Repairing a Damaged Front Nose Peice

RTR

Well-known Member
What would be the easiest way to repair this front nose piece for a Farmall 140? It has some pitting and some rust through issues. I realize that it has came unwelded in a couple of spots, but we can braze it back together just fine. I just need help fixing the rust through, the drilled holes, and the pitting. I have some Bondo, but it seems every time I try to use it, it doesn't work right for me and leaves a rough mess that isn't smooth and doesn't fill the low places in. I don't think it would stick with the rust through places or the drilled holes either.

Not wanting to break the bank with materials, but want it to look slick because I am sure you guys saw the last Farmall 140 grill that was on eBay. It sold last night used for right at $400, and there is another painted one on there for $800 (I wouldn't buy a painted one because it is a possibility it wouldn't match the rest of my tractor). Mine was only $60!
 
Here are the pictures of when I got it back from the sandblaster about 3 weeks ago.......


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if you have access to a mig welder, 110v, you can cut out the damaged pieces and weld in new metal. finesse with a grinder, hammer and dolley , and metal finish without using any body filler. here is a heat shield i did for mikeCa, a fellow yt'er. it is for a distillate farmall h. cut all the rust out, and welded in patches.

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and here it is all done in high temp paint

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(quoted from post at 22:54:49 02/13/14) if you have access to a mig welder, 110v, you can cut out the damaged pieces and weld in new metal. finesse with a grinder, hammer and dolley , and metal finish without using any body filler. here is a heat shield i did for mikeCa, a fellow yt'er. it is for a distillate farmall h. cut all the rust out, and welded in patches.

Wow....that is very nice can't even see the lines. While I don't mind using body filler on the pits you see on the top of the cowl, I am never able to fill in low/bent places with it, or make the filler smooth out well. It seems to be too "gluey" for me.

I don't have access to a Mig Welder. My grandfather and uncle both have 84 combined years as Welders and Iron Workers and they own about 12 Welders between the both of them......all stick welders (gas or diesel powered). I told them I would like to learn to weld but not stick weld. I want a wire feed welder that will allow me to do work such as this. They both said that they cost alot of money to operate because they are electric and are limited in what they weld. I am still thinking about getting one anyways but will have to research what I need because I know nothing about welders.
 
(quoted from post at 12:30:03 02/13/14)
(quoted from post at 22:54:49 02/13/14) if you have access to a mig welder, 110v, you can cut out the damaged pieces and weld in new metal. finesse with a grinder, hammer and dolley , and metal finish without using any body filler. here is a heat shield i did for mikeCa, a fellow yt'er. it is for a distillate farmall h. cut all the rust out, and welded in patches.

Wow....that is very nice can't even see the lines. While I don't mind using body filler on the pits you see on the top of the cowl, I am never able to fill in low/bent places with it, or make the filler smooth out well. It seems to be too "gluey" for me.

I don't have access to a Mig Welder. My grandfather and uncle both have 84 combined years as Welders and Iron Workers and they own about 12 Welders between the both of them......all stick welders (gas or diesel powered). I told them I would like to learn to weld but not stick weld. I want a wire feed welder that will allow me to do work such as this. They both said that they cost alot of money to operate because they are electric and are limited in what they weld. I am still thinking about getting one anyways but will have to research what I need because I know nothing about welders.

If the bondo seems too gooey, you probably are not using enough hardener, OR, you are not allowing sufficient time for the bondo to set-up, or cure. Once the bondo and hardener are mixed, you have a very small window of time to get it applied. Don't even try to make it smooth. Once it is set-up and hard, then it is time for the shaping and sanding. The rust pits are easily fixed with bondo. Those larger rust-throughs will need something behind them for the bondo to adhere to, or else it will eventually just fall out. The best way to fix those larger holes is to cut them out, all the way to the non-rusted sheetmetal, and then weld or braze in new sheetmetal. I'm not an expert either, and most of my amateur work probably wouldn't pass the scrutinity of someone like Glennster, but I can usually make it look a whole lot better than it was.

I've done just enough body work to gain a real appreciation of the work that is done by the REAL artists.
 

I'm like you RustyFarmall. I've done enough of it to appreciate the guys that can really make it happen. It's a lot of work for sure. I was thinking since I don't have access to a welder that will weld those peices in, could I just not get some metal and braze it to the rear side of the holes (inside of cowl) and then use body filler to fill the holes/pits in? The metal peices wouldn't be viewable since they'd be on the inside. I guess after thinking about it, you could probably braze in new metal after cutting out the old, but I don't know if I am brave enough for that because I feel like I could get it smoother doing it the other way!

