Quarter Skins

[STSFCTN67]

I just bought a Lincoln Pro Mig 175 for the floor pans and to weld in some subframe connectors. I have never welded and I will get alot of practice on some scrap metal before I start burning through the new sheet metal.

My question: Is it too aggressive of me to even attempt to replace the quarter skins on my 67. I can do body work but I question my skills as a welder. How long does it take to ramp up on the learning curve when welding a panel to a panel and making it flush?? I know Eastwood has some good tools to help out with the process as well. Again, these are not the quarter panels but the skins.

 

[BigDaddyCee]

Passion, Patience & Experience

IMO If you are passionate about the project you are going to undertake you will take the time to do it right. Fundamentally I think with an argon gas or triple mix gas assisted mig welder you will pick it up relatively quick if you practice on thin sheet metal before you tackle the real job at hand. Don't be afraid of welding I like to think of it as soldering with just a little higher heat. Of course you have to be aware of the dangers ie. protect your eyes at all costs, wear protective clothing so you don't get burnt, and don't weld near flammables where an explosion or fire could happen. If you do run into a few problems remember even the best body men are allowed to use an acceptable amount of surface enhancer (ie. bondo). Probably the biggest thing you will run into is figuring how to determine your heat(voltage) to wire feed speed. With thin metal you will want not to hot/high voltage and you will want to feed your wire faster, which means you will be moving your gun/wirefeeder relatively quickly (because you won't want to burn through the thin metal). If it is a gas assisted mig welder then this is a better set-up because the gas actually cools the hole process which helps prevent burn through and allows a cleaner weld and well allow you to weld more slowly. Practice makes perfect! HTH.

 

[STSFCTN67]

BigDaddyCee, thanks for the reply. I figure the quarter skins are on $75 each and the outcome will be alot smoother and bondo free.
Does anyone else have any welding tips for joining two panels for a newbie?

 

[68rustang]

Keep your gaps tight, move around and practice, practice, practice, practice. When you do weld the skin on make sure it is clamped, screwed, pinned, or tacked in place so it doesn't move around on you from the heat. DO NOT try and weld a continuous bead. Weld a bunch of 1/2 to 1" lock stitch welds, moving around the panel until it is fully welded it. SHop around Eastwood is ridiculously expensive for the same stuff Harbor Freight sells.

 

[6Stang7]

best advice is to TAKE YOUR TIME! do small spot welds, working on different areas. DONT let the metal get too hot, it will warp. just go nice and slow. grind smooth and finish with a little filler.

 

[68rustang]

Oh yeah, make sure you have a body hammer and dolly around so you can knock high spots down as you weld.

 

[5.0StangRacer]

how much did u pay for your welder?

 

[STSFCTN67]

how much did u pay for your welder?

I paid $450.00 on ebay see seller

Item number: 7522658655

 

[66StangFastback]

Id reccommend checking out some books on welding from your local library