DIY car panel welding-easy?whats needed?

C_Mababejive

I would like to acquire a new skill!

somech

buy a welder get 2 bits of metal and practice

petrolhead69

If your getting a mig buy a used good quality welder rather than a cheap new one. the cheap ones have crap wire feed mechanisms and make getting a decent weld very difficult. I struggled for years with a cheap SIP until a friend who was an experienced welder had a shot of it and really struggled to get a good weld out of it, I flogged it and got a decent used cerboa and the results were night and day, so easy to use.

goldspanners

don't use an arc welder, you will end up just blowing holes in the metal even at a low setting.
get a mig welding set up, it might cost a few quid to buy a decent mig welder with wire and gas. but its the only way to weld car panels.

when your welding make sure your clear of any fuel or brake lines.

practise lots and lots before making an attempt on the car,especially if its going to be seen.
once you get going its easy enough.

david29dpo

Best tip? make sure the metal is good and shiny. Get an angle grinder.

ktuludays

most colleges offer evening classes for a few hundred quid.

it is surprisingly easy though. look here

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/

there is a guy who supplies cheap consumables too

Homersimpson

I favour the Clarke welders, I bought my 150TE from Machine Mart about 4 years back for around £200. I rent a bottle of Argoshield from BOC which is around £70PA + filling and have restored many cars with this setup (lots of welding in of floors, sills etc.

I have used the "top quality" welders including a Cebora and didn't find them any better than my Clarke. The only problem with the Clarke is that it uses the small hobby tips which can require frequent replacement if your a bit heavy handed with it.

jonnyd281

I have just brought a eurotorch conversion kit for my welder, the torch feels a lot more comfortable to use than the standard cheapie that comes with the welder.

cyclonebri1

Is it really worth it this day and age??

When I was really keen I had a full size oxy/acetylene kit in my garage, much preferred it to mig, but not without it's problems distortion and actual legallity of use being 2

Since cars do not rot like they used to do I would suggest that unless you're a classic car, or kit car enthusiast, yours endeavours might be more usefully employed elsewhere. It's just not exactly pleasant rolling about under a filthy old car with sparks and hot metal showering all over.

somech

:)nothing better than the smell of burning chest hair and flesh in the morning

goldspanners

somech wrote: »

:)nothing better than the smell of burning chest hair and flesh in the morning

yip,can't beat hot sparks going down your t shirt!