good job mate:thumb:
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good job mate:thumb:
youve been watchin to much Discovery Turbo lol
great work again ade
pmsl! That's exactly what I have been doing - some mad show on Saturday night called chop cut rebuild!
Looking good mate, when do you think it will hit the roads?
Looks excellent mate, usual top work, i really cannot wait to see this project once its finished, just out of interest what are your plans for the interior? are you going to do something totally random like the punto headlights? punto dashboard? look forward to your reply.
just read through this whole thread - brilliant read!!
This is great work Ade, can't wait to see it moving along. Will be keeping an eye on this!
P.s love the models!
interior will have a custom dash (using MG ZR rounded air vents) in car PC, touch screen, custom door cards, retrimmed seats, head lining etc...
That's a fair bit away though - the aim this year is to get the exterior done and the car on the road in time for VBOA or Trax at the latest...
Nice bit of metal bumping there Ade, you best get practicing with that welder soon!
looking good
at least on a par with joff eventually
Saturday 19/01/2008
Been working late shifts all week so not done owt since I made the extensions for the front of the wings however today I decided to take up the challenge and teach myself welding!
Everyone and everything I've read says it's hard but once you master it it's a doddle - feck they aren't wrong!
It's harder than a hard thing! I was at it for a couple of hours just on hacked up bits of scrap and only started to get the feel for it towards the end of the session...
I started by trying to butt weld some scrap metal and tried to get an even amount of weld on both sides as well as practicing just welding through a normal whole piece of scrap...talk about hard.
Anyway this is what I got up to -
Here's my welder -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...elding0001.jpg
and here's my reference book -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...elding0002.jpg
I started with some old cut off bits of metal from my old pattern wings - it's about 0.8mm-0.9mm thick so based on the welder instructions I set my gas to reg 4, my wire to about speed 6 and my power to MIN (I have MIN and MAX settings) and off I went!
BLOODY HELL! For starters you can'tsee a thing through the mask and trying to hold the gun at the right angle whilst trying to move it about is bloody hard!
Here's my 1st attempt at trying to butt joint 2 bits -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00016.jpg
The problem was penetration - it didnt seem to want to go through -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00017.jpg
As you can see - it just sat on the top in big blobs -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00018.jpg
Turns out after reading the book that the power isnt high enough to penetrate the thickness of the steel so I wacked it on MAX and after blowing a ton of holes in the metal turned up the wire speed and eventually started to get the hand of it. here's some tack welds - front -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00010.jpg
and back -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00011.jpg
Granted these are on solid steel (no butt joints) but I was impressed to manage this without blowing holes.
By this time it was 6pm so I called it a night...
Sunday 20/01/2008
Decided by the end of today I wanted to have both my wing extensions welded in place ready for the next stage (which is building the front section under the lights)
Had a little bit of a practice doing butt and lap joints firstly and based on the results and the descriptions in the book I felt I was ready for the big one!
I'd worked out how far the metal would go before I blew holes in it and recognised the "bacon frying in a pan" sound - I'd also got used to looking through the welding mask and could understand how the weld pool was going.
So armed with my new skill (cough I use the term lightly cough) I set about my wings as follows -
Started with the drivers side and began by cleaning off any paint and then after marking up the location on the wing I secured the extension in place with my new "C" clamps -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00024.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00031.jpg
A bit p1ssed off initially as I'd bought 2 bottles of argon/co2 gas for use on the wings (I'd been practising with the co2 supplied bottle) but after I'd set up the welder and gas and was about to start I noticed no gas was coming out of the nozzle. Did a thorough check and it turns out BOTH bottles I'd bought are empty! Now hoe the HELL am I supposed tpo prove that I didnt use them!!!
Luckily I had enough gas in my co2 bottle to use that instead - but what a p1sser!
I started by tacking up the extension to the wing -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00032.jpg
Managed not to blow any holes but had to go easy as the metal at the edge was a little thinner after I'd sanded off the paint (I used a 120 grit flap disc on a grinder!)
Once this was cool I knocked the extension in place with a hammer to get it as close as I could and then went for it!
Heres the result after the 2nd run (the 1st had already been ground back)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00036.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00038.jpg
Where the 2nd run joins is actually in a dip created by the curve of the wing so it'll all be hidden by a skim of filler. Also it had penetrated in most places (which according to the book it doesnt need to do with a lap weld?!?)
I ground off the excess to get is reasonably smooth - at least flush with the edge of the extension anyway. There was a slight raised edge of weld at the "back" however it's not higher than the top of the wing so wont be visible when skimmed -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00039.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00040.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00041.jpg
Quality work! Will be some toy when its done
great stuff not bad for 1st welds,
get cracked on lad lol
Sunday 20/01/2008 (continued)
I then gave the new addition a quick coat of primer to seal the bare metal (didnt have any etch primer on my at the time)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00044.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00045.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00046.jpg
I then did the same to the passenger wing. noticed this whilst sanding off the paint for the other extension (a bit late my thinks!)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00049.jpg
Heres the finished result (welding wise)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00050.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00051.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00053.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lding00054.jpg
Now both extensions are in place and solid the next task is to fettle them in place more, sort out the basic curves on the existing lines into the new parts, then build and weld on the lower front section inderneath the lights.