Thoughts?
 
i have 3 migs here at the shop. the smallest is a millermatic 135. its a nice 110v wire feed. runs .023 wire very well for sheet metal work. i use 75/25 argon co2 shielding gas. pretty easy to use, and there is no slag chipping between weld cycles. metal has to be clean and shiny for mig. the great thing about it is you can do quick spots of weld to add metal, then grind down and add more. use a ball peen hammer and a dolly to peen the welds and level them, then just add more metal. for about 600, you can get into a nice 110v mig. go either miller or lincoln, off brands have poor service and parts support. for sure if you uncle and grandfather have welding experience, have them teach you. i use stick welding for fabrication and repair on heaver metal. great skill to have.
 
yes that is something else they told me. He said they won't weld or weld good unless the metal is clean and shiny which is another reason he deterd me from getting one. What about like the peice I'm working on now?.....it has been sandblasted to bare metal but isn't shiny metal.

Yes, Miller or Lincoln would be the only way I'd go. Those are the only brands they have, with the largest being a Lincoln D-400 Detroit Diesel that my grandfather bought for $75 about 25 years ago from where he worked (US Steel) when they were going to scrap it. Never had to do anything to that rig....nice welder. It's been sitting for about 8 years now because they've slowed down and don't do those large projects anymore. The small Miller and Lincoln is about all they use now.
 
it would work fine for that. mig will not weld thru paint, rust, grease dirt ect, unlike stick welding that has a flux coated rod that with help clean the weld area, the the slag will collect over the weld to protect it while it cools. mig uses the shielding gas to protect the weld puddle.
 

As long as it just needs to be bare metal, not necessarily shiny metal.

Yep, that is exactly what my uncle told me about how they both work! What else would the small Mig (ie. 135) weld other than sheetmetal? Would it do larger stuff ok? I would want a "good all-around" wire feed machine. Of course I don't expect it to weld a bush hog cutter or something like that though.
 
it will weld 3/16 fine. some 1/4 inch. if you want a good all round machine, you can move up to a millermatic 250 series. its a 220v unit, will weld prolly up to 3/8 steel. has optional spool gun for aluminum, and can do stainless too.
 
(quoted from post at 03:04:01 02/14/14) it will weld 3/16 fine. some 1/4 inch. if you want a good all round machine, you can move up to a millermatic 250 series. its a 220v unit, will weld prolly up to 3/8 steel. has optional spool gun for aluminum, and can do stainless too.

Thank you for the advice.

What do you think about my idea of fixing the front cowl. Where I would braze some metal on the inside and fill the holes from the outside? I feel like it would work and be a little easier for me so I'm not hacking up a hard to find piece like this one.
 
(quoted from post at 11:26:56 02/14/14)
(quoted from post at 03:04:01 02/14/14) it will weld 3/16 fine. some 1/4 inch. if you want a good all round machine, you can move up to a millermatic 250 series. its a 220v unit, will weld prolly up to 3/8 steel. has optional spool gun for aluminum, and can do stainless too.

Thank you for the advice.

What do you think about my idea of fixing the front cowl. Where I would braze some metal on the inside and fill the holes from the outside? I feel like it would work and be a little easier for me so I'm not hacking up a hard to find piece like this one.

The idea is good, but make sure the added sheet metal will not interfere with how it fits to the radiator.
 
Will do. I don't think it will.

One more question......what type and thickness metal should I get?
 
if you have an autobody and paint supplier, they will stock automotive grade sheet metal in up to 3x5 ft sheets. it is the correct alloy to be worked. they may have several gauges. eastwood is an on line supplier. generally around 20 gauge.
 
(quoted from post at 02:34:02 02/15/14) if you have an autobody and paint supplier, they will stock automotive grade sheet metal in up to 3x5 ft sheets. it is the correct alloy to be worked. they may have several gauges. eastwood is an on line supplier. generally around 20 gauge.

The auto paint supply store will be closed after noon tomorrow and I will not be back in town until tomorrow night. Would Lowe's or another store have something like that?
 
RTR,

For the larger dings you probably need the bondo, but for pitting I prefer brush painting with a sandable primer. I put several coats to get it thick, then sand it smooth. Seems to work well, and if you do not get the surface clean, the bondo can work loose.
 
Tractor Supply here carries sheet metal in their metal rack. Be sure you don't buy galvanized metal. Welding on galvanized metal will create fumes that can hurt or kill you.
BillL
 
You could always get a fiberglass kit and install the fiberglass mesh on the backside to cover the holes, then body putty on the front, sand smoothe and prime.
 

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