On Sun, 26 Sep 1999, D. Michael Scott wrote:
> I have never welded before and I'm sure there will be plenty
> of grinding for me. Just looking for the simplest way to get into some
> effective body
> repair welding without a big investment. I was told one drawback is that the
> fluxcore wire for the gasless mig costs a lot more. Anyway, I hope to be a
> flamethrower soon too!
If you're on a tight budget, look into a oxy-acetylene welding kit too.
It costs more than the "buzz-box" type stick welder, but is *far* more
useful.
You do not need a cutting torch attachment, just the tanks, a good torch,
some check valves, etc.
The local been-around-since-Noah's-time welding store had a kit for just
under $300 that had everything- hoses, regulators, tips, and 2 little
tanks. The beauty of these kits is that you can easily (to a degree...)
swap the tanks for larger ones.
I started with an MC sized acetylene tank (cost $50), which is marginally
larger than the disposable propane tanks at 10 cuft. I now have a B size
(40 cuft) and it's great. A bit heavy, mind you- I would not go any
larger (I live on a hill and don't want the tanks to fall over)
It's really great for undoing stuck bolts- I snapped one of the 1/4"
seat-frame-to-floor bolts- for the other three I soaked the carpet with
water and heated the bolt cherry red (until the carpet stopped steaming).
They all undid without any fuss.
Sheet metal work with oxy-acetylene welding is not that difficult, but it
takes a LONG time and LOTS of practice to get it right. I am seriously
contemplating the removal of my hard-won fender to fix up the first welds
I did on the car.
However- once you get good at gas welding, you don't need to grind it. If
you get really good you can weld a bit then take a hammer & dolly and
pound the weld bead- I did that on some reconstructive work on the fender
splash panel, and it looks fine.
Also see the FAQ I wrote (URL below) for some info on welders. There is
another sheetmetal FAQ that Bryce Mack maintains, but I don't have the URL
for that one offhand.
-Malcolm
* There is a FAQ for this list! Its new home is:
http://www.islandnet.com/~walker05/triumph/trfaq.htm
|