I'll then seal them fully and skim with filler to get the final shape I want.
Overall though I had a really good day - really enjoyed myself and highly recommend welding to anyone who can be bothered!
Have loads of other non car projects buzzing around inside my head now (an arcade cocktail cabinet being one!)
lol - need to get the car done 1st thouugh - lol
nice work ade, but i think you should grind it back some more and fill the lil cavities with sum more weld, be easier for final finish then
looking good ade,very impressed with how well you shaped the metal. bet ya kickin yaself you didnt learn to weld earlier. lol
Martin - was thinking that however it looks deeper than it actually is - as i's going to be hidden by filler anyway I'm thinking it'd be a waste of gas/material.
The changes are I'll be going round the front of the car doing a few puddle welds for additional strength - can't hurt!
Welds look, on the whole perfectly fine, you can only get better as time goes on, now go and buy a sh1ter Nova, that will really get your welding skills sorted, lol
fury muff, good luck with it mate. if you was closer id of love to of come and helped you with thre welding, and have a good noisy round:thumb:Quote:
Originally Posted by ade
Good going for a beginner there:thumb:.
For a lap joint I'd have joggled one of the edges and drilled a few holes in the other for a few plug welds in place of the tacks, leaving a nice little grove to run a full weld in, but I've got a fair deal of experience with thin steel (10kgs of wire used on the current nova, + 4 years of mot repair welding in a garage). Those welds will certainly hold those pieces together though, you could always run a couple of stiches on the reverse side if you were unsure about them (don't forget to seal the join at the back).
aye - was thinking about additional welds on the back to tbh I'm happy with it as is. I'll be getting meself a few tins or red oxide and zinc primer on Wednesday when I get paid.
Oh and phoned machine mart - they reckon the regulator was on too tight but offered to exchange the canisters if still not working
Their argon/co2 mix bottles are known for having deeper-set pins in the top which leads to having to almost force the regulator to open more than it should to get a good flow of gas. I've had problems with it before myself. The guys behind the counter will deny any knowledge of it though.
Also even the high-capacity bottles only tend to last for around 1 meter of continuous welding, do a few stop-start welds, and add in the gas wasted before and after the arc has struck, time-wise thats about an hour per bottle.
Plenty of seam-sealer once the rust-proofing coats have dried on the back to keep the dirt and moisture out too;) .
Looking very good mate, the welds on the wings look excellent, especially for a first attempt! they'll be more than strong enough to tack the wings together, once theyr'e skimmed with filler it'll be looking sweet, what's next then? did you say new rear arches? are you going to go wide arch or stay standard? i reckon the SID wide arch kit would suit this but it's obviously upto you, your going to be making your own bodykit out of foam and fibreglass arnt you? absolutley loving this car mate, it's just so different, what you gonna do with the back end of the car then? your gonna have to do something weird hey. Look forward to seeing your next update.
Nice work as always Ade.
You should be proud.
cheers for the comment guys! I'll be replacing the rear arches and at least the passenger side sill. Mikey - I've found stop/start welds are the best - If I try and do a long weld I just blow holes - with stop/start welds I can also check where I'm welding so I dont wander! lol
I'll be making my own body kit (front/rear bumper, grill (blended into bumper)) and side skirts as well as a smoothed rear boot with a VW custom boot latch (with a vaux badge)...
Wednesday 23/01/2008
Had a day off today (although got to work this weekend which is a bummer) so thought I'd tackle the underside part of the wings - the bit that sits under the lights.
The existing Nova wings had a section that bent round and clipped into the grill to complete the small edge before the bumper. I'm wanting to do something similar but obviously need to fabricate a new section to follow the contour of the Punto lights.
I started off working out how the bumper would be bolted at the front and then how the bumper (with grill built in) would connect to the wing.
I'll basically run a skirt of metal along the underside of the lights following the contour of the light. This will have holes drilled in it so clips can be clipped onto it allowing the wings and bumper/grill to be screwer in place. It'll be fiddley but will be nice and tight.
Once that was sorted in my mind I started by making a card template -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bottom0002.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bottom0005.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bottom0001.jpg
This will need to be welded to the existing extension at the bottom corner of the wing as well as the underside for additional strength.
The new section will have a contoured lip running along the top edge to add detail (which will be along the bottom of the lights) and this will follow around and tuck back in for a flush finish.
Once the template was made I took it apart and then cut out the necessary parts, leaving enough metal to form flaps making joining the parts easier -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bottom0006.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bottom0007.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bottom0008.jpg
At the moment the end that joins on to the bottom of the new extension (bottom corner of the lights) sits on top so I had to trim this back. I then joggled the edge of the new extension so the new part would sit flush on top. This was then welded in place. Once this was tacked in place I tacked the underside checking the clearences along the front of the lights in case the new part fouled on the bottom of the lights (which it didnt).
