Newbie needing help please

[tipi182]

Hi all, i have just bought myself a classic car to restore, i also bought myself a Cebora 150 turbo mig with a co2/argon mix gas. I have never tried welding before so its all been a bit of a trial and error at the moment. I tried welding some scrap metal and got some half decent welds, but when i try to weld my classic i find i am burning holes in the metal, the welder is set to the lowest power and the wire feed is set to about one quarter and i am using 0.6 wire. Can anyone give me any tips on whats going wrong?

Thanks
Chris

 

[Springerdinger]

Hi Chris

I'm no expert but can I suggest you have a good look through the mig tutorials on the site

You need to do a trigger on for a second trigger off for a second technique. so that you dont build up too much heat in the metal. Practice small tack welds first rather than runs
Also if you are replacing panels you can learn to plug weld.
If the wire feeds too slowly it will burn back and you will lose the contact with the material. Too quickly and it will stutor.

Once you have watch the mig tutorials things will make more sense.

If you post pictures of your welds the site experts will point you in th eright direction

Hope this helps, welcome to the forum

Chris

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/mig.htm

 

[Ragnarok]

there is the tack method mentioned above, could also be to do with how clean the metal is and if you have cut the rust out completely or not, if you are trying to weld on bodywork that has half rusted through it will just burn holes in it, cut back to good metal, clean it up alot and try the tack technique

Good luck

 

[keith19]

What's the classic? How thin is the parent metal you are trying to weld to?

As said above, the parent metal must be cut back to where there are no rust pits, either side. And really clean, no oil, paint, or gunge of any kind.

You could try putting some kind of alloy or copper backing strips or plate behind the repair panel where you are welding, along the line of weld if possible. This helps to reduce heat in the metal around your weld. The alloy or copper must be contacting the weld metal firmly. On thin floor pan patches, we used to jack a plate up underneath.

Use the tack method, as advised above, especially to start with. Heat builds up very quickly in a line of weld on thin metal, and even a cm or so of continuous weld will often blow through. Much better doing a series of tacks about 3 or 4 cm apart, all down the join, then another lot which just join up with the previous ones, and so one until you have a complete tack-welded seam.

 

[tipi182]

Thanks for the info, it's a 1965 105e Anglia which I am restoring, the font valance what I am trying to patch, I have cleand it to bright metal but did notice it does feel rusty on the other side

Chris

 

[keith19]

Wow, an Anglebox! Haven't seen any of those for years, let alone worked on one.
I was a general mechanic at one time and the usual problem with the 105e was difficult starting, particularly in damp weather. Keep the starting system up to scratch and they are a nice little motor.

From what you say, the back of the front valance panel may be as rough as a badger's backside with rust. The constant splashing of salty water from the road over time, and the fact that Ford never spent much on rustproofing in those days, takes its toll. Originally the panel would probably be 20 gauge or 1mm thick, but it's had a long time to get thinner by now.

I'd give it a try with the tacking technique first, after a bit of practice on thin scrap to check you've got the hang of it. If this doesn't work I'd be thinking of replacing the entire panel, if they're still available. Or even trying to make one up, if they are expensive.

 

[Ragnarok]

yeah the back side of body work is always the worst, how thick is it where you are trying to weld?

 

[tipi182]

can't say for sure how thick the panel is but i would hazzard a guess of 20 gauge ish, the metal feels solid but it does feel a bit crusty at the back, i cleand the front side to bare clean metal with no rust pits at all.

 

[Ragnarok]

shouldn't be a problem welding it with the tack technique if it's solid feeling, and not too pitted on the back.. though it's always a lot easier welding totally intact metal haha when you move from practice pieces to the car it will be harder, stick with it and try the tack technique