rusty the clown.

[Brett]

Make sure you dwell for a few seconds at the start, then you should be able to run a bead along without too much trouble.

[FD3SNuttah]

it doesnt seem to make a vey strong joint, i welded two bits together and i was able to pull em apart with not that much effort.

so you strick the stick and make sure you angle the rod about 20 degrees and then drag it along?? you do it at the seam or over the top bit of metal where it overlaps?

my car is so ****ed, im thinking about breaking it.

[Brett]

DOnt break it mate, unless you want Grinder on your doorstep with a £50 note and a hopefull look in his eyes.

 An overlap is the best way of doing it on the car. Make sure both surfaces are clean.
Make sure you are moving at the correct speed, too fast and there will not be a proper weld, too slow and you will burn through it. If tis spitting and popping its not going right either.  You will know when its going well, the weld will seem to flow along the join line as you steer it
Keep at it, its not a skill you will pick up over night, it takes a bit of practise.  I would suggest finding some old angle iron thats quite thick to start practising on, then practise on the thinner stuff.

[grinder]

i have used an arc welder for about 10 seconds - its not simple

i still go with the same theory

1 - bend plate
2 - tack weld one corner ( about a 3mm blob of weld to hold it )
3 - shape it
4 - tack weld
5 - shape
6 - tack weld

keep going until the plate is held on all the way round with little tacks of weld

this always helps you to focus on the welding not the holding and shaping and welding

once this is done and you are happy - then you can spend the time welding the little blob to the next little blob

once this is done - get out the grinder ( there is a joke somewhere there ) - and grind it all nice and neat

have a good look around the welds - weld up any crappy bits

grind it again

once happy - then hammerite it

sit back - open beer - and relax in knowing that YOU have done it and no one else

feel free to ask all the quesitons you want matey - we are here to help !

Stu

[grinder]

i was told that with arc you push the bead along the seam

so when i did some

1 - arc it up
2 - wait a few seconds for the pool to appear
3 - then push the pool slowly along
4 - keep it at a nice pace - i ended up singing to my self to that i kept a steady pace
5 - failing this buy / borrow / steal a MIG welder ( Makes Idiots Good )


try it matey - see what happens

[grinder]

me again !!

breaking it - hang on a minute here fella

i want the BOV - no seriously - you are now where i was with mine - that pssed off that i wanted shut of it

sit back and relax for a day or two

i spent the best part of 4 weekends just welding together crap metal to see what happens - then i started on the car

then i got problems with the welding on the car - so sit back again , quick rethink and start again

i couldnt weld one bit and was ready to give up - went away , watched some tv , went back out more prepared and welded it fine

why do you live so bloody far away - i would be down to help - just to keep the FC on the road

[FD3SNuttah]

haha, yeh got some old angles in the garage, i maged to get close to the shape of the fllor by using 1inch scraps of wood and bashing the metal around them at where i marked it. did a good job of that actually.

i will have another go when it stops raining, i dont think its safe to weld outside in the rain! #

[Brett]

Not to mention the fact that you will get cold

[WillRayden]

You\'ll get there mate, I\'ve been in the same position with my Mini, It\'s been a year now since I started and I\'ve finally finished the bodywork having never welded before I started it.  It\'s a great feeling to think you\'ve done it yourself!

This was the Mini floor after i\'d cut the rust out...

Keep going coz it\'ll be worth it in the end!

Will

[grinder]

Keep going coz it\'ll be worth it in the end!

Amen to that

you didnt need to shape the metal round the wood - thats what the ball pein hammer is for - you weld to all the flat tops and then there is enought stretch in the metal to shape it into the shallow bits

but if you have done it now - it should make life easier !

keep trying matey ( failing that i want the bov - sorry had to say it )

You know we are here to answer any questions

take care

stu

( we need more pics )

[FD3SNuttah]

i dont know what make the bov is but it makes the most loudest whoosh noise ever. the old biddie across the street came out and said it sounded like an old WW2 missile being fired! pmsl.

Anyway lookin at your mini has given me a bit of confidence actually! yeh i dont see any problem shaping and cutting metal, its just welding i need to learn. maybe it might be worth it going to college and doin a little course on it. Might become a mobile welder, tell you what lads i would be earning way more than fixing atm\'s!

[grinder]

MMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmm BOV ... < droool >

keep up the good fight matey and save that FC

just dont expect it to happen over night - it took me about 7 weeks to do mine

it got annoying towards the end - but i really enjoyed it to be honest

like i have said in the past - stand proud that YOU have done it - too many people with rx7 just get someone else to do the work

or the other hand is that FC owners are just cheap !!

[FD3SNuttah]

pmsl if fc owners are cheap you need the crown dude

[grinder]

and i would wear it with pride

[Brett]

No you wouldn\'t, it would be on ebay within the hour! :rollin