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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

Best way to weld sheet metal?

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Lee

10-22-2003 06:14:20




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I've started work on my old truck, both because it needs fixin, and because my daughter will be driving soon and it's that truck or nothing (no new cars comming up soon...)

However, I want to make it as nice for her as possible, which means I need to fix the rust holes, which are considerable.

Panels are available to repair the rusty places, but should be welded in for a really good job. I currently have only a stick welder, whcih I'm told is not the best choice for this kind of work.

What kind of welder would be best, keeping in mind that I don't have a lot of cash to spend. Any heavy work I can handle with the stick welder, so I only need a light unit. MIG, TIG, what?

Thanks lots - and my daughter thanks you!

Lee

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Mike

10-25-2003 17:45:25




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 Re: Best way to weld sheet metal? in reply to Lee, 10-22-2003 06:14:20  
Save your pennys and get a Hobart Handler 175.
It is small enough to do your sheetmetal job and big enough to tackle some bigger jobs too.Use 75/25 gas and solid wire.I personally would not flange and overlay sheetmetal repairs, leaves a perfect spot for rust to start up again.It is more time consuming to butt weld sheetmetal but I believe you will have a superior finished product.
For more info go to Hobartwelders.com and search through weldtalk and you will find a mountain of info and if you still have questions join and ask away--good people,good info.

Good luck with your project.
Mike.

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Bernie in MA

10-23-2003 17:28:37




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 Re: Best way to weld sheet metal? in reply to Lee, 10-22-2003 06:14:20  
I use some fiberglass stuff called Tigerhair to fix rust holes. You mix a hardner with it, the more hardner the faster the setup. Mix only what you'll use for one hole at a time. It will harden too much before you can do more than one. Spread it on a piece of wax paper and plop it over the hole, smoothing it with your fingers on the paper. Peel the paper off in about 5 minutes or it will stick. If there is a big cavity behind the hole stuff it with newspaper. If the hole is in the floor lay a piece of windowscreen over it first. You can sand it smooth if you want but on my old '86 Ford I don't bother. It runs just as good with it rough. HTH

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bill b va

10-22-2003 16:20:42




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 Re: Best way to weld sheet metal? in reply to Lee, 10-22-2003 06:14:20  

i am repairing the rusted out areas on my old chev truck . i am cutting panels to close fit the cut out area that will be flush with the surface and using backer strips riveted to the parent metal and the patches using counter sunk 1/8 rivets . i have oxy/act welding and stick welder equipment and don't want to use them or mig as the heat will create places that can't be painted or rust treated and will rust out later . the warpage and distorsion is also another issuse with welding . i plan on filling the holes in the pop rivetes .

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Tom R

10-22-2003 12:48:17




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 Re: Best way to weld sheet metal? in reply to Lee, 10-22-2003 06:14:20  
I tried many methods years ago when I did a lot of restoration as a hobby and I believe the best method I ever used is a spot welder however a good spot welder is very expensive and a specialized tool that wont have a good deal of application in the average home shop so I think the Wire feed is the most practical for the home shop and will be handy for general welding projects. Here is a method that has been successful for me.

Cut away rust to get to good parent metal, either fabricate or buy a patch panel. Fit the panel to the area and trim the metal leaving sufficient overlap to form a flange in the parent metal.
Flange the parent metal with a flanging tool and then punch a series of 3/16" holes about every inch around the peripheral of the patch with a Whitney punch (this will give you a clean un burred hole), lay the patch panel in the flange and weld down through the holes with the wire feed starting the weld on the flanges parent metal and withdraw the torch head making a "button weld" (it will look like a spot weld except the head will protrude slightly). Weld closed the holes in a staggered pattern and do not concentrate too much heat in one area and warping will be kept to a minimum (take it slow and easy and don't overheat the general area). A light coating of Bondo should be sufficient to finish off the job.

Some of the local body shops are now using an adhesive to glue the patch panels in place. I would not have much confidence in this method myself. If you are tempted to use any method using the counter-sinked head type of pop rivets make sure the backside is coated really well or moisture will wick up the stem in the center and get between the metal and the Bondo and all of your plastic filler will fall off in chunks.

Take a look at some of the tools in the following links.

Link

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toolman

10-22-2003 10:36:23




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 Re: Best way to weld sheet metal? in reply to Lee, 10-22-2003 06:14:20  
im not much of a welder ,hope to keep learning, but what the others said ,mig and so you don,t get it too hot,i was told to tack it in various spots and then go back and keep filling in,seemed like a long process to me but im told thats how the pros do it.



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TimV

10-22-2003 07:20:01




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 Re: Best way to weld sheet metal? in reply to Lee, 10-22-2003 06:14:20  
Lee: Ditto the MIG. You can get by with flux-core, but you're better off with a gas setup. The preferred way is to weld a bit then use a damp sponge to cool the welded area--this will keep the panels from buckling. A stick welder will cause you a lot of frustration due to burn-through. Even using the smallest available electodes, there's too much heat there to do a good job, particularly if you're new to sheet-metal work.

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Tom

10-22-2003 07:04:40




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 Re: Best way to weld sheet metal? in reply to Lee, 10-22-2003 06:14:20  
Lee,

There are many guys on this forum that know more about welding than I do--but I have been restoring cars for some thirty years and have found that the MIG welder works perfectly for what you are proposing to do. It takes some practice, but an economy priced MIG will probably do the job just fine.

Tom



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Lee

10-23-2003 05:24:13




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 Re: Re: Best way to weld sheet metal? in reply to Tom, 10-22-2003 07:04:40  
Do you think one of the cheap MIG welders from Harbor Freight would do it? I've had mixed luck with their stuff, and even though the welder would only be about $100 or so, I can't afford to waste even that. About the only thing I'd use it for would be the sheet metal, my old stick welder works fine for my rough farm stuff.

Lee



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JOHN (LA)

10-23-2003 10:36:51




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 Re: Re: Re: Best way to weld sheet metal? in reply to Lee, 10-23-2003 05:24:13  
Since you do not have a mig welder and you say a mig would be a one job tool. I would braze it. Get a small tip and rod to keep the heat down. You only need to spot weld it every couple of inches. You can then use fiberglass to cover any large seems.
If the areas are not to large you do not even need a metal patch just use fiberglass, Very strong!!!



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Slowpoke

10-28-2003 00:47:12




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Best way to weld sheet metal? in reply to JOHN (LA), 10-23-2003 10:36:51  
For welding flush panels, there are small clamps that fit between the patch and surrounding metal. The distance is about 1/16 or less and the panel is held firmly. Weld between the clamps, then remove them and finish the weld. The only problem is accurately cutting the patch to fit the hole. They are available at Harbor Freight and other like places. Cost is about 5 or 10$.



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