My first proper repair (pics)

[Sphinx]

Well I've been practicing for the last few days and thought I'd better bite the bullet and do the actual repair. I haven't taken pics of every step becuase I was having too much fun welding lol

The lower section of my NS rear arch has rusted the inner and outer skin badly in one area; it was a really concentrated bit of rust becuase the rest of the car is spotless.
I cut out the rust leaving good metal to weld to then made some templates:

I then made these in 1mm steel (no pics) For the outer piece I welded 2 sections together and for the inner section I tried some metal shaping with all my panel beating tools...a hammer.

After some grinding to shape it (it still wasn't perfect but had to do) I offered it up and held it in place with a magnet:

Slowly welded a small bit at the time as the metal on the car was sooooo thin! I blew through a couple of times on the inner lip but luckily the outer face went pretty well. I added more welds to this and then ground it down but this is the only pic I have:

Penetration

Did the outer piece in the same way:

For my first attempt I'm chuffed I know some bits could be better but ya live and learn.

 

[pedrobedro]

Finish it of nicely with a skim of filler and a good paint match no-one will ever know Nicely done.

 

[malcolm]

If you leave pinholes or gaps between the welds then water will come through and bubble the paint. It can even get in from dry areas. Best to try to get a continuous weld before covering over.

A series of tack welds isn't really the thing for avoiding pinholes even if they touch. If it's too late then seam seal thoroughly.

 

[Sphinx]

There were 2 pin holes once I'd ground it down which I went over and re-welded, just didn't take a picture.
I did try a continuous weld but it got faaar too close to blowing through for my comfort, plus I didn't want any warping.

Going off these pictures which are on this very forum; if this isn't the way to weld car bodywork without warping or pin holes then what is?

 

[malcolm]

Have a look at the video on this page - http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/thin-metal.htm While it's tack on tack it's a semi-continuous weld with new weld going on before the old has cooled. I tend to leave less time between spots these days.

For minimising distortion: Tack thoroughly ending up with no more than 1 inch between tacks. Grind down the tacks a little to improve penetration later on. Weld an inch on one part of the panel. Weld an inch somewhere else, then somewhere else. Let all that cool for a couple of minutes and repeat.

 

[rosco454]

I used Malcoms tutorial yesterday to do a repair on the bottom of a mini door.
Firts effort at welding on thin sheet and it came out quite well i think.So thanks to Malcom as i am slowly teaching myself using just the tutorials from here

This is how i did it;

Tacked in place.

Welded a few sections at a time and let cool before the next couple (about half way through in this pic)

Finished join.

Close up (high spots are where i went over the tacks)

Penetration.

 

[malcolm]

That's exactly the thing - it's how I normally go about sub-1mm stuff. You can get rid of the bumps over tack welds by starting and finishing between them and by getting a bit more continuous as you go over them. I grind the tops off them myself.

 

[Sphinx]

Gotcha, I'll try that next time. As I say, live and learn.
Considering I only picked up a welding torch 4 days ago I'm still happy enough with the results.

 

[Iain Westland]

and rightly so too, but this is a forum of support rather than ego. sometimes our backs aren't slapped but they are never kicked. Thanks to all who have posted here, the help doesn't stop with the thread starter, we all get to glean a wee amount

Iain

 

[Sphinx]

Oh definitely! I could have practiced and read old posts for the next couple of weeks but I needed to try it on a car to get a better idea of what's what.
That mini repair is a great example of how to successfully combine certain techniques for thin metal so I'll be using that next time

 

[rosco454]

Hi,i didnt mean to appear to be showing off earlier so sorry if i came across that way.Reading it back it sounds rather like i waded into your thread screaming everyone look at me!

I would definately recommend malcoms technique,i found it to be simple to pick up and its gets easier after a couple of pulses (if thats the correct term?) as there is a bit of heat in the metal and they seem be become a bit more continuous.Due to my welder being pretty underpowered it coped with the thin metal quite well, i even went wild and knocked the power up a setting

Thanks for the tips on the tack welds malcom.

 

[chunkytfg]

Hi,i didnt mean to appear to be showing off earlier so sorry if i came across that way.Reading it back it sounds rather like i waded into your thread screaming everyone look at me!

I would definately recommend malcoms technique,i found it to be simple to pick up and its gets easier after a couple of pulses (if thats the correct term?) as there is a bit of heat in the metal and they seem be become a bit more continuous.Due to my welder being pretty underpowered it coped with the thin metal quite well, i even went wild and knocked the power up a setting

Thanks for the tips on the tack welds malcom.

Yes you did! admit it you're an attention whore!!

Now go back to your rusty toilet

 

[peterd51]

HI,

and speaking of showing off, Rosco...

what's the pink thing dangling down in your second photo?

Regards
Peter

 

[rosco454]

Yes you did! admit it you're an attention whore!!

Now go back to your rusty toilet

Arrrghhh stop it,you mini forum member,you have exposed my whoreish shame!

HI,

and speaking of showing off, Rosco...

what's the pink thing dangling down in your second photo?

Regards
Peter

That sir,is a caterpiller boot.Not a rather battered looking third leg as you seem to surgest! I try to keep that inside my overalls - safety first.

 

[Sphinx]

Hi,i didnt mean to appear to be showing off earlier so sorry if i came across that way.Reading it back it sounds rather like i waded into your thread screaming everyone look at me!

I would definately recommend malcoms technique,i found it to be simple to pick up and its gets easier after a couple of pulses (if thats the correct term?) as there is a bit of heat in the metal and they seem be become a bit more continuous.Due to my welder being pretty underpowered it coped with the thin metal quite well, i even went wild and knocked the power up a setting

Thanks for the tips on the tack welds malcom.

lol It didn't come across like that at all
It was a great help seeing those pics!! I'd read Malcoms 'thin metal' technique but thought even that would blow holes in the metal on my car, then saw the repair on that Mustang and thought 'aha! that'll do me!'. If there's a combination of techniques that result in a better job then I'm all ears!

 

[rosco454]

Glad i didnt come across as a pratt

Also i just re-read you first post and notice you have the same panel shaping tools as myself!