Overcoming set back

[Plymouthy Adams]

This past weekend I got my door I traded for years ago..only to discover that the hinge plate had been cut out. I was wrong..close inspection shows that the hinge must have been totally fozen and the hinge plate was broken out of the door by rocking action. So was ble to snag yet a third door to get a nutplate and panel secion out of for the repair. Did that this afternoon when I got home from work..

[Plymouthy Adams]

finishing up the job...

[Oldguy48]

Now that's what I call craftsmanship !! Nice job.

[Niel Hoback]

It's a shame how jealous I am of your ability to weld. Really nice work.

[PatS....]

Nice job, Tim...very nice. How come you didn't just buy a new Chinese door?

[Plymouthy Adams]

thanks, this is oxygen acetylene welding..I like the mallable weld you get with the torch over the brittle hardness of the MIG welder..last time my mig was used was to spot weld a wiper part about 10 years..and even at that my friend used it and not me....

[Plymouthy Adams]

getting a door from China..I almost had to drive to China to get the one I used for parts...

[Dodgeb4ya]

If you are good at gas welding you can do any type of welding-especially high end tig welding.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I would love to have a TIG welder..to get a good one is just a whole lots of money..I like TIG welding even better than oxy acetylene..I have the tank, torch, tips electrodes, cup flow guage..everything but a generator..

[Joe Flanagan]

Tim, that is really nice work. What are you using to cut the sheet metal? Also, I notice that you were able to weld fairly wide gaps on the nut plate. I can't do that with my MIG. I have to have everything tight, tight. I've never used an oxy-actylene set up but I would like to try it.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Joe, I use an air powered right angle high speed grinder with a 1/16 cut off wheel

backing the gap with a non stick metal like a thick aluminum will allow you to bridge huge gaps with a torch..the gap on the the sheetmetal lower edge was backed..went real smooth and quite fast..

the hinge plate insert gap was just about the width of my weld rod....I missed my cut just a tad..I actually prefer about 1/2 rod gap...this gives you a good puddle

[Don Coatney]

What did you use for a filler rod?

[Plymouthy Adams]

I buy steel rod as used with TIG ...they are copper coated and flow smooth and easy with no sparks or fizzle..I have not used a coat hanger in over 25 years..keep these on hand in 1/16 and 3/32 and oft times a few 1/8 rods...for welding thin tin cans etc I just use copper coated .030 mig wire and an 000 size tip..

Edited October 25, 2014 by Plymouthy Adams

[P-12 Tommy]

Gee...that's a real nifty job there Tim. Nice welds.

Tom

[Flatie46]

Looks good, are those the eastwood clips or the cheapies? I saw the cheapies for sale at Charlotte and meant to get a set. Maybe I'm just too cheapie! I've never tried oxy acetylene in body work, never really thought of it to tell the truth. I'd hate to see how it looked if I did do it, probably been 5 years since I tried it. I like to use a piece of brass behind the metal if I have to fill a hole or big gap. I like Tig but like you say, it's big money for the set up.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I have seen the Eastwood and the cheapies...have not seen a difference...Harbor Freight items for 4.99 set of 8 and given that majority of the time you going to be blasting them up close and personal with heat..why spend a furtune..I have used this same set for all my welding, still have three unopend sets on standby..so far I have had no failures or disappoints in my low cost clamps..again I will state that if you are running a commercial outfit and supplying these items for employees..then maybe you better not buy the lower cost items..but for home, your use, proper respect and such..should get good long service from some of the lower cost items..personally I find most of Eastwood stuff just repackaged material with a high cost sticker attached..

[BeBop138]

I buy steel rod as used with TIG ...they are copper coated and flow smooth and easy with no sparks or fizzle..I have not used a coat hanger in over 25 years..keep these on hand in 1/16 and 3/32 and oft times a few 1/8 rods...for welding think tin cars etc I just use copper coated .030 mig wire and an 000 size tip..

On occasion I still use a coat hanger---still gets the job done...............Lee

[TJM70's_48]

I do not know how to weld...yet. Seeing projects like this only reinforces to me why I want to learn.

I am hoping to take a beginners auto body and welding course at our local technical HS next year. Also have a professional welder who has indicated he's teach me the basics.

Thanks for posting this repair. I want to advance in this hobby to more sophisticated level like this and it's helpful to see and read the comments.

[Joe Flanagan]

What I did was get some pieces of scrap metal and just started welding. I watched a few videos, too, and did a lot of reading, but there's nothing like actually doing it to get a feel for how it works.

[TR Waters]

"the brittle hardness of the MIG welder" ??????????

[Plymouthy Adams]

"the brittle hardness of the MIG welder" ??????????

YES...!!!!! but you are quite free to weld with and how you chose...your rolleye sarcastic smiley should evidently be one of confused lok if if fact the questions mark you place there are sincere..little research may help you to understand..

[Andydodge]

Oxy welding gives a softer more malleable weld than MIG........much better for general sheetmetal work but if you can't hammer weld then MIG will suffice........I prefer oxy.........the rear fenders on my Dodge were widened 2" front to back with 2" of metal welded in, then hammer & fine finished by me.........pic attached........andyd

[chopt50wgn]

Tim.........when you use a torch and weld, doesnt it make alot of heat and add to warping sheet metal?

I've done more MIG than anything and alway have a wet towl handy to help quench. My buddy who did the chassis on my wagon does only TIG and he makes it look easy.

But anyway......you do nice work.

[Plymouthy Adams]

All welding will generate heat..and warpage can and will always be a issue. The thinner the metal and the larger surface area of the panel will add to the equation. Use of wet towels over these areas will sink the heat and keep the panel at a much lower temp lessening the risk. Stop and go welding will also control heat with cool downs in between the staggered weld beads....yu can also stuff wet towels in places behind your welding area to prevent heat warpaing of surfaces on the other side of adjacent surface..using the wet towels does not affect the quality of your weld, it helps prevent travel/tranfer of the heat to the surrounding area

[oldodge41]

Very nice work! I share your philosophy on tools also. Occasional use stuff does not need to be top shelf to obtain top shelf results in hands like yours. However top shelf tools in hands like mine will still not achieve top shelf results. Much respect to you..............Tim