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Tkisner
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2004
Posts: 275
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 Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 4:02 pm Post subject: Metal Thickness Too Much for Welder? |
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Soon I will be repairing the floors and heater channel on my 67 Bug. I am reading all the posts on here where people are taking about what welders they like etc. One thing that is really confusing me is I have read people talking about using 110 amp welders to replace floors and channels. Then when I look up those welders on the manufacturers website they say that the max thickness they can weld is say 22 gauge or higher. I know the floors and channels I have are thicker than that? I know you can make multiple passes on the same spot, but won't you get the same penetration, or is there some simple thing that I am not understanding about this?
Basically I am trying to figure out if I need to go 220 or 110 for floor/heater repair.
Before anyone says check the FAQ at the top of the page or use the search function I have done both, but seem to keep getting conflicting answers. |
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21520
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 4:49 pm Post subject: Re: Metal Thickness Too Much for Welder? |
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| Tkisner wrote: |
Soon I will be repairing the floors and heater channel on my 67 Bug. I am reading all the posts on here where people are taking about what welders they like etc. One thing that is really confusing me is I have read people talking about using 110 amp welders to replace floors and channels. Then when I look up those welders on the manufacturers website they say that the max thickness they can weld is say 22 gauge or higher. I know the floors and channels I have are thicker than that? I know you can make multiple passes on the same spot, but won't you get the same penetration, or is there some simple thing that I am not understanding about this?
Basically I am trying to figure out if I need to go 220 or 110 for floor/heater repair.
Before anyone says check the FAQ at the top of the page or use the search function I have done both, but seem to keep getting conflicting answers. |
We are talking VOLTS...not AMPS.
Yes for virtually any sheet metal of the pan or body....a 110 volt welder is just fine. The only time..with sheet metal....that a 220V welder is an advantage is when you are running conrinuous bead. Its duty cycle is longer and ...if you are running high AMPERAGE settings (which you shoul not be on pan metal).....many of the 220 volt welders have a little better control.
That being said....any 110 volt 125 to 140 amp mig welder that has infinite current level control and infinite wire speed control....meaning not notches with only 6-8 settings......is perfect for this.
No you don't need multiple passes for penetration. You cut and grind the section to be welded in about .045" smaller all around....just enough to slip in panel clamps.
Then you get some .060" ro .080" sheet copper and hold it up flat against the panel behind the gap you are going to fill with weld....both to keep the weld from falling through and to absorb heat so you dont blow the wire through the metal. I use 50 lb magnets to hold the copper sheet up behind the weld area....hands free.
You tack a spot. ....move about half a foot away or across to the other side....tack a spot....etc....and dont come back to the starting spot until its cool.
When you have the panel tacked in solid.....back up areas about 2"-3" long.....and weld in some continuous bead....again.... hanging location nd letting it cool down in between.
If your mig welder is haging control issues down in the lower number settings for current....it sometimes helps to have a propane torch to heat the area you are going to tack.....one spot at q time. You only need to raise the temp of the metal about 300° F....and you can turn down the current about 1 notch. Ray |
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Tkisner
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2004
Posts: 275
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| Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2016 6:26 am Post subject: Re: Metal Thickness Too Much for Welder? |
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Ray,
Thank you for such a detailed answer! That definitely answered all my questions and then some. |
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21520
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2016 7:46 am Post subject: Re: Metal Thickness Too Much for Welder? |
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| Tkisner wrote: |
Ray,
Thank you for such a detailed answer! That definitely answered all my questions and then some. |
Oh.....and practice. ..practice. its worth it to buy a scrap panel from a similar car.....pr if you have cut away a panel for scrap....practice on it. Keep a notebook that lists metal type, current, wire speed, wire diameter, wire alloy and gas pressure and gas type.
Ask questions at your local welding supply. Tell them what you are up to and what you have. Many of these guys have great info.
My local Praxair dealer turned me on to Stargon CS gas. It uses a small precise addition of oxygen to create a hotter spot at the arc.....at lower current. It does NOT work well on thicker metals because it has lower penetration at the same power level than straight Co2......and slightly less than straight argon/Co2 mix........but still plenty for auto sheet metal and thin tubing.
It allows a shorter more controllahle arc and allows finer beads.
I am not a proffesional. Have only been back to welding off an on for about 2 years. But doing ok. Ray |
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