finally got round to mig welding these sill repair sections today,though a post might be helpful to newbies to this welding hobby. (I'm sure the professionals will have better ways of doing things).
which follows on from this thread on bending without a bender
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/bending-without-a-bender.74629/
and repairing inner sills
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/repairing-inner-sills.74723/#post-1024875
these were trimmed to size and test fitted. this is a very slow process and trying to get the gap right for butt weld
and I do find the clarke belt sanders good for doing the final triming
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cbs...MIs5WV1bCg1QIVrrvtCh1WigUKEAQYAiABEgL3G_D_BwE
I start by running a few tacks along the length of the join. these are done randomly along the length. don't start at one end and do them one at a time until you get to the other end. if you do you will find that the tacks shrink as the cool so pull the panels closer together and after the first 30cm you'll probably find that the panels are now overlapping. (that happened to me on the first one I did many years ago).
I used narrow rulers for adjusting the alignment of the panel
and intergrips without the bar that goes behind the panel to try and maintain a gap (due to shrinkage of the tacks when cooling)
and finally you end up with tacks along the edge of the panel
then I did the plug weld to replicate the original spot welds. the holes were just under 6mm diameter and the power was turned up and just done in one go without moving the torch. the settings were tested on some scrap test pieces first to check for penetration. and a clamp was put on each side of the weld as it was done.
until they were completed
a few more tacks were done on the butt joint
and the tops of the tacks were then ground down to be near enough flush with the panel
which follows on from this thread on bending without a bender
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/bending-without-a-bender.74629/
and repairing inner sills
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/repairing-inner-sills.74723/#post-1024875
these were trimmed to size and test fitted. this is a very slow process and trying to get the gap right for butt weld
and I do find the clarke belt sanders good for doing the final triming
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cbs...MIs5WV1bCg1QIVrrvtCh1WigUKEAQYAiABEgL3G_D_BwE
I start by running a few tacks along the length of the join. these are done randomly along the length. don't start at one end and do them one at a time until you get to the other end. if you do you will find that the tacks shrink as the cool so pull the panels closer together and after the first 30cm you'll probably find that the panels are now overlapping. (that happened to me on the first one I did many years ago).
I used narrow rulers for adjusting the alignment of the panel
and intergrips without the bar that goes behind the panel to try and maintain a gap (due to shrinkage of the tacks when cooling)
and finally you end up with tacks along the edge of the panel
then I did the plug weld to replicate the original spot welds. the holes were just under 6mm diameter and the power was turned up and just done in one go without moving the torch. the settings were tested on some scrap test pieces first to check for penetration. and a clamp was put on each side of the weld as it was done.
until they were completed
a few more tacks were done on the butt joint
and the tops of the tacks were then ground down to be near enough flush with the panel