Can anybody tell me what's the proper technic for thin metal welding? There's so many confusing information on the web. They all agree you ve got to tack weld the sheet first and then it's all confusing. Some articles tell to do more tack welds, grind them and do more in between, grind again and fill a the gaps. So it's basically tack welding. The other articles advice to do short stich weldings.
- Thread starter luccass_j
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Lawnmowerboy
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It's really all you need. The techniques in the link above is tried and tested by just about anyone doing thin metal repair work.
Spot the welders dog
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One very good reason to use a series of tack welds, or very small stitches, on thin metal is to minimise distortion.
Which you choose will be dependent on your level of ability amongst other factors.
Also; If you dress each series of tacks down after each pass there is a greater chance of thinning down the surrounding metal leaving you prone to 'blow-through' on any subsequent passes.
Grinding may also add additional heat into the repair that you are waiting patiently to cool...
Bodywork rule#uno "DO NOT put too much heat into one spot at a time whilst achieving consistent penetration!"
Which you choose will be dependent on your level of ability amongst other factors.
Also; If you dress each series of tacks down after each pass there is a greater chance of thinning down the surrounding metal leaving you prone to 'blow-through' on any subsequent passes.
Grinding may also add additional heat into the repair that you are waiting patiently to cool...
Bodywork rule#uno "DO NOT put too much heat into one spot at a time whilst achieving consistent penetration!"
BrokenBiker
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quick, short blasts, one after the other, overlapping by just under half. short runs af around 40mm at a time works for me, let it cools and start again.
don't grind anything down until you have finsihsed and are happy, otherwise you may take away too much metal and blow through.
use just enough amps to get either full, or just a nat's
**** away from full penetration, and no more.
don't grind anything down until you have finsihsed and are happy, otherwise you may take away too much metal and blow through.
use just enough amps to get either full, or just a nat's
**** away from full penetration, and no more.
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BrokenBiker
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depends on thickness. if its 0.8-1.2mm then no, as the welder is capable of full penetration of those thicknesses with ease. 1.5mm is ok without a gap, but half a mil gap wont hurt. 2mm the same and anything 2.5 or higher I allow a gap as wide as the wire, and groove the join out so there is only 1mm at the bottom. I usually just move slowly to build the weld up instead of running multiple passes, unless it has to be strong then I run multiple passes and clean them up after each run
