My first time welding and patching...

[65fastbackresto]

I`m sure this will get some laughs, but some constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated as I never picked up a mig welder before the day I did this. And yes the first 2 pics I had to hammer and dolly into that shape, also my another first. I wanted to start in places that will be hidden so that maybe I can learn a little in the process.

 

[MustangB]

I'd practice on scrap metal before making repairs to the structure of your car. You need to learn what having too much juice looks like, and what too little juice looks like. You need to know how the arc acts when you forget to turn on the gas. Basically, make the mistakes on scraps, not your car.

Welding is a skill that requires practice. I spent many hours with scraps before I felt comfortable using a TIG on my car.

 

[65fastbackresto]

Yea I know they look pretty bad.

I knew when I posted this I was gonna eat humble pie, but keep on looking and giving advice, cause I need it.

FYI, part of the welding was flux core and part of it was gas and solid core.

I also just ordered that first peice that I welded in, the other end of it was bad in the trunk, so I`ll tear that out and redo it.

 

[DukeGnarley]

it looks like you need to do a little more surface prep before you start welding. just sand/grind/wire brush the area to bare metal.

 

[Groovygrove]

You only learn when you jump in feet first!

Don't feel bad,my welding looked just like yours when I first started. If you burn thru,backup and start again.You learn from your mistakes. Keep up the good work!

 

[Fstbk]

Part of the trick is knowing when you have cut out enough of the bad metal and are into the solid stuff that welds well.

And be sure to make the area CLEAN before welding. Flux core can help with some contaminated metals, but in reality you want the metal to be strong, even thickness and clean!

 

[Bullitt322]

Hey buddy. Not too bad for a first shot, but these guys are right. Practice. Practice. Practice. Also looks like you need a little more prep work before you start melting metal. I've been in the welding business for more than 20 years. If you need some help/advice--- just ask.

Remember. A grinder and a flap wheel are your best friends.

 

[65fastbackresto]

Oh I`ll be asking alright.

Last night I cut out the affected area in the wheelhouse on passenger side, and chipped all the paint off that quarter panel so I could get a feel for what kind of shape the wheel flare was in, not so pretty...

 

[lauras70mach1]

Don't use flux core.

 

[65fastbackresto]

Last nights carnage

And I don`t use flux core anymore, a buddy of mine came over and showed me how to hook up the gas that same day I started.

And Bullitt, what happened to you? I tried replying to your messages last week but I`m not sure you got the replys. Never heard back.

 

[rbohm]

for a first timer, your welding isnt too bad. more practice and better metal prep, and perhaps we can make a body man out of you.

by the way, same with your hammer and dolly work. just remember to let the tools do the work and dont force the metal to do what you want, work with it. take your time and you can produce good quality results.

 

[65fastbackresto]

I watched a bunch of youtube stuff today.

Welded in 3 little patches in the passenger side fenderwell tonight, and for the first time, I can`t see light thru the welds, so I think I`m making some progress.

One question though, when you burn thru because the metal is not as thick as it should be (either by grinder or old age) is it ok to just weld the hole shut? In the places I did this I started my puddle at the top of the hole, and just fed it slowly as it works it way down to the bottom of the hole vertically. Its time consuming to clean up, not sure if its worth the trouble, I think I could make a patch and weld it in quicker then trying to do this like that....

At this point its taking me about 10 times the wire and gas as it should, because my welds are so nasty I have to weld them over and over and grind and grind to get them into something I may not notice under some undercoating.

 

[67rcks]

add more amps to your machine, clean the welded area entirely! a tiny grain of rust or paint will damage the weld. use only CO2, the weld will be solid metal free of srut. use max amps you can. make precisely cut patches, it is hard to fill 1mm+ gap.

 

[65fastbackresto]

I think I have 25/75 Argon CO2.

With .30 solid core wire (.030?) something like that.

Yea last night I really cleaned the areas to be welded and worked on making my patches closer to the hole size. What I keep doing wrong is I`m not cutting the rust out far enough to get back to good metal and keep having burnthru as a result.

 

[oz]

Welded in 3 little patches in the passenger side fenderwell tonight, and for the first time, I can`t see light thru the welds, so I think I`m making some progress.

Preferably, you'd cut and form the patches such that you can't see any light BEFORE you weld them in. What I mean is that butt joints are the weakest joints you can make. If you can overlap the metal and then edge weld as well as plug weld it (dril holes in one piece along the part that overlaps and then 'plug' it - kind of like a spot weld), you will have a stronger structure overall.

It looks like from one of your pictures that you have frame issues too. I'd worry about those first and then put the sheet metal skin over the fixed frame. Much easier to do it this way rather than patch all the thin stuff in and then need to yank it back out to access the frame.

On my latest project, when I burned through, I just turned down the power and feed rate again and filled the holes -and then used an angle grinder to clean them up.

Like others have said, the 4" or 4.5" grinder is your friend.

Good Luck

 

[65fastbackresto]

The frame edge is exposed

But thats not the boxed part is it?

 

[NasaGT]

Part of the trick is knowing when you have cut out enough of the bad metal and are into the solid stuff that welds well.

And be sure to make the area CLEAN before welding. Flux core can help with some contaminated metals, but in reality you want the metal to be strong, even thickness and clean!

+1, great advice there!

Good job for first time out. You'll just get better and faster. It takes a while to realize how important the prep work is.

 

[65fastbackresto]

Thanks guys.

Oz, I`ll have to try the overlap welds, I thought the pieces I was putting in were stronger then they were before. I`m using thicker steel to patch with its prob 18 guage and its real stiff and hard to work with as far as bending goes.

How quick do I need to get these pretty shiny welds covered up? I assume just clean and cover with some etching primer?

 

[65fastbackresto]

More of my awesome welding skills on display

Sadly enough, about half way thru this patch I learned the difference between hot and cold welds....cough cough.

 

[65fastbackresto]

Well this just took on a whole new direction for me...

This was hiding under rocker panel trim piece, the entire area forward of the wheelflare was bondo, theres also a small dent in the mouth of the "gill" where the shelby side scoop was. Not to mention the rust holes...

I`m a little disheartened by this turn of events, but maybe we can get er done.