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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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 Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 11:30 am Post subject: Who wants to see my progress in welding class? |
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I knew you did. 
These pics are of 18 ga steel from which I cut out corners then rewelded as practice. I'm halfway through a MIG welding class at the local community college, and I'm having a blast!
If the body work thing pans out, I'll just become a welding artiste. Or not.
Getting better, but I still burn through the 18 ga on occasion.
I burned through at the corner, so I welded a patch on the back.
Shot of the triangular patch. Note that I haven't really cleaned these up or made any effort to grind off the excess. I have a feeling that smoothing it over is the really hard part. 
Thanks for looking, folks.
- Scott
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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Bill E.
Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2004
Posts: 792
Location: Port Angeles, WA
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| Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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Nice Scott!! I dont think mine will be as art-ful as yours but someday 
I am startin my third week on monday of a weldin class at the local community college too. The first week a little safety class/test and some stick weld. Then set us off to the booth for some stick weld madness. All the metal was thick stuff and did end up makin some yard art.
Finally I said, 'enough is enough' give me the MIG!! I had a few good welds down before the other guys were even set up and given some instruction.
Again the thicker metal and asked for some thinner. All he gave was some 16 gague with the .035 wire, but pretty cool.
Now all I need is some 18 gague to weld cause the instructor gave a blurb about it being expensive and hard to get. I told him I will bring in my welder (115 MIG) and I have the .024 wire and can I use the school gas.
Maybe mine will look like yours but be in the shape of a fender and have triangles/patches from another fender. Maybe at home I could make the patches. This isnt auto body class but kind of like art class
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cars come and go, VW's live and breathe! |
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Bill E. wrote: |
Nice Scott!! I dont think mine will be as art-ful as yours but someday
I am startin my third week on monday of a weldin class at the local community college too. The first week a little safety class/test and some stick weld. Then set us off to the booth for some stick weld madness. All the metal was thick stuff and did end up makin some yard art.
Finally I said, 'enough is enough' give me the MIG!! I had a few good welds down before the other guys were even set up and given some instruction.
Again the thicker metal and asked for some thinner. All he gave was some 16 gague with the .035 wire, but pretty cool.
Now all I need is some 18 gague to weld cause the instructor gave a blurb about it being expensive and hard to get. I told him I will bring in my welder (115 MIG) and I have the .024 wire and can I use the school gas.
Maybe mine will look like yours but be in the shape of a fender and have triangles/patches from another fender. Maybe at home I could make the patches. This isnt auto body class but kind of like art class |
Sounds like you're pretty set. As far as I'm concerned, you HAVE to approach body work as an art. Otherwise, you won't keep high enough standards for your work.
BTW, lots of new replacement body panels are actually 20 or 22 gauge steel. Talk about needing finesse!
- Scott
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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mattsvdub
Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2004
Posts: 366
Location: Goodrich Michigan
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| Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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My own personal opinion is that welding is almost an art form...
I'm a sheetmetal welder fabber by trade and I know when I was injured and couldn't work for a month It took me awhile to get my skills back in tune.. Practice, Practice, and more Practice... 
Just wait till you try and tackle The Heli-Arc process... 
I could probably scare up some scrap 8 x 10 pieces of 18 guage and send em' to ya if you can't find any locally...
Coming along nicely by the way!
(I'm always looking to hire a good sheetmetal welder.....) |
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Pennywise
Samba Member
Joined: January 19, 2004
Posts: 396
Location: Ellicott City, MD
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| Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Hey Matt, I would be willing to pay you for some 20g sheet metal. I know it takes time out of your day, not to mention the shipping costs. Let me know what you need to get me some scrap metal to practice with before I start the resto on the car. Thanks |
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mattsvdub
Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2004
Posts: 366
Location: Goodrich Michigan
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| Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 1:54 pm Post subject: |
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Penny,
I don't have aproblem at all with sending scraps in 8 x 10 inch pieces to anybody within the US that wants them and it will only cost the $3.85 that the USPS mailer costs me...
The problem arises when I don't have that size in stock.
We normally only have down to 16 guage on hand which I order 100 sheets at a time (4ft. x 8ft.) So I have allot of scap of that..
But Anything thinner I have to make a special order for and that raises eyebrows...
I just happen to know I have a sheet of 18ga. on hand but I'll have to search and see if we have any thinner...
I know most body panels are now out of 20-22ga... But 16-18 is a good starter thickness for honing skills...
I'll post some of my handi work on my site pretty soon for you guys to check out... I just finished a full scale replica of the Stanley Cup for a Hockey Heroes restaurant up North... What a challenge but it came out awesome...
