welding doorskins

[NO NAME]

I just thought I might ask before I fire away.
I have just cut a couple of inches up of the bottom of the skin along the entire length of the door, now I am going to make a bottom skin and stick it on.
are there any precuations or techniques to avoid warps?

[Ed]

Hey Leon,

This is a tricky job using a MIG, having completely “oil canned” a door or two before getting it right…

Don’t let it get too hot, tack in place first. If you can’t touch the metal near the tack with your bare hand, it’s too hot.  Spread the heat evenly by tacking alternate ends and halfway between etc until you have a nice row of tacks.
Most important, don’t rush… it’s all too late when u hear the metal creak and pull down.
So.. keep it cool, spread the heat, don’t rush.
Some people are talented enough to MIG tack in, then hammerweld using gas, hammer and dolly, but I’m not one of them.

Cheers

Ed

[HARKO]

Heres the only tips I know Leon .
Ive always used a wet rag and cooled around the area but not directly on it ,Ed has had success with this technique also.
I was reading up about a guy in America developing a mig gun with a seperate trigger for compressed air to cool after welding ,Fatboy says he uses this technique with good success ,Maybe have a chat to him.
He told me that as soon as he finishes a weld a mate hits it with air .
I welded the roof on my ute with very little warp by the old wet rag technique and using a lapped peice of metal to weld to rather than butted joins.
Just remember to keep your welds as short as possible and spread the contact points as Ed said , Id say not any longer than 10mm at most.

[greyone]

just let you know I brought a couple of rear half skins from craig vayne QLD 0741222326 these have a fold pressed in them for the overlap which assist in welding and limits the amount of distortion $40 each regards greyone     ps I have some good photos of the finished doors I will try and post soon

[snoopy]

hi there
iam a welder by trade, if you want a good job you can use silcan bronze wire it is rust poof and lighter you dont need to usr as much amps so less heat and the wire wont rust in you welser or the job wont rust, but the wire is a little more, i pay $30 to $40 for a 15kg of normle wire, and you will pay $50 to 70 for the silican bronze wire well worth it i think

Peter

[Chuck]

Hi Leon

I too can vouch for the compressed air technique, it just has to be applied immediately that the weld stops otherwise ditto for Harko and Ed’s comments re the wet rag, these guys would know.  Also with the wire, make sure that you use a small gauge; I use CIG Weld Autocraft 0.6mm and have had great success with this.  I have tried other cheaper brands of 0.6 but with disappointing results.  Hare & Forbes near you sell the cheapest Autocraft that I know of.  I don't know anything about the silicon bronze wire but it does sound interesting.  There is a tool called an air joddling tool that rolls a step along the edge of the piece being welded that does away with the need for a tricky butt weld, but I have never seen them for sale, only on internet car build-up sites.

Chuck