YACT: Auto body sheet metal work? Any how-tos online?

[DurocShark]

I'm not holding out any hope that anybody knows of any since nobody had any fiberglass links, but...

I'll be buying a welder next month. I have some rudimentary welding skills from metalshop in High School (yes, many moons ago), so plan on practicing a lot before taking the arc welder to my bus.

Are there any good tip sites or how-tos on panel replacement? Cutting out panels and welding new ones? Butt welding wasn't anything that was covered in my class, so I've got lots of practice ahead of me. But tips and such would be great.

 

[drnickriviera]

Arc welder for sheet metal? I have a feeling you are going to be burning holes in everything. If you are going to use a MIG, tack weld the metal together. If you try to lay a bead, you'll get too much heat in the metal and it will probably warp. Just keep tack welding in different spots until the whole seam is welded. Then grind it smooth.

Don't have any links, but you may want to take a look at the book Metal fabricators handbook

 

[DurocShark]

Thanks!

Hadn't thought about the arc being too hot.. 🙁

Now the question is do I want to buy an OA rig...

 

[drnickriviera]

I guess a torch would be the cheapest way, but a MIG is much easier to use.

Let's see if you have to buy the bottles, you're looking at $100 each + $150 for a bottom end torch. $350, or get a small MIG like the Millermatic 175 for around $650 + 1 bottle
You could just rent the bottles if you don't plan on using them ever again.

 

[DurocShark]

I did some more research and found most body shops use MIG.

Harbor Freight has a cheap MIG welder for $109. It doesn't have the gas attachment, but I can still use it. I think I'll go that route...

 

[Zebo]

For dents they use a puller. It's like a slide hammer with a hook. You drill into the panel, hook it, then pound/pull the dents out. Afterwards you bondo. Another way they do it is weld little metal sticks to the body then pull the dents out.


I guess if you need panels replaced just get a hole new panel thier really cheap anyway. I don't think you can weld in sheet...but I could be wrong.

 

[slag]

you can weld in sheet.

Get yourself a wirefeed with bottles and go at it. Should run you approx $500.00 for a good lincoln or miller.

I've been searching auctions for a good welder and torch set but I'm too cheap and they go for $200-$300 or so

 

[Quixfire]

I?ve been restoring older vehicles for 20+ years and since the late 80?s I?ve been using a MIG welder to weld replacement sheetmetal. The best advice I can give you is, measure twice and cut once.

Make a cardboard cutout of the area you are going to remove for reference. Remove the rusted body panel or floorpan, various cutting tools are available but my personal favorites are nibblers and cutoff wheels. Take you cardboard reference piece and make sure it still fits the opening, adjust if necessary. Using the cardboard piece cut you replacement metal to size. I usually cut the piece a ¼? larger than the opening to allow for some overlap for welding or trimming. Place the new metal on the vehicle and either rivet or tack weld it in place. Now slowly stitch weld the replacement panel to the good sheetmetal on the vehicle. Stitch welding is a series of short welds placed two to three inches apart to keep the heat buildup down to prevent warping. Once you have complete you seam grind it smooth and refinish as desired.

Good Luck,
Quixfire

 

[drnickriviera]

I'd had a Lincoln weldpak 100, similar to the one in harbor freight. I was never satisfied with the quality of the weld using flux core wire. There was way too much splatter. Luckily I was able to convert it to a true Mig using gas. Much easier to use. Once I found out what I could do with the welder, I found out it was way too small and upgraded to the Miller 175.

I didn't see your other thread. What did you want to know about fiberglass? I've done my fair share in carbon fiber and fiberglass.