820
South East
Posts: 793
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Jul 26, 2014 13:07:31 GMT
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Hi, I treated myself to a TIG welder a couple of years ago so I can weld different types of metals, I am a nuts and bolts man by nature and not had much experience of welding other than Arc welding heavier gauge metals.
The time has come to fire it up to weld 2mm mild steel plates to the underside of the footwells on the Rover.
It is an AC/DC 160 amp mains powered TIG from RTech, Ive got the rods and pure argon gas and the panels to be welded are almost ready.
I plan to watch some TIG videos and practice on some scrap but any tips or do's and don't's would be appreciated, especially welding from underneath as I know from the arc welding its tricky as the weld wants to run off the job when upside down.
Thanks
Jim
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Jul 26, 2014 18:56:42 GMT
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Tig is really not suited to car body repairs when compared to mig. Particularly not lying on your back structural repairs. Fit up and cleanliness of the metal together with consistent arc length are key. None are easy lying on your back under axle stands.
You're making the job more difficult than it needs to be.
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Jul 26, 2014 19:10:02 GMT
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Ive been TIG welding for 18 years , and yes , mig is better for that sort of stuff . It is possible , ive done it but was using slightly thicker stuff on a golf floorpan . The main probelm you will have is burning paint and underseal contaminating the weld and more importantantly the tungsten which will mean frequent re grinding and replacement .
Also working upside down as a beginner will be difficult , and as you probabaly know , panel fit has to be seamless to almost seamless . The thinner the materials , the more important . It will also be tricky to weld thin stuff to 2mm to start with as you need to keep more heat in the thicker bit.
TIGs great , but i do feel people get it wrong , thinking its best for everything because its neat etc . Each welding process is suitable in different situations , unfortunately this isnt one of them .
Feel free to PM with any questions , i will be happy to help .
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Ive been TIG welding for 18 years , and yes , mig is better for that sort of stuff . It is possible , ive done it but was using slightly thicker stuff on a golf floorpan . The main probelm you will have is burning paint and underseal contaminating the weld and more importantantly the tungsten which will mean frequent re grinding and replacement . Also working upside down as a beginner will be difficult , and as you probabaly know , panel fit has to be seamless to almost seamless . The thinner the materials , the more important . It will also be tricky to weld thin stuff to 2mm to start with as you need to keep more heat in the thicker bit. TIGs great , but i do feel people get it wrong , thinking its best for everything because its neat etc . Each welding process is suitable in different situations , unfortunately this isnt one of them . Feel free to PM with any questions , i will be happy to help . Sound advice. My suggestion would see if you can cut out the rot in the floorpan, make up a perfectly fitting repair panel and weld from inside the car. May not be possible of course, and still would be easier with a mig.... |
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V8 MGB GT sprint and track
V8 Ford Pilot Woodie project
1971 Early Bay VW camper
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820
South East
Posts: 793
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Jul 27, 2014 15:48:09 GMT
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Thanks for the replies, I didnt expect that but I do have access to a Mig welder at work, sounds like I'm better off getting everything prepared then get it to work to use the Mig. What I might do though is use the Tig on the bench to weld the nut plates to the panels and a couple of strengthening ribs before they go on the car, also a couple of small jobs inside the car, as I just spent a fortune on gas and rods. Thanks again, I will keep this updated. These are the plates to be welded, no corrosion just adding strength for the harness anchor points.  |
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Last Edit: Jul 27, 2014 15:50:44 GMT by 820
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Jul 27, 2014 20:11:48 GMT
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Tig is all about practice. Get all the metal you can and try it on the bench. Fiddle with all the settings, keep turning it up and down so you get a feel for when the power is too high or low. Try different torch angles and rod angles to see what works for you.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using proboards
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Jul 27, 2014 20:14:34 GMT
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820 , if you weld those plates on i would do it in small bits at a time , letting it cool , thats if you intend welding all the way around it .
Also if you want to practise , try to see if you can get some 1mm or 1.2mm sheet from somewhere and have it cut up into say 150mm by 75mm strips . Then weld them all up !! You will have the hang of it by then !
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Jul 27, 2014 21:12:29 GMT
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Right before you pick up the torch get hold of a good bic biro a washer and a piece of white pater.
Now drag the washer around the paper from the inside with the tip of the biro without leaving a mark of ink on the paper.
Once you can do that consistently at any angle your ready to start welding if not your just wasting gas.
And as for car repairs unless its brand new mig it......
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820
South East
Posts: 793
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Aug 10, 2014 12:14:04 GMT
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Sorry for the delayed reply.
No progress on this yet, I should be able to get going again next weekend.
Once again thanks for the tips, and advice, I can relate to all of it from my arc welding experience, different thickness matels, corrosion and contamination.
I like the biro tip, the welder settings are all provided as it is new so can start with a set of defaults then adjust and experiment.
I plan to weld approx 1 inch sections every other inch or 2 around the edges but what would be the best way to weld the centre of the panel to the floor to create the equivalent of a couple of rows of spot welds along the center of the panel? I thought of drilling holes in the floor above to weld to the 2mm panel underneath or is there a better way.
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Last Edit: Aug 10, 2014 12:14:24 GMT by 820
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Aug 10, 2014 13:39:45 GMT
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You could pre drill holes in it, say 4/5mm then weld around them to the thicker panel . Its called different things such a a plug weld or rose welder [ beads look like a rose ] .
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