welding a panel on to a tank

[englishwheeler]

I have a motorcycle fuel tank i made. I didnt much care for how plain it looked...so i cut the cap off and decided to add a decorative panel on top. I suppose you could call it similar to a dash panel on a Harley tank.
My question is...if i weld this on top, how is it that i blend in the transition from tank top to panel?

My idea is to weld around the perimeter of the panel and then sand a nice transition. I feel like this is how people add fender flares to cars...but I'm not sure. I've noticed in some pictures that they are cleco'd to the car by a narrow flange. Is this flange then welded and blended?

Amateur question....but i only get one shot at doing this so i dont want to mess it up.

[Peter Tommasini]

Cliff
If you weld that panel , it could pull a hollow on the top tank, the way I would think it works , would be to solder the panel on by sweeting it on then file off the excess off
Peter

[AllyBill]

Just glue it.

http://www.amazon.com/Araldite-ARA-4.../dp/B006JYQ24O

Will

[Harry72]

Weld the seam, smooth it out much as possible then lead fill and file to shape(or just bondo it )

[englishwheeler]

Guy wants to leave the tank raw metal. He likes the handmade rough look.
i have silicon bronze rod as well. Wonder about that?

[Maxakarudy]

I'd use a soldering iron and solder it on as it is, maybe punch some fake rivet heads around the flange for a bit of effect too.

[Oldnek]

Solder it or silicon bronze, if he likes it raw it would leave a copper coloured seam.

[gator]

Careful with the glue idea. A lot of the glues dont like sunlight and the patch will move all over the place with changing temps. Ask me how i know that..lol

[AllyBill]

Originally Posted by gator

Careful with the glue idea. A lot of the glues dont like sunlight and the patch will move all over the place with changing temps. Ask me how i know that..lol

I thought it'd all be going under a ton of paint and filler but if it's going to stay in the bare metal I'd spend the time making it a super close fit then put it down with some bronze solder. That always looks pretty.

Learned that skill making tuned exhausts for my little two-stroke dirt bikes when I was a kid. No science, just lots of experiments that paid off in the end because the other guys didn't have their father's oxy-acetylene torch, a big sheet of thin steel and a stack of brazing rods.

Will

[englishwheeler]

I like that bronze solder idea. That would look cool.
I will experiment! Thanks guys!