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Tig welding sheetmetal my new addiction

15K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  BAM55 
#1 ·
I just wanted to share why I enjoy tig welding sheetmetal. I hope its cool to post it here.

Bondo, bondo, bondo.


This is what was under all that bondo


This is what I had to cut away. Yikes


Yeah thats another fender in that background covered in bondo also.lol

I had some front fenders that I've been gutting that provided the majority of the patch panel. A little tweaking and they worked fine. That little rust spot that was left I just formed my hand.

I used a 3/32 2% ceriated tungsten and 1/16 filler rod and tried to keep the smallest HAZ I could. Tig sheetmetal is great you can see how low the bead profile is and some of the metal finishing I started. Man you can hammer and dolly that HAZ to your hearts desire.




And here it is, almost ready for primer a little more welding and hammer and dolly work to do and very little filler will be needed now.lol

 
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#7 · (Edited)
No pro here just a guy who messed up so many times its now called experience.lol

When welding tig or mig I like to have my metal slightly touching. That gap you see in the pic is the second patch just laid on top of the existing fender as I worked on fitment. Once I got the fitment right and clamped it down the fitment was better. If you look closely you can see where I had to do a relief cut to make it fit better. The patches used came from a trashed 55 front fender.

By the way, personally I never use a copper backing with a mig or tig even when filling holes. I make a small patch or plug and if the hole is really small I bridge. Its just the way I do things no right or wrong. I just been taught that way so I stick to it.
 
#9 · (Edited)
John, a scratch start is a bit tougher to learn on, my first tig had no high frequency start.
I have contemplated getting the upgrade kit from Esab. Thus far it's kind of been like trying to thread a needle in a dark closet :eek:

Bam, I just looked through your build thread and was amazed at the similarities of the mod's. you made to your truck bed and how I did mine.

Bam's Mini-Tubs


Lakeroadster's Mini-Tubs


Bam's Bed Rail Mod


Lakeroadster's Bed Rail Mod


Bam's Stepside


Lakeroadster's Stepside


Pretty cool similarities anim_63

I ended up widening my bed 4 inches since my truck is a '64 and the cab is wider than the stock bed.
 
#11 ·
I envy you guys who can weld ! because of my pacemaker the DR's wont let me, sucks, but i'm glad i have plenty of friends who can weld for me, but 1 i just dont like to ask all the time and 2 i hate to wait, so can you guys move to Scottsdale ? like next door , AND soon ?? haha
 
#12 · (Edited)
lakeroadster,

What can I say carnuts think alike. I think I seen post of yours on my my buddy's build thread (BCtoyBox) on another site. He has a Prostreet 56 GMC also done the rounded bed corners and I believe you post how you done yours differently than him when someone asked about it. Its always nice to see the many ways we accomplish the same goals. I welcome it thats how I continue to learn.
Anyway its nice to met you buddy.

64tonka,

Stay healthy and keep rodding even if you have to depend on buddys to help you out now and then. Forget welding and leave that to your buddies.
 
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