Tig welding sheetmetal my new addiction

[BAM55]

I just wanted to share why I enjoy tig welding sheetmetal. I hope its cool to post it here.

Bondo, bondo, bondo.


This is what was under all that bondo


This is what I had to cut away. Yikes


Yeah thats another fender in that background covered in bondo also.lol

I had some front fenders that I've been gutting that provided the majority of the patch panel. A little tweaking and they worked fine. That little rust spot that was left I just formed my hand.

I used a 3/32 2% ceriated tungsten and 1/16 filler rod and tried to keep the smallest HAZ I could. Tig sheetmetal is great you can see how low the bead profile is and some of the metal finishing I started. Man you can hammer and dolly that HAZ to your hearts desire.




And here it is, almost ready for primer a little more welding and hammer and dolly work to do and very little filler will be needed now.lol

[Prostreet]

Nice work Bam, I just purchased some ceraited, I've been using thoraited. I also use mig wire as a filler.

[BAM55]

Thanks

Yeah I met a lot of people that use mig wire for the filler its cheaper thats for sure.

[c10]

Great looking Metal

We love photo's and any idea's

otis

[Truck Nut]

Great work with the fender and TIG Bam! love to see your stuff...very cool!

[lakeroadster]

Very nice. So you are welding an open root? Do you use a copper backer bar as you are welding?

I'd like to learn TIG and have an ESAB Multi-master with scratch start TIG, so I am looking for some pointers from a pro, looks like you qualify.

[BAM55]

Very nice. So you are welding an open root? Do you use a copper backer bar as you are welding?

I'd like to learn TIG and have an ESAB Multi-master with scratch start TIG, so I am looking for some pointers from a pro, looks like you qualify.

No pro here just a guy who messed up so many times its now called experience.lol

When welding tig or mig I like to have my metal slightly touching. That gap you see in the pic is the second patch just laid on top of the existing fender as I worked on fitment. Once I got the fitment right and clamped it down the fitment was better. If you look closely you can see where I had to do a relief cut to make it fit better. The patches used came from a trashed 55 front fender.

By the way, personally I never use a copper backing with a mig or tig even when filling holes. I make a small patch or plug and if the hole is really small I bridge. Its just the way I do things no right or wrong. I just been taught that way so I stick to it.

[Prostreet]

I agree Bam, something's can get far to technical, and simple just gets the job done.
John, a scratch start is a bit tougher to learn on, my first tig had no high frequency start.

[lakeroadster]

John, a scratch start is a bit tougher to learn on, my first tig had no high frequency start.

I have contemplated getting the upgrade kit from Esab. Thus far it's kind of been like trying to thread a needle in a dark closet

Bam, I just looked through your build thread and was amazed at the similarities of the mod's. you made to your truck bed and how I did mine.

Bam's Mini-Tubs


Lakeroadster's Mini-Tubs


Bam's Bed Rail Mod


Lakeroadster's Bed Rail Mod


Bam's Stepside


Lakeroadster's Stepside


Pretty cool similarities anim_63

I ended up widening my bed 4 inches since my truck is a '64 and the cab is wider than the stock bed.

[Prostreet]

I have contemplated getting the upgrade kit from Esab. Thus far it's kind of been like trying to thread a needle in a dark closet

great analogy John I could never have described it better. Off subject, I also had a plasma cutter back in the early 80's that was some what a scratch start. And the metal had to be bare to fire it up. Don't miss those days....