Just about to start my first welding

[wavestarved]

This will be the first time that I've actually made anything since buying my welder, and it's the main job I bought it for.
i'm going to make up some lowered seat bases for my VW t4, I bought some mercedes leather seats for it this time last year but they sit a bit high (head on the cab headlining). I'm going to make the bases out of 16 guage box section steel, each base will comrise 2 parallelagram shaped frames braced together. Any advice for this kind of thing would be appreciated. I've bought a couple of those magnetic holding things for 90 and 45 degree angles.
Cheers all
Jase

 

[Faaluke]

How much practice have you done? More the better before starting something like seat mounts!! :P

 

[Luke]

Yes, don't start making the seat bases straight away. By the time you've finished them, you'll be disappointed with how you started!

Much better to do a few test pieces and get some practice in first.

 

[wavestarved]

Cheers guys,
the nice chap at the steel stock place snook me a few extra bits to play about with so more practice is on the cards.

 

[slimjim]

tack everything first and check it works, before welding properly,

 

[wavestarved]

Cheers, good one. I've knocked up a jig too out of some MDF and some nails just to hold stuff in place while I tack it all together (I'll keep the fire extinguisher close). That's as much as I can manage at the moment, 10 mins in the garage and I'd lost all feeling in my hands and feet.

 

[Iain Westland]

I know how you feel Wave, managed until 4pm today but it never got above -3C so I gave up the ghost..

Keep us informed, and there is always plenty of help here so ask away..

 

[wavestarved]

Cheers buddy, there will no doubt me more questions.
I'll take some pics as I get some done.