Welding

[whenisayjump]

My first welds visit the MOT man tomorrow........

Good luck!

[8009STEVE]

the welding is continuous

On a car that was spot welded together. Health and saftey? or are the lunatics in charge of the asylum.

[bigginger]

Welding rods are made of steel - hopefully of the same quality as the steel being joined. Silver soldering is just what it says - hard soldering with a material containing silver
a

[Packedup]

Welding is one of thos skills I'd like to learn but the wife would never let me fire up the welder indoors and my extension lead wont reach down to the ground floor and 100 yards across the road to the car park.

I tried to fire up my arc welder in the kitchen once to repair some metal framed furniture. Never again, and I don't even have a wife.

In the past I've fired a mig up on the road for a quick (or even long...) job, but I suspect that sort of thing might be even more unpopular in this age of cotton wool...

[bmcecosse]

I find my Oxy/Acet welding to be by far the easiest and most satisfying - however 'electric arc stick' welding is also great fun and easy enough as long as the rods are perfectly dry and warm. I have some problems using my MIG - but only when lying upside down and welding above my head! Downhand/vertical on good clean metal is a delight. However the shielding gas is expensive - and I have never tried to run 'gasless' coated wire. Does it do as good a job and is it easy to use ?

[IaininTenbury]

the welding is continuous

On a car that was spot welded together. Health and saftey? or are the lunatics in charge of the asylum.

The continuously welded rule is really to stop the 'patch tacked on over a hole and undersealed over to disguise it' type repair.
Simple way to look at it is: If its a join in a non standard place, then its a repair and should be seam welded. (Eg a repair patch on the front inner wing behind the front wheel at the front of the sill - Most Minors have been repaired there).
If its a join in a standard place between two panels then its replacement and can be spot welded (Eg a new outer sill section spotwelded to the inner sill. Also the bottom of the front inner wing can be spot welded to the sill, even if it is a repair that is seam welded to the rest of the inner wing).
Hope that makes sense, though if in doubt seam weld it....
You do find MOT testers who wouldnt appreciate that though and insist on all seam welding repairs - especially if they have previously failed the car and are then looking to see how the repairs have been done. I have had the above 'repair / replacement ' discussion in the past and always convinced them of the correct allowable techniques. Not their fault, when all they see is patched up old heaps, a nicely spotwelded new sill is beyond the experience of many. Again a lot comes down to finding a suitably inclined and experienced tester.

[bpr81a]

I think mine is more continuous dollops than seam......
or spots in very close company!

[Packedup]

However the shielding gas is expensive - and I have never tried to run 'gasless' coated wire. Does it do as good a job and is it easy to use ?

Last time round I paid approx £3 per kg for CO2 (exchange bottles), and a 5kg bottle goes a long way.

I don't get on with the gasless wire at all, and I don't believe it works out any cheaper when you consider it's hideously expensive. It also is just less pleasant to work with IMO. I prefer to use 0.6 wire and CO2 (would love Argoshield but it's not available the way I get my gas), it's cheap and you can really keep the power low when needed and still have plenty in reserve for when you want to whack up the juice. Plus the CO2 is handy for putting out small fires when Waxoyl or underseal drips out the various bits of box section you're trying to repair

[chickenjohn]

I think mine is more continuous dollops than seam......
or spots in very close company!

as long as there arent gaps in the weld it will be fine, sounds like its continuous where it needs to be.

Tip- I grind the tops off my welds then after painting with zinc primer, tidy up with seam sealer before painting. The garage complemented me on the neatness (even if I did cheat a little).

[Alec]

Hello all,

I'm with BMCE on oxy\acetylene. I use nothing else for my car body work. However I started when DIY Mig sets just were not available. Having said that I believe that gas welding is much more flexible and has a much wider scope, eg, joining dis-similar metals, repairing radiators etc.

Alec

[Orkney]

Found a budget gasless mig on screwfix for £99

Any good as a starter? best budget ones i could find i.e. clarke type all at £125 or more + delivery, whereas think screwfix is free even to here for that price.

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/79434/Pow ... IG-Welder#

Also cant believe it but Auto darkening masks on fleabay for £22.95 +£5 P&P !

[8009STEVE]

Ive got that. Does not come with wire. welded floor sills and chassis with it. good value for the money.

[dunketh]

Are those auto-tint masks on ebay actually any good?
Can anyone recommend a 'cheap' one from experience?

[chickenjohn]

Yes, the parrweld one is £50 and is really good. Thats cheap enough!
"Are those auto-tint masks on ebay actually any good?
Can anyone recommend a 'cheap' one from experience?"

I agree with the comments on oxy acetylene gas welding. For body work on visible panels you cant beat it. If you get the two edges butted up accurately there is also no need for filler wire. I do my gas welding at college where they have all the kit. Its very nice gas welding- peaceful and relaxing, the weld pool looks like you're melting ice.

Mig is fine for me at home for chassis work under the car, can then tidy up with the grinder and seam seal.

[Orkney]

Will let you know in about 7 days ! going to get one, its only double the price of a normal one and as mines fallen to bits might as well give one a try

[Spag]

That 'Screwy' welder only goes down to 60A, so will be 'fun' on anything thin !!!

Using flux cored on mine is fun on thin steel and that goes down to 30A
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... ig-welders

[Orkney]

What so i couldnt make a sculpture from old bean tins then ?
Just stopped and chatted to the posty whos an ex welder - he's still using an old sealy 100 machine but th circuit board is blown so will cost him £130 just to replace that. he said one of the farm places in town is doing a gas/gasless for just over £100 so migth go take a look in the morning.

Nother thing to considr there Spaggy is that i dont have the £100 for the screwy one let alone £223 + delivery for the one you have

[Spag]

If you can find the $$$ to get the tools, and have time on your hands, then you can save their costs in not paying someone to do the work...
+ you can always offer yer services for beer money

Actually you could offer yer services for beer money then use the $$$ to but some tools

[bpr81a]

Now the proud possessor of a brand new MOT!
Anybody need any welding done?!

[Orkney]

Anybody need any welding done?!

Your so going to regret saying that

Well done on the MOT !!!