I then welded it up - which proved pretty difficult. I blew a couple fo holes in places which had to be repaired.
However by the end of the day I managed to complete one side -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bottom0010.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bottom0012.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bottom0013.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...bottom0015.jpg
I'm really pleased with the outcome. I need to clean up the welds on the underside however this wont take long. The area where it joined the new extension needs a bit more work however most of this area will be under a skim of filler.
You can see how the new part follows the line of the lights and theres a nice line that can be drawn from the bonnet down - this will be followed into the design of the front bumper and should follow the ange of the grill.
The whole area will be getting a skim of filler to remove any imperfections.
I'll probably do the other one tomrrow night.
your attention to detail is crazy ade
Mint
Brilliant work yet again mate, may i suggest that you invest in a light reactive welding mask though, they make everything alot easier as you can see through the mask just like a lightly tinted window before you start welding, then as soon as it lights up it changes darker so as not to blind you.
Sounds like you could do with a little less power or a bit more wire speed if you're still blowing through, thin stuff like this can be a real pain to find the right set-up for.
Once again though, excellent bit of tin-bashing there! and a good idea to aim to get the joints slightly lower than the finished level.
An auto helmet would probably be a good idea, I know I could have done with one on more than enough occasions when weldng nova's! I have used one before, when they first started showing up (were around ?250!), an absolute god-send when welding upside-down!
i couldnt weldwith out 1 now
Tuesday 29/01/2008
Another day off work (was working the weekend just gone) so spent all day in the garage with the welder working on my wings.
Spent most of the day fabricating the underside to seal up the gaps after I cut and bent the bracket that the old grill used to clip into. This is now the underside of my extension. Then spent a while grinding back some of the welds and then fill welding to level some areas off.
Got a tad c0cky and although welded most of the time with my mask on - did a few with eyes closed really tight/looking away (mostly spot welds). However this is not recommended - why? because you can forget to close your eyes and blind yourself (which I didnt) but something I forgot is that the ultraviolet radiation given off basically gives you sun burn!
So now I have a red face except for the area where the top of my welding mask sat on my head where I have a nice perfectly straight white line!
lol
I'll post pics of the wings tomorrow...in the meantime I'm off the apply some after sun!
Need pics of the tan..
youre only a real man when you weld upside down with just a tee shirt on ;)
i had some spatter go down my jeans onces.. had a bold patch pmsl...
lol, that's why I used to weld in a t-shirt, kept the tan topped up! Wait till you've experienced a blob of hot, molten metal dropping into you're ear, I tell you that fecking hurts! (not too nice when it burns through your jeans and heads for the old tackle either!)
i had a few bits go down my gauntlets.. i dotn think ive seen one fly across the workshop so fast
still after punto wings? may know of some knackered ones i can cut the top corner off and post
cheers but dont need them now.Quote:
Originally Posted by alanhughes87
Friday 01/02/2008
Tan faded pretty quickly but now I look like a fecking radiation victim with the skin on my nose cheeks, forehead and chin peeling! Looks like I have some kind or dodgy skin disorder!
Made an excuse and left work early to apply some "lotion". Actually been feeling a little sh1tey for the last couple of days - sort of fatigued...probably not linked.
Anyway - after a short "rest" (couple of hours kip) I went back into the garage and cleaned up some of the welds. Fitted both wings and checked the gaps along the bonnet which considering I still need to clean them up and finish the bonnet off were pretty damn good!
Gave the new sections a coat of etch primer ready for a layer of filler on Saturday. I can now start to apply some detail.
i had the same in the ear while welding a new floor in a mates transit:eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by mikey14sr
looking good ade cant wait see some more areas tackled:thumb:
Sunday 03/02/2008
Today I wanted to get a skim of filler on the wings to at least build up the right levles ready for more detail. i also set myself the task of cleaning up the slam panel which is currently bugging me because its made up of about 10 different parts of metal all rivitted togetehr. The idea is to create a continous smooth panel that's welded in place. This will add strength to the rivetted sections and make it look much neater.
I started with the wings and after lining them up I bolted them in place. I then gave them both a couple of skims of filler. this looks really rough at the moment but the idea is to build up several layers and then cut it back to get the profiles I need.
Whilst this was drying I made a card template for the slam panel. Because the sheet steel I'm using isnt wide enough I'll be making it in 2 sections and joining it in the middle.
Once the card template was made I marked up and cut out the parts. I had to grind these out as my tin snips werent up to the job (only 1mm steel!) These parts then had to be bent into shape to fit. before welding in place I had to remove the paint I'd applied initially. This took ages.
I managed to get the passenger side welded in place and most opf the welds ground back before I packed up.
I'll get some pics up the next day or so - my memory cards are currently full of horse pics from a lesson the wife had the other week - need to get my ar$e in gear and download them!