welding sheet metal

[jhnarial]

I was curious how most of the guys on H.A.M.B welded there sheet metal.So I started a thread there and was impressed on the information that was put into the thread from there members.

I asked them to do a picture tutorial on how they weld.So I figured if I asked I had to put up one as well.So I did here was mine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am not the best tig welder and I almost thought about mig welding this panel. I feel more comfortable mig welding but I will never be comfortable tig welding unless I practice.

So I tig welded this, don't laugh

I put a little shape into a panel then split it in half so I could weld it back together. I also cleaned where I was going to weld and then chamfered the edges.

test run 6 041.jpg

I clamped it together,then on the back side of the panel I placed a piece of brass.I usually use copper but I misplaced my piece of copper.

test run 6 042.jpg

test run 6 043.jpg

Then I tacked it every inch

test run 6 044.jpg

Then I took the clamps off and stretched each tack.

test run 6 046.jpg

Then I clamped the brass back underneath,I put the brass or copper underneath to trap the inert gas to insure a clean weld on the back side as well.Not to absorb the heat.I don't care about the heat because I am going to re-stretch it anyway.

Well I guess I did not take a picture of filling in every inch. It must have been the beer or I was too embarrassed to show.

After filling in one section of weld I re-stretched the haz and then move on to the next inch.

When the welding was finished I took a cut-off wheel and took the weld down to where it was just above the panel.Then filed it down and then used a DA on it.

test run 6 050.jpg

test run 6 054.jpg

It's not totally invisible but there is no distortion. If I get better at tig welding I will be able to make the weld disappear. I am still really unsteady and inconsistent.

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Originally Posted by jhnarial

...I am not the best tig welder ...

Johnny, I'll guarantee you that there are a lot of us that only WISH we were as bad a TIG welder as you...

[Joe Hartson]

X2 for me.

[jhnarial]

It was pretty sloppy but it had to be grided anyways.

Hopefully with time I will have better control.How do you hold the stinger properly?

I tried all kind of different ways but nothing was comfortable.I also hold the filler rod really low but it is the only way I can control it right now.

I was also playing with the temp settings I think I ended up at right about 60 volts and had the pedal smashed. I started at about 75 on a practice piece but blew a hole when I went to slow.

My fill in welds look more like a smear then a roll of dimes.I can make it look pretty good with aluminum(sometimes) but it is very inconsistent.


I had a member on hamb ask me how I weld and that was the reason for the thread,plus there was nothing on TV last night.

Plus I am in the process of re-making my rear fenders,I am real unhappy with the way I rolled the lip.So I want to be a little more comfortable tig welding first.

[jhnarial]

Here is a link to the hamb thread

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=417446

[Pa Pa Jack]

Apparently you have figured out the settings you were looking for. That is one neat piece of work.

I read the thread on HAMB and it was very enlightening.

I have not gotten the nerve to try the TIG yet. I am still learning how to stick weld.

I am very interested in learning how you finish the metal so nicely. I cannot get any kind of decent finish on a piece. what kind of DA do you use? I am assuning that means "dual action".

It could be that these old nerves just aren't steady enough.

[HEATNBEAT]

Originally Posted by jhnarial

It was pretty sloppy but it had to be grided anyways.


My fill in welds look more like a smear then a roll of dimes.I can make it look pretty good with aluminum(sometimes) but it is very inconsistent.

I can't see your weld to comment on it. BUT, you are one fine metal finisher.

[ojh]

Holding the torch is a nuisance, but it also acts as a counterpoint to the concentration on the weld. Did you have the 7" extension? I let that rest between thumb and forfinger and it helps support the weight, i also bunch the hose up and lean against it so that it holds up the back of the torch.
I use all kinds of different angles on the rod, i just make sure that the rod is the first thing molten. Once i've got a puddle going i use the rod to control heat, it is a lot faster than your foot. Doing sheet metal i don't try to make those pretty little welds, esp if i am welding new metal to a nasty old piece, i will move the puddle around quite a bit to cover area, what you have to be careful of is the undercutting esp at the edge of the weld. I have an old machine and the new digital ones probably don't have the edge problem. I try to back the weld with heatabsorbtion so that at the very pinpoint of the weld i can use higher heat, i find that being more aggressive with the pedal makes for an overall lower temp in the panels because the time that you weld in a particular spot is lessened. Lower heat means you will have to linger longer to get the puddle going. I am speaking in minute terms, hundredths of a second? Short in real life, but noticible when you strike the pedal.
Great subject.

[Barry]

Looks great to me Johnny!!
Can't offer anything on the welding - but for holding the torch comfortably I like to hang the hose/cable over my opposite shoulder. Takes a lot of the weight/strain off your wrist.

Barry

[jhnarial]

Originally Posted by Pa Pa Jack

Apparently you have figured out the settings you were looking for. That is one neat piece of work.

I read the thread on HAMB and it was very enlightening.

I have not gotten the nerve to try the TIG yet. I am still learning how to stick weld.

I am very interested in learning how you finish the metal so nicely. I cannot get any kind of decent finish on a piece. what kind of DA do you use? I am assuning that means "dual action".

It could be that these old nerves just aren't steady enough.

Before I re-stretch the haz I leave the proud of the weld up above the panel a few thousands.When you hammer on the weld it will flatten a little.After Re-stretching all of the one inch intervals,I file down what ever weld is left with a file and stop as soon as I see it hitting the panel.Then I just take a normal auto body DA and sand it smooth.I usually use 80 grit but I was out yesterday so I used 220.I kinda of liked it and might make that the norm from here on out.

When I was mig welding it seemed a little harder to sand the weld and that is why I used 80 grit.