New to welding
New to welding
(OP)
Hello all,
I am a mechanical engineer by profession, I am planning a kit car building projech which will involved welding to learn and improve my skills. I would like to carry out the welding myself and therefore will need to learn as much as I can, does anyone have any experience with welding for automotive, what type of welding is best and suggestions/advice for me.
Thanks
I am a mechanical engineer by profession, I am planning a kit car building projech which will involved welding to learn and improve my skills. I would like to carry out the welding myself and therefore will need to learn as much as I can, does anyone have any experience with welding for automotive, what type of welding is best and suggestions/advice for me.
Thanks





RE: New to welding
David
RE: New to welding
Building a cage where the welds will be showing? GTAW. Bodyshop work? MIG. Making all kinds of brackets without the hassle of bottles of shielding gases? Stick.
There are some great instructional videas on youtube, but you will need lots of practice.
RE: New to welding
RE: New to welding
Some basics:
If you burn though the power is too high or the speed at which you weld it too slow.
If your arc is not consistent or intermittent your wire feed rate is too low.
If you are globing on the wire then your wire feed rate is too fast or you are welding too slow.
If your weld is not penetrating then your power setting is too low or your feed rate is too fast.
RE: New to welding
When you do start welding just take a go at several pieces. Then look at pages 19-21 from the link above and match your welds. Then make adjustments per the guidance given.
RE: New to welding
Thanks again everyone.
RE: New to welding
RE: New to welding
B.E.
RE: New to welding
RE: New to welding
RE: New to welding
RE: New to welding
Second, MIG, stick or flux core, you need good ventilation. There are elements in MIG wire that cause brain/nervous system damage if inhaled in quantity. (Molybdenum?)
RE: New to welding
Yes, after a lot more research, I can see that some areas of welding are just best left to experts and good equipment. I have decided to go for this to be a hobby and improvement of my engineering knowledge and skills rather than for important and safety critical welding.
In terms of the safety advice, thank-you.
RE: New to welding
RE: New to welding
Are you referring to a carbon arc torch?
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/wel...
RE: New to welding
RE: New to welding
RE: New to welding
RE: New to welding
The use of bondo is fine, but if the kit car is metal then I would suggest lead filler instead. It bonds better and is not subject to fatigue cracking the way most bondo's are. I am restoring a 67 Fairlane. I intend on going back in with the original lead filler, as used by Ford, for authenticity and durability.
RE: New to welding
RE: New to welding
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RE: New to welding