Welding in No. VA?

[vamram]

I'm using a 25' 12 or 14g extension cord. Unfortunately I have no way getting the car closer to the power source and will need another 5' or so to be able to weld the driver side pieces. I could roll the car forward 3 feet but then won't have anywhere to store my engine or the welder when I'm not using it.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[Eric&Barb]

Get some free wood pallets to make a kind of large dog house sized storage shed with ceiling high enough for you to stand up in easily. Use it for your engine, welder and tools storage. Check Craigslist for free pier blocks for the foundation.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[vamram]

[theKbStockpiler]

I'll bet you have a Lincoln dealer/service center near you. Drop it off to them. That's why a Lincoln costs more than a Amazon only welder.
_________________
My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[theKbStockpiler]

Take welder to the dealer and ask them to confirm if it's a piece of sh.t. or not.
_________________
My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[TDCTDI]

[vamram]

I can't return it - I threw away the boxes it shipped with. I'll probably post it on Craigslist and use it until I can sell it.

Then I'll buy the Eastwood 135. Or cut my time and other losses and pay the guy from MD to do it.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[TDCTDI]

Don't get discouraged just because you haven't mastered it in a week. There is a learning curve to EVERYTHING before you become proficient at it and even longer to become a master at it. As I have said before, get some scrap pieces & practice.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[vamram]

It is discouraging, but I'm not giving up, i'm just running out of time. It's been raining again since the last pictures I posted so between work and that I haven't been able to practice. At some point, I may just run out of daylight and time before fall and winter hit.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[Eric&Barb]

[vamram]

Robert's Oxygen is one. The only one near me w/a service department is 50 miles away in Baltimore. Not sure if the service dept is open on Saturdays.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[theKbStockpiler]

My local Miller dealer offered to test out my Century so I imagine a Lincoln dealer would do the same with their own brand.
_________________
My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[vamram]

Samba Folks -

I appreciate all of the advice given, but I've decided that I'm going to pay a pro to do all of the repairs outside of the floor. I did begin the repair of the passenger-side c-pillar and fender mount holes, but what I did looks like crap and would require A *LOT* of bondo to fix the lines of the panel. Not worth continuing, I'll just burn more good donor metal trying.

I finished the floor repairs. Ugly, but much better than when I started and they'll have to do. Battery tray's in place, heater wire guide welded back on, bigger holes and some pin holes welded shut, some I used jb weld on, etc.

My spot welds have gotten much better, but between the crappy welder, lack of skills, constant rain, electrical limitations of my house, and time, etc, I've hit the point where I have to cut my loses.

I need my time to focus on the things I can do relatively well. Put the interior back together, clean up the engine tin, get the electrical, mechanical and suspension things sorted out, etc.

Thanks again for your advice, sorry it didn't work out as hoped.

Bug On, as another Samba member is always saying!

Víctor
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[AlmostHeavenWV_VW]

[vamram]

[VW_Jimbo]

A man has got to know his limitations!

Heard that my whole life, from my father. But he and my grandfather are also the ones that have continually pushed me further. Go figure!
_________________
Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[AlmostHeavenWV_VW]

[bomberbob]

Gee, I hate to see this thread end. I am in the middle of a similar undertaking, heater channels, both lower A pillars (hinge area), entire wheel well on drivers side, firewall, and lower panel replacements on the passenger side. I bought a new napoleon hat but decided enough is enough, I have to stop drilling spot welds and start putting things back together.This is all new to me, so I was watching how this went to try and glean what I could from the commentary.

After I test fit the door one last time, I paint everything so it doesn't rust, and start bending the wheel well to fit.

Flux core welder from Home depot. Its a rebranded Lincoln, I just turn down the feed speed and voltage to keep from burning through.

Good luck with your project guy!
_________________
1968 Beetle (storage)
1990 Jetta GLI megasquirted, burning E85 (currently in heavy maintenance)
2004 Jetta turbo GLI
Marion, Iowa

[vamram]

You're a better a better man than me, Bomberbob. Looks like you also have an enclosed garage, which would have helped me immensely. Good luck and I'll follow your progress if you continue it here or elsewhere.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[vamram]

PROGRESS AT LAST!! Found a small business out of Frederick, MD who will come to your house. Here's what we accomplished today.

Fixing my handy work as much as possible.

Yes, there will be lots of bondo on this side and an imperfection that probably can't be covered up. Oh well...

Replacement fender captive bolts in place too.

Driver side -

He had an interesting way of cutting and fitting the patches. He'd cut them a little bigger than the hole, weld one of the edges in place, then form the piece and cut the other edges to fit. In a couple of spots, he would cut through the car's metal underneath for an exact fit to the patch. Seemed to work pretty well to me.

And I've got welding and finishing work that I'll have to do myself, as you can see here.

Best thing about this is that I got a really good lesson from the guy during the whole process. He even used my Lincoln for a few spots just to see if it was up to the task, and concluded it was made for this. So, as we suspected in this thread, the issue was "the welder", not the machine... From what I observed, I was holding the tip too far from the spot, and my wire speed was almost 2 points too slow. Weather permitting, I'll tackle the rest of this tomorrow, put in the remaining patches and the captive bolts on the driver side.

6 hours, $650 including his travel time from Frederick, MD to Arlington, VA. Not money I wanted to spend, but, given the progress made, I think it was well worth it.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!