My first welds on my van.

[tclarkie]

Hello All, this isnt my first go at welding last time i welded was when i was 17 at college but it was thicker stuff(I am now 32).I havent being near a welder since then. I paid someone last year to weld my van and it fail on same things again this year. So i borrowed a mates welded and had a pratice to what i think should be ok. Here are some pictures of what i done so far. I have hit these with a normal hammer and the piece and welds stay on...
Tell me what you think for a beginner.. I await your opinion and remember i havent even welded a vehicle before only 2 pieces of thick metal together 15yrs ago...They are not brillant but would they do...

 

[Wozzaaah]

Honestly?.......Not good at all.
One problem is that you haven't cleaned the area up properly, you've tried to attach the patches to dirty steel and the first one clearly isn't on there properly. You could probably prise it off with a screwdriver.
What you should be aiming to do is to melt into the parent metal and allow the weld to flow into the edge of the patch, what you've done is the opposite, you've welded onto the edge of the patch and tried to get it to fuse into the parent metal.
The second pic is poor quality but it looks like you ran out of gas, hence the dark, porous, crusty weld.
When cleaning up an area ready for welding aim to make the cleaned area about an inch bigger all round than the patch you're putting on, that will ensure the weld is nice and clean with no contamination.

 

[Coo]

you'l also find it easier to weld when it's cleaned up.

Goon on you for giving it a go though

 

[GeorgeB]

i think should be ok. Here are some pictures of what i done so far. I have hit these with a normal hammer and the piece and welds stay on...They are not brillant but would they do...

Like you say, they might not be award winning welds but will they suffice for getting through an MOT or for other purposes? I've seen worse welds done by an MOT garage. If you say the patch can't be knocked off with a hammer, that must be a good sign. Try Woz's suggestion of trying to prise the patch off with a screwdriver. These are the sort of checks an MOT tester would do, assuming it's in a structural zone.

I agree with the need for cleaning the work area before welding. It's not too late now. Brush the entire perimeter with a wire brush, shot blaster or something to get a bright area at least half an inch either side of the weld bead. Then check the weld bead for any gaps. The bead should really be continuous, especially for an MOT. Simply fill in any gaps with short bursts of new welding - job done!

 

[BeeJay99]

You seem to be welding very close to a flexible brake pipe there, I hope you protected it well? I did this once without adequately protecting a pipe which split, the fluid came out and ignited and the area of the weld got napalmed!

 

[cumbriasteve]

In all honesty I think an MOT tester could be tempted to fail those patches, hitting them with a hammer proves very little regarding the bonding strength to the old metal, you could hit it if only 4 tacks where in place. The patches don't appear to be strongly welded to the original metal, which is a requirement of the MOT, 'to be as strong or stronger that the original'

I would grind them back flat, clean up all the area with a flap wheel or similar, then drop your amps, get the gas flowing and do the thin metal weld proces shown in the tutorial on this site... perhaps practice on some scrap.

Don't be put off, when you do a nice seam weld you will be chuffed and the hard work will be worthwhile.

 

[tclarkie]

Thanks Guys for the replys. I have taken in what you said and i had a idea that the patches on the doorstep would be crap has these were the first ones done. I did run out of gas has i thought it was splatting to much and that is when i stop and when to buy some gas. I must admit i didnt cleaned enough of the work area and this i knew that it had to be cleaned. I think by the time i done rest of the other welding on the van, i certainly will not be happy with my first ones so these most properly come back off and i do them again.
Today i must of spend 3hrs planning and cleaning the area at the back of van where it needs welding. I made the plate and have cleaned the area write down until the shiny bare metal was showing and i also clean the metal piece which i was putting in place. I must admit i only tack welded plate in place has it was getting dark but it seems to do better welds.
Well i think i am getting there but i aint going to be quick but hoping to complete welding for atleast weekend anyway.

 

[cumbriasteve]

I think one of the biggest issues is, you are admitting to learning as we all had to but you are doing the job itself to learn, possibly in an uncomfortable postion, lack of light and not a good environment to start with.
I would get to the scrap yard and get some bit's of steel to practice on, if you are using the expensive disposal bottles, that will be in the back of your mind that you are wasting gas..so perhaps won't be keen to do so.
Can you get a bottle of Co2..pub gas, it's not ideal but it works and is cheap and many people are using it.

 

[tclarkie]

Hi cumbriasteve thats is where i am now doing my van in the scarp yard, It is a friends yard so i am doing it there. I am using the disposible bottles but not worrying about the cost has i supposed i like to do welding for my own purposes has it has always interseted me. If i needed to replaced the engine i do that in a day has i am very good with the mechanics side of things but i suppose bodywork stuff i am not so good at. Well i being reading and reading how to set up the welder i am using. It is a clarke 151TE turbo gas welder. Currently i have it set on i think power setting 2 and wire speed 7ish. But after reading in the info on welding thin steel i am going to turn the wire speed down and see if i can get the welds more better.
I hoping i get it better has the welding is structural thats why it fail its MOT. I presume i need something thicker then 0.8mm sheet to weld to the chassis part has this is thicker then the normal bodywork on the van.?

Cheers Guys for your help and advice, hopefully this lady is only going to get better with your help
Cheers