I don't so much mind fixing dents...

[VintageMusclecar]

but MAN do I hate fixing rust...esp. rust that was previously cleverly hidden underneath fiberglass mat and undercoating.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...there are certain people in this world who should never, ever be allowed to turn a wrench on a car...much less attempt any form of body work.

Maybe if I was a better welder (or maybe if i had a better welder?!) I wouldn't mind fixing rust so much...but I've been fighting with my archaic Daytona mig (little 110v jobbie) for a few weeks now trying to find the sweet spot between power and wire speed...seems either it was too cold and blobbing up some rather impressive "bird poop" welds, or it was too hot and blowing holes in everything in sight. (It would figure that just as I'm finishing everything up for now, I finally found the sweet spot. ...still got plenty of bird poop welds to grind down though!)

Jobs like this make me understand just that much more clearly why the pro resto doods get paid the big bux.

Rant off. Carry on.
Eric

[firstgenaddict]

I would rather be working with rust than a patched up fiberglass mess anyday... rsut does suck though... using a tig is the best way on thin metal... IMHO

[Nova Jed]

I'm on my third car now and only just found the "sweet" spot. Eric, I will trade some work for a carb....LOL What are you working on?

[VintageMusclecar]

James;

I've only tried to tig once in my life...I ain't that coordinated

Jed;

I'm fixing some rust in the inner wheelhouses and at the sides of the trunk floor on my Chevelle. I've already replaced the drivers side footwell and fixed a butchered shifter hole...mind you, this all on a car that I purchased with the assurance that it was "100% rust-free". I honestly expected to find some rust, I've just found quite a bit more than I'd bargained for.

Live and learn.

Eric

[Nova Jed]

I love rust! That's all there is in cars from PA! I wouldn't buy a car if it didn't have any panels that didn't need replacing.

Heck, I would've done better on a junkyard car compared to the POS I'm doing up now. I've seen better in the junkyards around here! I need a couple !

[68l30]

The trick to those little buzz box migs is to use the right mix of shielding gas and wire.....I like to run a 95/5 mix.Stay away from those tri mixs and the cooler running blends..If your still tring to weld with the flux core set up .......Your better off with coat hangers and torches.. Be sure to check your power supply. If you have a weak circut your in for a rough time as well.In doing field work, I've found those machines run like a whole new animal when coupled to a generator... Hope it helps.

Steve

[68l30]

Also one of the biggest mistakes in installing those patch panels is not removing enough of the "bad" metal. You can't weld thin rust to new metal.Doesn't work. You need a nice clean sharp edge with a nice fit up to the new panel.If you don't grind or cut the metal correctly you will end up with a edge that is cut like this / (beveled)...it should be square with thin gauge sheet steel.No gaps in the joint. Learn to tack weld first.Connect your tacks together.Start by spacing them 1" apart.Then go back and weld (tack) between them. Once your machine is set and your an expert at the tack weld....move on to a stitch weld. A row of tacks is surprisingly strong. Once connected,they are a solid weld. A whole bunch stronger than boogers and a lot eaiser to clean up......

Steve

[Schonyenko2]

I have found .o23 wire diameter works very well on sheetmetal. And I suggest you buy your wire(mild steel) from a welding supply store. There is a difference. Actually I'd suggest you buy your welder from a welding supply shop. Variable heat, and wire feed adjustments rather than click settings. Much easier to tune in. JMHO

[VintageMusclecar]

I think at this point my biggest issue is actually my welder...let's just say it's not exactly a high-end unit. I've used a Hobart Handler before at an old job I worked at, and even though I'm far from a professional welder talent-wise, the difference between those and the one I have is night-and-day. I bought my current one ~10 years ago, and really didn't know what to look for when I bought it.

I am using .023" wire right now which I purchased from a local welding store, and I'm using 75/25 shielding gas.

FWIW, all of my repairs have been butt-welds (tacked at 1" intervals to start, of course), I'm not a fan of lap joints for repairs like this, even though they're 10X easier to weld than a butt-weld.

( patiently awaits the silly comments re: "butt-welds" )

I guess I just need to bite the bullet and step up to a nice Hobart, or maybe a Miller and put this thing out to pasture.

Eric

[jasonL78]

Make sure you have a clean surface to start with, both side should be free off rust and paint. You will be amazed at the results. Just my 2 cents.

Jason