Joining up on recommendation from my old boss!

[ClaytonT]

Hi Everyone.

Clayton here, did my trade as a panel beater working for Resto Rod Race who put me on to this site.

Been out of the resto game for a while but I'm currently converting Peterbilt trucks from Left hand drive to right hand over here in Adelaide.

Just bought myself a tig welder after debating over getting one or going oxy/acetylene for future projects.

I've practiced tig welding a fair bit at work welding stainless and aluminium but very little forming and shaping.

First projects are building a trolley for the tig, knocking up a trailer for my bike and fixing/modifying some fuel tanks for classic bikes. Keen to see how a tig compares to OA welding and learn a few tricks along the way.

Catch everyone around!

-Clayto

[SATAUS]

welcome Clayton
Any pics of your bike/bikes or projects that your working on?

[ClaytonT]

I've got a wr450 converted to supermoto that I race and a friend has loaned me an rd250lc to practice tank shaping on.

No real projects yet. Only got the welder last night. Next thing will be cleaning up my shed and setting up!

Ill chuck some pics up tonight though.

[ekdave1962]

welcome clayton say hi to Adam next time your chatting to him, you will find the site full of info and helpful people

[Resto Rod Race]

Hi, glad you joined up.

[Peter Tommasini]

Hi Clayton welcome to the forum
Peter

[ClaytonT]

Thanks guys, I haven't seen Adam for quite a while but one day I'll make the trip overseas

Just cleaned up my little shed over the weekend to clear some bench space to do a small job for a chromer who Adam used to do some jobs for.

It's a bumper over rider off an old plymouth I'm told that had been damaged, which eventually caused the panel to rust. The chromer had tried to mig up the rust holes causing 4 5-10mm holes in the damaged end.

I made a patch panel and began welding it in at work on their OA set up with a no.6 tip but the tip had been filed out to resemble a no. 10 tip and even though I'd asked the boss for permission to do the job out of hours he was giving me a bit of stick about using the appliance.

Thus I bought the TIG. It's a weldskill 200 Amp AC/DC power source same as I have used at work and loved.

I've done some practice welds on a scrap bit of 1.2mm mild steel to prepare myself for this as it needs a patch made (rather than weld up each individual hole) as it is very thin and trying to find decent metal to weld to is quite the task! Metal finishing it is a bit of a challenge as the metal is so thin in places it cracks as soon as you try to dress it up, also as it's due to be rechromed there can be no pitting at all. Fun!

Practice welds the day I got the tig:

No Pulse, starting bottom right and playing with the settings to get some bead consistency with no undercut (feels just like oxy welding)


With Pulse, produces a smoother looking weld but the penetration was quite patchy in places, without pulse produced more consistent penetration.


My messy little bench/work area which in time is to be upgraded but for now should do the trick:


I'll grab a trolley for the TIG soon but for now it will get the job done.

Plenty of fun to be had with this panel, it's like welding tissue paper with all the pitted/rusty areas and certainly is testing my skills.

I can only spend 1-2 hours a night on it before the wife asks what I'm doing

I'll post up some progress pics once it's finished.

As for my bike:


It's a 2012 WR450F that I've converted to a Motard for Road Racing. I'm also the President of a club called Atujara in South Australia which is trying to get the sport of Supermoto off the ground but it has it's ups and downs.


I enjoy giving it some welly but as the story usually goes I don't get to ride as often as I would like!

Blatant hooning:


I've had a quick look around and I can see that I'm in for a treat as I delve deeper, hopefully my contributions can be worthy! I'll be doing a pretty comprehensive write up on my trailer once I crack into that and also any other jobs I end up doing.

I'll be starting to modify a tank off an RD250LC (One of Straussy's, Adam) once I finish this job for the chromer.

Cheers,

Clayton

[Resto Rod Race]

Im sure you get the hang of the tig in no time. Plenty of good info on here and people willing to help.

[Oldnek]

Hi Clayton and Welcome.
Lucky you did join the forum as you will learn heaps more than what Adam would have been able to teach you.....


No he's not to bad for a Apple Isler'

PS: How's it going Adam, bet its starting to chill up down south now.

Cheers John

[Resto Rod Race]

Originally Posted by Oldnek

Hi Clayton and Welcome.
Lucky you did join the forum as you will learn heaps more than what Adam would have been able to teach you.....


No he's not to bad for a Apple Isler'

PS: How's it going Adam, bet its starting to chill up down south now.

Cheers John

Hi John, well actually some truth in that, ive learnt alot from here since Clayton finished up with me. (not from you though)

Yep the mornings are a bit fresh now.
Bought an 03 Ultra Classic Electra Glide for some riding of these great roads down here. Plan to build a custom Bagger out of it eventually, so have been thinking about some designs for the rear.
Still bashing Jags, Astons, Jags, Ferraris, More Jags and other random projects at work.

What you doin?