal enrichment students (lack of funding was their excuse). I like the idea of stopping by the welding supply store - I'm sure they can point me in the right direction. I'll also ask a "hobby" welder friend of mine where he learned, and maybe he can put me in touch with the right person(s). I did pick up several instructional welding books from the local library this morning, and will purchase a welding DVD from Northern Tool the next time I'm out that way.

I do have a brazing setup, so I understand burn through of thinner metals and lack of integrity on structural stuff. My experience is limited to copper (A/C stuff), so working on steel is a whole new realm for me.

Again, thanks! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />