icesky Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Just out of curiosity what type of welder did all of you guys use for seam welding the entire chassis. I am having a bitc** of a time welding the chassis with my TIG, it seems that the glue in between the seems pops up and contaminates my electrode fast! If you guys have any tips that could help I would greatly appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lbhsbZ Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I seam welded mine with a mig. Unless you can get the metal perfectly clean, TIG isn't going to be a good time. Migs are a lot more forgiving of dirty metal. Even with the mig, I had a hell of a time. Maybe someone has a better way to clean the seams, but I used a propane torch, and heated the seam until the glue started bubbling a bit, then went at it with a wire brush. I got a bunch of sealer out of most of the places, but still had trouble with porous welds do to contamination. I'm not worried about it because they are only seam welds, not super critical, but I'd like to know how to properly clean the seam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icesky Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 Thanks for the reply I thought I was the only one going though hell stitching the chassis up. Would a cheapo mig do? I really don't want to spend another 700 for a mig when I have a tig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boy from Oz Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Try searching under "stitch welding" (another popular term for the process), there have been several threads on the topic. Oh ... and good luck, I'm just about to undertake the same task. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I couldn't imagine seam welding a car with a TIG. That would be like running a marathon on your knees. One huge help with seam welding the car is to get the chassis media blasted and tell the blaster the car is going to be seam welded. Ask them to try their best to clean out the seam sealer without overheating or damaging the chassis. Unfortunately, a lot of the blasting media is now trapped under the seams, but putting an air hammer with a brass tip on a a strong part of the crossmember and hammering away will vibrate a lot of that media back out. Wear ear plugs (its amazing how the bare chassis acts as a huge speaker for the air hammer) and rotate the car on the rotissierre while hammering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 John is right. Media blasting is going to really come in handy when doing this job. I can't imagine how much time that would have saved me. The other thing that will really come in handy is a rotisserie. Try it without and you'll see what I mean... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexideways Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Or try stickwelding it with 6011 rods, it'll look like sh*t, but this stuff goes trough anything, rust, paint, undercoating... you name it. It's usually used to do the first penetration pass when welding really thick and not so clean metal, then after being cleaned with a good wire brush, the rest is filled using 6018 or 7018. Since you're welding sheet metal, you don't need to cover it if you don't mind having welds that looks like they were done by a beginner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lbhsbZ Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Thanks for the reply I thought I was the only one going though hell stitching the chassis up. Would a cheapo mig do? I really don't want to spend another 700 for a mig when I have a tig. Icesky, I'm in LA. depending on where you are, and how far you'd like to drive, I've got a Lincoln 110 mig laying around (just upgraded to a 220 mig) that I'd let you borrow to do the job. It'll cost you a deposit and some beer though. Give me a call. 310-947-7014 -Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 I guess by even thinking about Oxy-Acetylene, I expose myself as an automotive anachronisim... Though in the 70's at competiton prep department, that's how they did it and it worked well for the day... That's it, I'm going for a 'period correct' racer! My labor rate just tripled, I'm an artist, not just some hack! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icesky Posted March 18, 2007 Author Share Posted March 18, 2007 Alexideways Stickwelder, really?? I am gonna give it a try since I am going through hell with the tig, never really used the stick welding function on my tig. So just out of curiosity how easy was it for you on your chassis? Ibhsz: Thanks for the offer, but don't like borrowing tools, and would feel like I am taking advantage of a hybridz member. If you are willing to sell it to me for a reasonable price then that would be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 My labor rate just tripled, I'm an artist, not just some hack! Glad to hear you've making minimum wage now. Ever heard of the term, "Starving artist?" As part of getting ready for tax time, I ran a report in Quickbooks that calculates a person's effective hourly rate over some time period. I, stupidly, did it from the inception of BetaMotorsports. I have yet to reach the hourly wage I was earning back in 1978 when I pumped fuel, cleaned bathrooms, and emptied trash at a marina in Lake Tahoe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lbhsbZ Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Ibhsz:Thanks for the offer, but don't like borrowing tools, and would feel like I am taking advantage of a hybridz member. If you are willing to sell it to me for a reasonable price then that would be great. I'd rather hang on to it to run fluxcore and take to the track with me because it will run off my generator, but the offer still stands, I won't be using it for the next few months, so if you'd like to use it, lemme know. On second though, I bet fluxcore would do a damn good job at welding dirty seams, not the prettiest, but easier than burning rods (and holes)with a stick welder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icesky Posted March 20, 2007 Author Share Posted March 20, 2007 lbhsbZ, I think I might just buy a Mig since I dont know really when this project will ever end, Hehe. Thanks Again for the offer. Also do you guys think if I pile up a few stitch thread post from the past into this one or a new one you could make it a sticky, since I see allot of people wanting to re-enforce the chassis. Also do you guys have any recommendations for a decent MIG used under $500? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lbhsbZ Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Go to home depot and pick up the Lincoln Weld Pak 3200HD for $459+tax. Thats probably the best deal you'll find on a 110V unit. Its the same as the SP135T, just with different grafix for Home Depot. If you want a 220V unit, get the WeldPak 175, I paid $650 out the door for mine. Check on craigslist too...there are deals on welders there all the time, of course not when I needed one, but the day before and the day after, there were plenty of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunar240z Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 you could probably get a decent new mig for around 500 http://cgi.ebay.com/HOBART-HANDLER-140-NEW-MIG-WELDER-FREE-SHIP_W0QQitemZ250095199467QQcategoryZ113743QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icesky Posted March 21, 2007 Author Share Posted March 21, 2007 Ill be looking into one(MIG). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 got an old 225 amp that is from a company that is now owned by lincoln for 350 canadian. =) thing is a beaut! cleaned the inside after being in a small shop for quite some time, and now it's brand new! uses tweco gun parts, and lincoln stocks the replacement parts now =D Go to home depot and pick up the Lincoln Weld Pak 3200HD for $459+tax. Thats probably the best deal you'll find on a 110V unit. Its the same as the SP135T, just with different grafix for Home Depot. If you want a 220V unit, get the WeldPak 175, I paid $650 out the door for mine. Check on craigslist too...there are deals on welders there all the time, of course not when I needed one, but the day before and the day after, there were plenty of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icesky Posted March 24, 2007 Author Share Posted March 24, 2007 Thanks for the offer, but I am looking for a temporary mig so under $300 is by budget and seeing that 1dollar=1.16 Canadian I think that may be off my budget . Thanks for the thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexideways Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 AlexidewaysStickwelder, really?? I am gonna give it a try since I am going through hell with the tig, never really used the stick welding function on my tig. So just out of curiosity how easy was it for you on your chassis? I didn't weld my chassis with stick, but this is what we used to use to do field repairs when I was a welder, it was the easiest way to weld dirty and painted equipment. For bodywork, try to find 3/32 or even better, 1/16 rods, don't lay long beads, move around and you should have no problems with burn trough. + if you already have the stick function on your tig, it would be the cheapest and most efficient solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icesky Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 Hey, Out of curiosity can I just buy a spool gun and connect it to my tig welder? Does that sound logical or am I just smoking something? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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