Rosette (Plug) Welds On Sheet Metal

[123pugsy]

I need to weld 4 pcs to my front clip with rosette (plug) welds. Both pcs are 19 ga cold rolled. I will be using TIG for sure.

What size holes are you guys using?

Do you weld to the sheet without the hole first with a blob of rod and then bring that to the edges of the hole?

Do you fill the whole hole? Or do you fuse around the hole?

DUH.....



Thanks,

[Marty Comstock]

This is on your finished surface? The entire nose working flexing and hanging off it? are there no other mounting choices?

That being said I have toyed with a 1/4 inch hole, a very TIGHT gap, and a high heat/wire (say, factory set for 3/16") and very little trigger time. Less time on the trigger meand less HAZ means less warpage.

Marty

[Bill Gibson]

I use a 7/32 punch since my Whitney Punch #5 has one that size. and I weld to the sheet without the hole and work my way out and fill the entire hole using just enough filler to make it flush with the top sheet with the hole in it..
3/16" works too, and I think 1/4" is a little bit too big....

[Marty Comstock]

Originally Posted by Bill Gibson

3/16" works too, and I think 1/4" is a little bit too big....

Come to think of it (its been a while) I think I used a 3/16 hole for the technique I described. There is no time to fill the hole, or to watch it, just bap the trigger and BAM its done.

Marty

[patman]

I usually do plug welds with my mig with a 1/4in hole but I do not punch the hole, when the pieces are together I drill until just the tip of the bit breaks through then with the mig you can watch the thin drilled area burn away and blop the hole is full and very flat. One way that I have done them with the tig is to have the 1/4in hole drilled in one part then a .040 hole in the other part then take your tig rod and make a coil around some needle nose pliers and feed it throug the hole so the coil is in the 1/4in hole and then with high amperage weld them together that is also a neat trick to make simulated spot welds on aluminum. By the way Pugsy you sir are a mad man!!! keep up the good work!!!

Pat

[123pugsy]

Originally Posted by Marty Comstock

This is on your finished surface? The entire nose working flexing and hanging off it? are there no other mounting choices?

That being said I have toyed with a 1/4 inch hole, a very TIGHT gap, and a high heat/wire (say, factory set for 3/16") and very little trigger time. Less time on the trigger meand less HAZ means less warpage.

Marty

Hi Marty.

Ya, this is one of the only places to hang the metal. The front wheel clears the frame mount bar where the body cushion sits by about 3/8 at full lock and the sheet metal clears about 1/4'' when dropping it straight down over the chassis.

I think I will need to add two more supports to this clip and spread it out over 4 points.

Anyhow, I'll be using the TIG, no MIG in my garage and ya, right on the new front metal, ouch!

[123pugsy]

Originally Posted by Bill Gibson

I use a 7/32 punch since my Whitney Punch #5 has one that size. and I weld to the sheet without the hole and work my way out and fill the entire hole using just enough filler to make it flush with the top sheet with the hole in it..
3/16" works too, and I think 1/4" is a little bit too big....

I'll have to go try some 3/16'' and 7/32'' holes on some scrap.

Crank up the heat with an ally backer, give her some rod and see how she goes.

[gerry miller]

And here I thought you just cut the cord on your Mig..
gerry

[123pugsy]

Originally Posted by patman

I usually do plug welds with my mig with a 1/4in hole but I do not punch the hole, when the pieces are together I drill until just the tip of the bit breaks through then with the mig you can watch the thin drilled area burn away and blop the hole is full and very flat. One way that I have done them with the tig is to have the 1/4in hole drilled in one part then a .040 hole in the other part then take your tig rod and make a coil around some needle nose pliers and feed it throug the hole so the coil is in the 1/4in hole and then with high amperage weld them together that is also a neat trick to make simulated spot welds on aluminum. By the way Pugsy you sir are a mad man!!! keep up the good work!!!

Pat

Thanks Pat.

Making squigglies sounds a little too much like work to me.
As mentioned, I'll go out and do some test pieces and report back.

[123pugsy]

Originally Posted by gerry miller

And here I thought you just cut the cord on your Mig..
gerry

Ha, no, I just cut the umbilical cord a couple years back though.

MIGs are nice to have around for some things. It really would have come in handy now.