g741.org

When I worked on the fenders 20+ yrs ago no repair panels were available so I did what I could to bring them back to usefulness. Now my old enemy rust has returned so here we go again.
http://news.webshots.com/photo/29245805 ... vhost=news
This one has a bit of a warp after welding which I can deal with, so now more banging, welding and grinding, adding the doubler/ stiffener plate ect. and then the right side. Pix as work gets done.

Carter;

Welds look real nice. Did your truck have rust in this area from the beginning, or did it get that way due to the truck being kept outside,etc?

I got lucky with my truck, although it had cancer elsewhere, under the headlights on both fenders are pristine.....

Are the panels from Sheldon? I was unable to leave a comment on your webshots for some unknown reason?

Nickathome wrote:Carter;

Welds look real nice. Did your truck have rust in this area from the beginning, or did it get that way due to the truck being kept outside,etc?

I got lucky with my truck, although it had cancer elsewhere, under the headlights on both fenders are pristine.....

Nick, I was never able to get all the rust damage completely repaired and I always planned to do the fenders again and now it's so much easier with the new parts to just weld in, last time I hand formed the repairs. The truck doesn't sit out much so it's just crappy first time repairs by me.

m-37Bruce wrote:Are the panels from Sheldon? I was unable to leave a comment on your webshots for some unknown reason?

I had ordered some M37 stuff from VPW so while I was paying shipping on other parts I decided to get the panels from them and had everything shipped together, they most likely got them from Sheldon anyway, maybe?
Unable to leave a comment? Maybe that's because I banned your troublesome a$$ I'll look into it Bruce, thanks.

I know this is a little off your topic . I just had a chance to try out a wire welder and my god its incredible !!!I did stuff that would be impossible to do ( I am still using a stick welder). I even tacked stuff together holding the metal in my gloved hand!! You can get close to your work not start off a foot away. And no heavy slag or spatter. WOW I have been stuck in the welding stone age. I would never attempt to weld something like a fender!!
What type unit do you guys use and what is a good one for home use?

I have a Lincoln 3200, setup with Argon/Co2 gas for mig welding. Had been using the .023 wire that came with the unit, but then switched to .030 which seems to give a little better bead. I notice I have to use more voltage with the thicker wire but the .030 seems to work fine. For body panels the .023 should work well if you maintain only a small gap between panels being joined. Use lowest voltage you can get away with and turn down the gas output and you should be ok. You can also go flux core but your welds will have more splatter and voids. I use the flux core for welding around the house items such as rebar and junk thats going get hammered into the ground like a fencepost etc. For your vehicle I'd definitely use the gas mig setup.

I won't comment about welder type other than to say I agree with Nick, use a gas MIG rig and you won't be sorry. I'd like to say the great welding pictured is my work but no it's not mine, it's my buddy Howards steady hand at work. Howard is a former US Army master welder instructor who has been doing all my demanding work for years, flat beds, dump trucks, trailers and M37s. Argon MIG did the welds pictured, it gives a quality weld.

Lincoln Weld-Pac 3200, GMAW/TIG. The 3200 goes so many ways, it ain't funny!
[URL=http://good-times.webshots.com/pho ... .jpg[/img][/url]
If only I could figure out how to get my truck in that picture, BTW, this image is down loadable from Lincoln's page/newsletter. I use it as my avatar on the welding page.

great avatar!! My old stick welder is a lincon. Time to look into a new lincon I think!!

Man there goes my editing again I mean Lincoln. WoW I wish I had a buddy that I could call on to weld stuff.

I've done some stuff for one of the guys that I fish with, he breaks the stuff & I weld it back together.