what wire for sheet metal?

hungrymonkey

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Nov 19, 2005

#1

• Nov 19, 2005

• #1

I have a lincoln wire feed, and i want to patch the floor pans on my truck.

I will be cutting out the rusted metal and patching it with some sheet metal that I already have. Just need to cut to fit. i will lap weld it and grind it smooth.

What type of wire do I need to buy to do this? i will be heading north to a bigger city today in search of it.

 

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bgs66

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Jax.,FL

Nov 19, 2005

#2

• Nov 19, 2005

• #2

I have used about 12lbs. of .030 wire on my 66 fastback. A lot of rust repair but i also welded up a lot of areas like around the torque boxes in the rear. It seems to do the job pretty well. Good luck.

 

D

danny clemens

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Nov 19, 2005

#3

• Nov 19, 2005

• #3

The smaller .025 is supposed to be better for sheet metal but I can't tell any difference. I'm sure that there is but maybe I don't weld enough to be in tune with the welder.

 

hungrymonkey

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does it matter what composition the wire is?

ie, carbon steele, magnanese.

how about flux?

 

68rustang

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Nov 19, 2005

#5

• Nov 19, 2005

• #5

The smallest wire I could find when I was doing my floors and quarters was .023" solid steel wire. You do not want flux core wire unless you do not have the ability to run gas. There is a huge difference when welding thin metal using .023" and .030" wire.

 

hungrymonkey

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I do not have gas on it.

 

dennis112

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Nov 19, 2005

#7

• Nov 19, 2005

• #7

hungrymonkey said:

I do not have gas on it.

Click to expand...

Then go with the smallest flux core that you can find, which is probably .030. I've done body work with .035 fluxed, but it took a while to master. By the time I finished doing a radiator support, battery apron, floor pans, a cowl vent, 2 quarters, trunk floor, and a tailight panel, I was quite proficient. As always, make sure the welding surfaces are clean.

Want to see me doing it with my Lincoln flux core??? http://www.geocities.com/dennis_2685/Newcoupe.html

That said, I must say that a true mig works much better than the flux core. I prefer borrowing one when I have some serious welding to do.

 

bigcat

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May 1, 2005

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Nov 19, 2005

#8

• Nov 19, 2005

• #8

if you can get hooked up with gas, i recommend using ER70S-6 solid core wire, .023 if it is a 110v or .035 if it is a 220v welder..... it will be a huge difference in welding. the solid core is way better suited for bodywork. if you know your welding, you will also know what the ER70S-6 is, it is the industry standard in autobody repairs. welding with flux core wire will be frustrating while doing this work. good luck either way!

 

hungrymonkey

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Nov 20, 2005

#9

• Nov 20, 2005

• #9

I might hold off and wait until I can get the stuff to convert to gas.

I hate blowing through after I just tacked something down.