moglite
Part of things
Posts: 815 
Club RR Member Number: 144
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Nov 13, 2017 20:32:01 GMT
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I've been melting metal as keen DIYer for a while, but my Morris Oxford is the first time I've been brave/stupid enough to do bodywork. So these tips apply mainly to light duty work on panels 1. Get some light on the subject.
Working in wheel arches and at awkward angles, extra light is needed, mains lead lamps always seem to be in the way.
A 2W COB LED work light seems to work well with my reactive mask
Work light for £3.74
2. Get some movement to your hands.
Use TiG welding gauntlets, much nicer to use than the 1/4" thick leather ones used for welding up oil rigs
Gloves for £7.50
3. Keep the torch a fixed distance away from the work.
These are designed for spot welding, but work well if you are in a nasty position, and can't easily get a 2nd hand to steady the torch.
Two shrouds for £6.66
4. Copper block
Use as a backing when welding really thin metal, or trying to fill in holes.
Tricky to find, and some say aluminium works just as well.
But try pulverising a couple of sections of scrap copper pipe together - might work as a freebie.
If you are holding it in place - use full fat gloves, not the TiG ones - it gets mighty hot
Hope it helps
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Last Edit: Nov 13, 2017 20:32:20 GMT by moglite
1967 Morris Oxford Traveller
1979 Toyota LandCruiser BJ40
1993 Daimler Double Six
2007 Volvo XC70 2.4D
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Neat ideas  Lights - I'd agree - COB LED are the ones you want  If you can increase your budget to £5, you can sometimes find full-size 3xAA inspection lights on offer at Lidl/Aldi (I got a few last year for friends - all were very well received!), I was in Halfords today and they have similar www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/garage-equipment/garage-essentials/ring-utility-led-inspection-lightI also spent £30 on a branded "Inspection lamp" (magnetic base etc) that recharges from USB and kept that for myself, it gets used a lot ! Copper block - find an offcut of pipe (ask a plumber?), hammer 1 end flat as a backing piece, bend a swan-neck in the middle so you can get it into difficult corners. I have one made from 15mm pipe in my welding kit  Edit - I hold the copper with a pair of pointed mole grips if I have space, no heat reaches your fingers Bonus tool ( free) : find a piece of 1" round bar about 6" long, use a 1mm disk on an angle grinder to make a slot 5mm deep in one end, 10mm deep in the other end. Use your new tool to bend neat 5mm/10mm edge flanges on sheet steel |
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Last Edit: Nov 15, 2017 1:45:33 GMT by nomad
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Extra light when welding in wheel arches etc is a must have. After trying several different methods I eventually stuck an LED light on the front of my welding mask, works a treat. I guess I should upgrade this to a COB version for even better results.  |
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fad
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,781
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Ceramic welding tiles can be handy too.
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79cord
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,608
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Nov 15, 2017 10:09:46 GMT
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^ yes, good for shielding / protecting wiring, plastics & insulation behind / around weld area.
& we would all have already used the wire-knot wheel on the grinder to clean the surface beforehand.
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Nov 15, 2017 10:32:47 GMT
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Another vote for bits of old copper pipe as a backing piece, especially if you've somehow ended up with a slightly larger-than-anticipated gap between pieces that you're trying to butt weld. And another for remembering that because it's working as a heat-sink, it gets really hot.
I've been looking at new lights, a mate has a nice slim inspection light but the only one I've seen like it is from Sealey and around £45-odd.
The biggest two improvements I made were (a) ditch the old permanent-live welder, and (b) drop £35 (a bargain at the time, now they're down to £25 at the NEC show) on an auto-dimming helmet.
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Nov 15, 2017 11:43:17 GMT
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Nov 15, 2017 12:28:42 GMT
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Extra light when welding in wheel arches etc is a must have. After trying several different methods I eventually stuck an LED light on the front of my welding mask, works a treat. I guess I should upgrade this to a COB version for even better results. excellent idea like that |
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iain42
Part of things
Posts: 107
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Nov 15, 2017 12:34:06 GMT
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Defo agree with adding a light to your mask, used a head torch, the type where the battery pack is separate   for the copper, I got a selection of bus bars from some industrial distribution boxes - found on the local scrap collectors truck |
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Nov 15, 2017 12:36:59 GMT
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auto flip masks where for sale at the nec for £20
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Nov 15, 2017 18:44:07 GMT
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Nov 15, 2017 19:05:43 GMT
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Haven't got a picture (and it was whilst TIG'ing anyway) but I've taped a slimline torch to my mask before when inside a stainless tank.
Copper is best but aluminium does work, sometimes gets a bit blown away and sticks but car stuff at 40amps or so would be fine.
Brass also works but watch out for the zinc burning off.
Practice welding wrong handed! You never know when you need to use the torch in your off-hand. Or behind something. Or upside down and activating the trigger with your little finger or thumb.
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MrSpeedy
East Midlands
www.vintagediesels.co.uk
Posts: 4,786
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Nov 15, 2017 19:30:10 GMT
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Practice welding wrong handed! You never know when you need to use the torch in your off-hand. Or behind something. Or upside down and activating the trigger with your little finger or thumb. I once had cause to weld something wrong handed, blind, reversed and with an arc welder. (I forget what it was specifically but I think it was some sort of bracket) There's never enough practice (or familiarity with your kit) that can prepare you for all eventualities. Lol |
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Last Edit: Nov 16, 2017 17:41:35 GMT by MrSpeedy
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Nov 15, 2017 19:59:45 GMT
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Cardboard extensions on the top of the welding helmet can be really useful to stop glare on the inside of the lens when welding outside.
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1968 Cal Look Beetle - 2007cc motor - 14.45@93mph in full street trim
1970-ish Karmann Beetle cabriolet - project soon to be re-started.
1986 Scirocco - big plans, one day!
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Nov 15, 2017 20:29:54 GMT
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Practice welding wrong handed! You never know when you need to use the torch in your off-hand. Or behind something. Or upside down and activating the trigger with your little finger or thumb. I once had cause to wind something wrong handed, blind, reversed and with an arc welder. (I forget what it was specifically but I think it was some sort of bracket) There's never enough practice (or familiarity with your kit) that can prepare you for all eventualities. Lol Once when putting back together a cast iron gate pillar (ornate square with massive void up the centre, part of Sarah Beenys estate off the tellybox) I had to dangle the torch (stick welder!) down between a gap in the pillar, weld towards me on a horizontal. I've also tig'd the back of a flange using a mirror to see. That messes with your brain! |
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turbom
Part of things
Posts: 393
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Nov 15, 2017 21:17:26 GMT
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Nov 15, 2017 21:57:39 GMT
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RobinJI
Posted a lot
"Driven by the irony that only being shackled to the road could ever I be free"
Posts: 2,995
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Nov 16, 2017 23:16:56 GMT
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If you're in the market for a budget welding helmet, for an extra tenner over the cheap generic auto-dim ones, I can definitely recommend one of these: www.toolstation.com/shop/p32517?table=noThe viewing window is noticeably taller than the cheaper (and a lot of more expencive) ones, which can make quite a difference in tight spaces. |
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^link isn't working on my phone?
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1988 740 Turbo, 1998 V90, 1991 Eunos Roadster.
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Nov 17, 2017 16:53:56 GMT
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Good thread, I've ordered one of those lights to attach to my mask.
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