You can contact me thru my web site for specific sheet metal requests or questions if need be... www.mattsvw.com |
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Pennywise
Samba Member
Joined: January 19, 2004
Posts: 396
Location: Ellicott City, MD
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| Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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| No problem Matt, the 16g will be fine then. I am after all just starting out so anything is better than scrap computer cases. |
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mattsvdub
Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2004
Posts: 366
Location: Goodrich Michigan
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| Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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Don't mean to Hi-Jack your post Towel Rail but thought I'd show ya one of my past projects.. I won't tell you how much I charged... It Was a Tuffy  Meet Stanley (Stanley Cup that is)
[/url]
Had a moonlighting job making this full scale replica for a restaurant. Turned out really cool after he had it Fully Chromed!
[/url]
This is the Model I had to work from along with getting some dimensions and info from a confidential NHL source.
Every piece started as a flat piece of steel.(Except for the topper) Either Sheet metal or Flat bar stock material formed and rolled into the current shape.
Woulda looked real cool in my basement bar...
Again, Sorry Towel Rail but had to show you... Oh and it as mainly 18ga. and 16ga and weighed in at 57lbs when completed.. same as real guy...
Lots and Lots of Welds there...(and allotta sanding pads to metal finish it all) |
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krusher
Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2002
Posts: 7652
Location: europe
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| Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 3:53 am Post subject: |
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Here is some of my recent work, been welding up my barndoor.
This picture is from the underneath of the cab floor, apart from the spotwelds along the bottom lip all the welding you see was actually dont from the other side, what you see here is the penertration I got through the butt weld.
Rememeber when learning to weld to look at the back to see if your weld is going through. 
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mattsvdub
Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2004
Posts: 366
Location: Goodrich Michigan
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| Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Man thats some nice work Krusher... I don't even attempt rusty hulks... I had both my 67 T-1's shipped from the Southwest US.. To avoid rust issues but I know not all of us have that option... Glad to know some people make the best of bad situations... Take care... |
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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Hijack away, folks. This is some good stuff. Another Samban hipped me to the use of copper behind the work to prevent burn-throughs, and I can't wait to try it!
I might be interested in some of that sheet metal, too, Matt.
- Scott
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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mattsvdub
Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2004
Posts: 366
Location: Goodrich Michigan
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| Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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I like Copper best for backing up large holes to fill but Brass and Aluminum will work fine also...
Heck you wouldn't beleive the size of the holes I've had to fill...
Sorry no joke intended...  |
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 8:01 am Post subject: |
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| mattsvdub wrote: |
I like Copper best for backing up large holes to fill but Brass and Aluminum will work fine also...
Heck you wouldn't beleive the size of the holes I've had to fill...
Sorry no joke intended... |
LOL.
- Scott
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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krusher
Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2002
Posts: 7652
Location: europe
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| Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 2:09 pm Post subject: |
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Dont start using copper back-up for butt welded, that wont help your skills one bit save that for large holes.
After 10 years of welding I recently made a copper spoon, and low and behold I can weld up a hole better without the stupid spoon, so in the bin it went. |
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Thu May 12, 2005 8:28 am Post subject: |
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| krusher wrote: |
Dont start using copper back-up for butt welded, that wont help your skills one bit save that for large holes.
After 10 years of welding I recently made a copper spoon, and low and behold I can weld up a hole better without the stupid spoon, so in the bin it went. |
That's hilarious. I bought an auto-dimming helmet recently, and I don't know how I welded before. I almost never burn through anymore!
- Scott
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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carmangary
Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2004
Posts: 399
Location: Clemmons, NC
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| Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 5:26 am Post subject: |
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| How do you guys weld seams when they come to an adge. I always seem to melt away the edge a little bit. |
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bk63rag
Samba Member
Joined: February 26, 2004
Posts: 883
Location: Martinez ,ca
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| Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds cool i am have been planing on taking some welding classes also.I would like to buy a welder to pracitce at home with but im not sure what to get though.
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63 rag under construction for 30 years and counting. |
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Cook911411
Samba Member
Joined: March 25, 2003
Posts: 156
Location: Houston, TX
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| Posted: Sun May 15, 2005 1:53 am Post subject: |
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Good question Carmangary. I have been wondreing the same...
Any insight pros?
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Chris
74 Transporter
Stand by your Van |
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krusher
Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2002
Posts: 7652
Location: europe
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| Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 11:46 am Post subject: |
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| one of the smallest lincoln welders is a fine purchase, about $400, below this the quality of the internals on cheap welders are crap and your welds will suffer. |
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Bklyn63
Samba Mafioso
Joined: August 24, 2002
Posts: 966
Location: "What am I, a mirage?"
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| Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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| I agree, the lincoln welder is awesome. I bought a 135 amp for $439 at home depot. I opened a card and paid it over 1 year. It felt like it cost me nothing in the end. |
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