welding help

[benthehash]

Don't you just hate rust!!

After having a whole new front end fitted few monthes back and some patches in the boot i thought i was rust free.

rear footwell passengers side
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/benjaminash/P1010046.jpg

bit closer
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/benjaminash/P1010045.jpg

and some more at the back passengers side
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/benjaminash/P1010047.jpg
i've cut some away just above the zorst

same place but from the inside looking out
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/benjaminash/P1010048.jpg

I think i'm gana buy a nice little mig and have a go myself any tip's or welder/gas buying advice .it's only for use on the car (thin metal) as my dad's got an arc welder. i've never done any before!! And whats the sealer stuff to cover the welds?

cheers ben

[mikey14sr]

Books and vids are available to explain how to use one, as a beginner you only need something like a clarke 90 or 110. I've got this one,
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/mig-90en-no-gas-mig-welder/path/dual-purpose-and-inno-gasin-mig-welders/brand/clarke

Does the job for most body welding, I've used this model for years and finally bought my own last month.

[bump]

Go over to mig-welding ("http://www.mig-welding.co.uk) for help and advice from their forum. I'd say go for a Clarke 130 amp, as it will ensure you have enough power to weld thicker stuff like chassis plating and bracket fabricating. Gassed welders are far easier to use than gasless.

Steer well clear of MMA for car work.

[Adam]

Steer clear of gasless welders is the advice i've been told,Lol.

[mikey14sr]

I used gasless for ages, then went back tousing gas and the welds are a lot better, only problem with gas is it gets blown away from the weld when it's windy and you're working outdoors, as I do 95% of the time.

[bump]

With gasless there is slag on top of the weld that needs to be ground off (more work) and if you have no idea about welding then there is the very real possibility of slag inclusion. Which will weaken the weld.

If your outdoors then make a windbreak to sheld and up your gas flow to around 15 -17 L/min, should help solve one or two problems.

[craig green]

Cool topic & something I wish I knew more about. Its definately worth being able to weld if you are into old Vauxhalls. I'm going to invest in a MIG soon, nothing like practice to get you upto speed though. might aswell buy a scrap car to work on. lol

Some good advice & tutorials on the net though.

[bump]

Craig if you want any help or advice give me a shout.

For practice get some clean steel to get some semblance of technique, then when your ready for a headache get a load of knackered panels from the scrap yard. Old rusty steel behaves totally differently.

[Paul]

I know this is bloody obvious! but...

The best few bits of advice I was ever given for welding are, prep the surfaces thoroughly, you get a much better weld if all paint/rust is gone than just going over that.

And once you strike the arc, keep it moving, don't leave it in one place, jus got nice and steady.

LOL, thats pretty much all there is too it, get used to your welder, what gas setting is best, and what power, wire feed etc, try on scrap before you butcher the nova.

And as bump said, get a nice bit of clean new steel, learn how to strike arc and run a weld on that, the go and get a rusty wing or something, and run a weld down that. it just practise.

I have a Clarke 160 Turbo or something, cost about 160 pound, I also have been told to steer clear of gasless ones.

[Adam]

I attempted a bit of Arc stick welding today, it didn't work too well Lol
Mig is supposed to be much easier tho.

[bump]

MIG is seriously easy, once you get the hang of it.

What were you struggling with on the stick?

[Adam]

What were you struggling with on the stick?
To see wtf i was doing lol
The mask lense is so dark i can't see fook all through it.

Off machinemart tomorrow pickup a new mask, and hopefully a lighter lens.

[bump]

Get an auto helmet if you can't weld.

Makes it so much easier especially on MMA, as when you first stick the arc the rod will be be no where near where you expect.

[craig green]

thanks for the pointers bump! I'm not about to start but I do have an interest.

Funny how my Dad is quite good with ARC but not tha confident with a MIG. Guess its more to do with what you know.