Got a welder! What type of steel?

[none67]

Hey! well i just got my first welder!!! A Lincoln MIG 10. I've spent the last week or so just practicing and i haev be come quite handy with it, if i do say so myself. (or so i think anyway, hehe)

anyway, i was woundering what grade of mild steel i shuold use for patches on the frame(s) and other such sheet metal. 18 gague to light or heavy?

thanks.

 

[Platonic Solid]

A quick look at my NPD catalog shows 19 through 21 Ga. used for exterior body parts and 14 to 16 Ga. used on structural members. Use prefabricated replacement parts whenever possible, especially on structural members. Formed steel is significantly stronger than flat sheet. I'm not sure what grade steel is used on our cars, but a good all purpose steel is SAE 1008. It has good balance between: cold forming, welding and finished strength.