OK, I am sure that it is staring me in the face, but I don't see a search link on the forum, so I will ask what has probably been asked before. I have both oxy-acetylene and arc welding equipment. I am proficient in NEITHER, but the torch seems like a better candidate for body work. Is there a good book on welding basics. I am going to need to replace the trunk floor in my car before I lift the body off of the frame.

Yes, I know that it would be best to buy a MIG welder, but due to space and financial considerations, I will need to spend money on an air compressor so I want to be able to use the equipment that I already have.

Thanks,

Dale

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To use a torch or stick welder, you would have to be a very experienced welder to do it without a lot of warping of the metal pretty bad

maybe you could borrow or rent a mig welder

You know, a few years ago that is all I had, and I did things as you are doing. But now, I couldn't imagine doing that floor without a MIG. I say beg, barrow,rent, steel, sell your body, what ever, get a MIG for the job.

If you were to plug weld and tack weld it in with the torch, you could do it. As far as learning it, I would say you can read till you are blue in the face and you will get something out of it. But if you weld that floor in with a torch, you will be pretty good, right as you finish. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

I can only reccomend a mig. It's like the perfect tool for the job!

The other type of welders would be like using vise grips to change your spark plugs. You might get the job done but the finished product will not be the results you were looking for.

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FastSS396Man
Brian

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69' SS396 Chevelle
L78 396/375hp
M-21 Close Ratio
Cortez Silver
10 year Resto
It's brand new again!
02' Harley FatBoy, Diamond Ice pearl.

Yes you can use a torch, If you take time to learn how to weld light gage metal it will work. here are some tips.
1.Practice on scrap metal parts these welds.
Butt weld, lap weld,braze coat hanger welding panels. Use the smallest tip and start butt welding scrap 22 gage metal all you will be doing is get it to just start melting and one touch with filler rod your done. You need to move to different spots after each stitch. One way to practice is take an old car hood, cut big grooves in the metal with a sawzall or what ever. After you cut pound flush and start welding. Finish off the hood to warm up your bondo skills. If after all that you don't feel have the skills needed to do your car with a tourch get the wire feed.
Also needed
A HUGE fire extinguisher is needed.
5 gallon bucket of water at ready.
Proper eye protection
Towels that are soaked in water placed around panels being welded.

I once worked in a body shop where the owner brazed panels. He was good at it.

I occasionally gas weld on my exhaust, but can't imagine using anything other than my mig for sheet metal.

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My Web Page (http://www.landry-family.com) (updated 1-9-02)

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Chad Landry
TC Member #643
ACES Member #04556
'68 El Camino

If you can't beg borrow or steal a Mig welder, Dave had some great practic methods.
B-4 I had access to a mig. I was forced to gas weld sheetmetal. I had a AC/DC 250 Lincon and did alot of stick welding but was never able to weld sheet steel 16-28 ga. with any degree of competence.
I had no $$$ so I relied on black coathangers. ( with burnt off paint)
Use a # 2 tip with Oxygen @ 8 to 12 lb
Acetylene @ 5lb.. Adjust torch to a netural flame . The rod and the torch are held at 45 degree angles to the steel and 90 degrees apart
Wire Torch
\ /
\ /
\ /
<--- \ /---- direction of weld.

Practice this on the scrap till you can carry a pulldle of steel in front of the torch for a few inches.
Go to you local libary, I am sure they must have a book on principles of gas welding
AKA. Oxy-Acetylene welding.
Practise Practise, Practise and if all else
fails RENT A MIG.

Wayne

ACES #1556
TCG #186

I consider myself a good welder. I've worked as a welder once many years ago. But even though I can weld very good using oxyacetylene, there's no way I'd weld sheetmetal with anything other than a MIG welder. A MIG welder is the right tool for the job. Once upon a time, sure, oxyacetylene was how it was done, but only because it was the only option available.

It's like surfing the net with a 33 mhz computer and a 14.4 dialup modem. You could, but why would you?

I was not endorsing the use of gas welding. I am trying to get across is it can be done.
What many of us forget is the budget of others. If everybody had the skills to perform repairs many shops would be out of bussiness. If performed correctly gas welds can be less work to clean after. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

Thanks for all of your replies. I might be better off delaying doing any of this until I can afford a MIG. I have tried practicing with the torches, with about 30% of my initial attempts looking like a weld.

I had to replace the door to my truck, so I have it to practice on. Thanks Dave and Wayne for the tips on both welding and safety. Guess I'll read, practice and save.

Dale

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There are many professional metalshapers i.e. men who build entire car bodies from scratch who prefer a torch to mig or tig. These people take the weld down flush so that you can not tell there was ever a weld. Oh yeh, they don't use any body filler either to cover it up. They are that good. 3 tricks, use a very small tip, keep the pressure on both gases as low as you can get it, and tack weld the hell out of the seem welding a little at a time. Also, it does not hurt to be very fast while you weld. There are very small torches available that are much easier to control than a full sized torch. Meco makes one. It is sold for about $100. This thing is a feather. Best welding book I ever read was called Performance Welding by Richard Finch. He welds chrome moly tubing with a torch just fine.

The biggest difference between the welding methods is speed. No production body shop could stay in business gas welding a long seam. MIG is MUCH faster and easier and for these reasons are used in production environments.