42 replies to this topic

[rodomo]

Good on you for having a crack Steve!
Grind the paint off further back and also the gal? (looks like zinc annealed?) grind it off to bare shiney metal.
Mig doesn't tolerate crap too much.

[its Paul]

If that was Galvanised iron do your self a favour and use Zincanneal, a lot easier to weld, use .8mm or 1.0mm, and try doing a series of spot welds rather than a continuous weld to start off.

[V-SLR5000-P]

Start by tacking your patch in as you have done and keep moving about to minimise heat build up. Aim to have a spot tack at least every 1" or so. Then you can start to join the tacks up by welding a couple of inches at a time, again moving around the panel. You should also grind the welds down as you go to allow hammer and dolly to stretch the weld as you go. Don't use a flat disc to grind but try and use the edge of a cut off wheel to get the weld bead down to the surrounding steel. The aim is to reduce the weld bead without without grinding and heating the surrounding material. I'd also have folded the door edges to at least 90 degrees before welding the patch in. Getting a even straight line at the bottom and rear of the door would be easier if you had bent the patch over a solid edge (bench, angle iron etc)rather than having to bend against the door frame. You could try easing the edge over with vice grips a bit at a time. Practice, practice, practice.

[rodomo]

Tip.
This is just an example but I think you'll get the idea.
Lay your new material over your repair and overlap. (Red box) Tack it on there.
Then, cut through BOTH panels along the yellow line with a 1mm cutting disc on the angle grinder.
It has to fit?

Attached Files

•  Steves repair.jpg   77.35K   12 downloads

Edited by rodomo, 03 January 2011 - 10:38 PM.

[TerrA LX]

If that was Galvanised iron do your self a favour and use Zincanneal, a lot easier to weld, use .8mm or 1.0mm, and try doing a series of spot welds rather than a continuous weld to start off.

Ditto, sucking gal fumes whilst welding will slowly kill you.

[lxsstorana]

Great first attempt!
My tips are to make cardboard templates. It makes getting the new steel to be the right size much easier.....

Also regarding shaping the metal, I would shape it before fitting it to the door.

Use whatever you have in the garage such as a vice, hammer & dolly's, blocks of wood etc.

I would bend the edges over to 90 degrees so they are partly ready to fit to the inside of the door.

Would then put the curve into the panel. eg. put one end in a vice and pull/push it to shape, or put the panel over a round pipe or thick timber dowell and push down as you can easily shape 1mm steel.

Weld the replacement panel into position and then hammer the folds down. By doing it this way, less likely to distort the panel and door, plus it's much easier.

[its Paul]

I have ground the galvanised back with the grinder and also the paint. The advantage of the galvanised is it doesn't rust (I've had that sheet for about 2 or 3 years now) so all you have to do is grind it off. I think i need to grind more off as i set the paint alight a few times with the welder, through it was welding ok.

I'm pretty sure the sheet is Galvainsed Steel, not iron in 0.9mm I think. (its somewhere around 1.0mm anyways)

Galvanised Iron is what it is called, 0.9mm is generally Chinese steel, 0.95 is generally the good ol Aussie BlueScope steel and both are what you get when you order "1mm Galv".
Zincanneal is slower to rust like Galv (Galv still rusts) and Zincanneal will be there looooooong after the rest of the Torana rusts away.
Just so you can see what I mean, have a look at dirtbags thread all the steel you see him use is Zincanneal.
Galv & Zinc will both give off a poisonous gas when welding (burning), when welding you should use a dust mask as a minimum, most people don�t as there annoying to wear.

As said before keep the welded area clean from paint or anything else, if you have paint where you are welding it wont flow nice, it will just splatter every where and look like bird shit. Galv & Zinc will get a white oxidisation over the sheet if it gets wet or has been sitting for a long time, this will have to be sanded clean.

So practice, practice, practice, and keep every thing clean.

Cheers.

[its Paul]

NO, go gas

[76lxhatch]

I have a gas/gasless unit that I've only ever used gasless - it took me a long time to get a good handle on using it well but it can be done. If gas was a bit more convenient though I would have gone that way, still plan to at some point.

edit: and the best tip I would say to anyone is to get an auto darkening helmet, so much easier!

Edited by 76lxhatch, 07 January 2011 - 05:18 AM.

[76lxhatch]

Did I mention when I say "more convenient" I just mean that I'm lazy?

I've bought a few things from Opel in the past. There are a few options, I'll get around to it one day

[76lxhatch]

Tip.
This is just an example but I think you'll get the idea.
Lay your new material over your repair and overlap. (Red box) Tack it on there.
Then, cut through BOTH panels along the yellow line with a 1mm cutting disc on the angle grinder.
It has to fit?

There is a tool that will put a step in a panel, one sheet metal thickness deep, for that exact purpose. Reminds me I should price one.

I was looking at those the other day, flange/punch tool (they generally have a hole punch on the other side for plug welds) and they are commonly air powered. I'm definitely going to get one when the finances allow. Around $200 worth

[76lxhatch]

They all just seem to be called punch/flange tools
http://www.sulco.co....roduct_id=19751