ADES GARAGE V2! **now with pics! **

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

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ade

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!

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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:

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).