Guest sector Posted December 10, 2002 Share Posted December 10, 2002 Just wanted to say that after 3 years and 2 states later, I have finally started repairing the rust on my firewall and fender well. Welded my first sheet of new metal to the car, it looks like crap, as I am not used to welding sheet metal, but the welds are strong and will hold. Any suggestions on how to get a cleaner weld on the datsun sheet metal. And yes I am using a CO2+Argon mix, and only doing small sections at a time. Any help is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted December 10, 2002 Share Posted December 10, 2002 On a good day I might accidently make a few outstanding wire weld passes on Datsun sheetmetal with the wire welder I have. I cheat on the ugly passes with a grinder and bondo. Don't give up keep going.. and yes a longer extension cord will reduce the welding heat for sheet metal. I layed a 75 foot extension cord to my steel front gate and brought out the Crudsmsn (Craftsman) wire welder and did an outstanding repair weld job on the thin pipe of the gate. Afterwards I realized the success was due to the long cord reducing the heat in the weld Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guycali Posted December 11, 2002 Share Posted December 11, 2002 Currently taking welding classes at local JC. Here are few pointers if you haven't already practicing them... 1. Use a wire brush and clean all the edges of both the base metal and the patch panel well. 2. Use a shorter stick-out, no more than 1/2" from the nozzle. 3. Use a shorter arc length if you're experiencing lots of splatter. 4. If your bead is narrow and tall, the traveling speed is too fast. 5. If your bead is wide and shallow, the voltage is too high. 6. Snip the wire every time before starting a weld. 7. 0.023" wire is recommended for thin sheet metal welding. 8. Set gas flow rate @ 15 - 20CFH. 9. Make sure the gun nozzle and wire feed collate are free of slags. 10. Make sure the ground connection has good contact with the work table or work piece. HTH, -Wilbur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted December 11, 2002 Share Posted December 11, 2002 After spending quite some time welding in alot of steel tubes and new floor pans in a rusty one, I think some of the best welds (on the new steel to old Japan metal) were done with the core flux wire. The stuff is less than $9.00 a roll at the Home Depot. Give it a try. If you are just welding in "hidden" places anyway, you have nothing to lose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sector Posted December 11, 2002 Share Posted December 11, 2002 Tomohawk, Are you saying that by using a long extension cord for your welder, you got a better weld? I am willing to try anything at this point. I am using a Hobart mig and I am following all of the rules, just like what Guycali has posted (except snipping the wire.) My beads are a little high, but If I take any longer I will burn through. I am spot welding small sections at a time to keep the heat down, about 3inches appart, and then cycling back to the begining as it cools down. Orange Crush: The only thing w/ core is I already have gas, I have used shielded wire before w/ gas and it worked great on anything above 16guage, but pushed through anything smaller. I am going to try the longe extension cord, in a few minutes, I will let you guys know if it works. Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted December 11, 2002 Share Posted December 11, 2002 I get nervous when I here people talking about using a long extension cord to reduce the welder heat. I can't believe this would work with a quality welder that uses a proper line current regulator. But maybe that is the flaw in my logic. Maybe low buck welders are just tapped transformers. I guess what ever works. Want to reiterate the execelent advice from Guycali. Get everything CLEAN. Were talking bare metal. The problem I have is with tall beads. Slowing down the wire speed causes the arc to snap and pop, requiring a lower heat setting to get the proper "buzz". This puts me back where I was. Tall beads. Once thing that does work is to follow the advice in a sheet metal book and keep a hammer and dolly near by. Weld and inch or two then hammer the still hot weld flat. Obviously can't always be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sector Posted December 11, 2002 Share Posted December 11, 2002 Tomahawk: Using the long @$$ extension cord helped, the weld is still not perfect but it is alot better. Thanks, Now I only have about half of the car left to finish. URGH. I hate leaking batteries, because I am missing half of my firewall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted December 11, 2002 Share Posted December 11, 2002 It took me a long time to get used to wire welding, because the only thing I'd done for ten years prior was stick welding. I kept on wanting to let the wire get an inch or two long. Keeping it short (Guycali is probably right - 1/2" sounds good) made the biggest difference to the quality of my welding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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