Newbie welder

[Surfmichaels]

Getting ready to install the us car tool subframe connectors, bought a tungsten rotors file to fit everything to the floor. Used jacks and some "gentle" mallet action to get things fairly well lined up but....

For everyone who learned to weld just for their restoration when did you decide you practiced on enough scrap pieces and turned to your car? The connectors need to be nice and solid but am I wrong to think that the sheer volume of connection points give me some margin for error if my technique is just ok to decent?

I have a miller 140 running 75% argon and .30 wire. I think the hardest part so far is getting the perfect setting on your mask....

Sample bead

[72cudamaan]

Your weld appears to be a bit superficial. Try using more of a arc motion with your wand. Move back and forth left to right
and make your puddles more of a "C" shape. The heat transfer on the sides looks good though. Just a little more practice
with technique and you'll be good to go. Are you using an auto darkening helmet? They are "wicked awesome".

[Surfmichaels]

I was using curly e's as my pattern but I'll give c's a try today. It takes awhile to get used to the noise and sparks to focus on what you are actually doing. And yes auto darkening helmet from miller, just the simple one but it's great, turning down or up the shade really let's you focus on the puddle... Now, if I only knew what I was doing

[dutch]

practice with the same gauge material and same set up as you need to weld on the car.  Your welds don`t looks half bad. That connector won`t fall off.
Take your time to make the welds and look at what you actually do. You can make longer welds with less amps when you have the experience to see when you will burn through, but it`s easier to crank up the power a bit ( to Ensure a good heat transfer) and  stack short welds after another. Don`t start welding on one side and go on to the end. Spread heat.

[soundcontrol]

I'm in the same boat, my US Car Tool reinfocement kit is on its way and I'm gonna remove interior and start with the subframe connectors first. Will borrow a TIG welder from a friend next week and start practicing before I weld on my car. I have used a MIG from time to time, just fixing exhause systems etc. Not sure if a TIG is the best choise here, but thats what I can get right now. Car is just on jackstands so it will be difficult I think. Will you be using any weld thru primer? I saw that on Graveyard carz, when they welded in a new floorpan, don't know if does any good?

[Surfmichaels]

Weld through primer I have is zinc based I think.. Stripped the undercoating on the whole pan (or close to being done). I've test fit the driver side connector and spent maybe 2/3 hours adjusting the fit. If you don't have one a tungsten carbine rotary file is a great help. I covered the edges of the rail in blue paint tape and primed and painted the interior, then added weld through to the edges and then the pan will get the same before final attachment. My only worry is the area in between, I was told primer soaks up extra moisture so I may want to seal as much as possible but I think it'll just burn off during welding... What are your plans? TIG sounds like an adventure.....

[soundcontrol]

My car is completely undercoated so I will strip it only in place for the subframe connectors. I was gonna paint the inside of them with some epoxy primer and paint, then I thought of drilling a few holes that I can use to spray undercoating inside after they are in place, and plug them afterwards, gotta do some more research here though...
I don't have a tungsten carbine rotary, is that for a regular drill or a hispeed machine? I never used a TIG before, my friend who is a proffessional welder says it will be fine, I don't know until I'll get one over and see if I can actually weld with it...   If I suck I'll have him do it.

[swede-cuda]

  i agree with dutch.same setup AND practice at welding from down under on your test metal. 

[twalker]

Surf, sounds and looks to me like you have it well in hand.  Good luck, post some pics when you're done with the connectors


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[Surfmichaels]

Bought some angle steel and practiced with about 10ft of welds last weekend to prep for today. Once under the car it was not easy as all the angles really tested me. Here are 2 pics of today's progress, I had to stop as I got tired and the baby woke up... Difficulty, well I think not easy but not impossible, I put about 3 holes in the floor but they all patched up easily. I think I got good penetration and although I don't think I'll get 100% attachment along the floor I think I will get 90% which I am happy with. New plan is to finish up the other connector, epoxy prime everything and then use seam sealer along the welds for a smooth look.... As always feedback is welcome

[swede-cuda]

  my feedback is,i would not be satisfied with that setting on the mask.     the welds will probably be enough and with seamsealer no one will see them,except you in your dreams    i would practice some more at different gaps and from underneath,and then finish welding all the way on the bars and then maybe seemsealer.all depending of your intentions for the car . its not easy, good luck 

[dutch]

looks to me like you want to weld too much at once. Tach weld the entire part every 4 inches or so and make sure all gaps are nice and tight. Then tack some more between the ones you already made. That will give you little sections of about 2 inches which makes it a bit easier to spread the heat.
From the pics, my guess is you are feeding a tad too much wire. I`d crank up power a little and start stacking  1 to 2 second welds. Fill a 2"section then skip 2 or 3 and do it again.  Take time to look at what actually happens during welding.

[Surfmichaels]

Thanks for the tips, I'll play with helmet and speed settings some more. wire speed was very hard to find the sweet spot, lower speeds had a lot of popping and no sizzle but higher speeds had the bacon but then mushroomed a bit as I got off the trigger. I also need to reset my technique for the 8th inch to 8th inch lower section (yes that section is very ugly right now, it's a work in progress). I think the connectors are hard because I have to keep modifying my motion for the different angles. But I really have enjoyed trying to figure it out. Thanks!

[twalker]

Thanks for the tips, I'll play with helmet settings some more. wire speed was very hard to find the sweet spot, lower speeds had a lot of popping and no sizzle but higher speeds had the bacon but then mushroomed a bit as I got off the trigger. I also need to reset my technique for the 8th inch to 8th inch lower section (yes that section is very ugly right now, it's a work in progress). I think the connectors are hard because I have to keep modifying my motion for the different angles. But I really have enjoyed trying to figure it out. Thanks!

Right on surf ... Looking forward to see the finished product

[soundcontrol]

I have not gotten my connectors yet, any day now, but I was thinking...since its more difficult to weld from under the car, and I'm also a newbie welder, could this be an option for me:
I am gonna remove the engine/transmission with the K-frame from under the car and change suspension, steering box etc. And I know the subframe connectors should be welded in when the car is on the suspension. If I put the car on blocks under the front wheels, and jackstands on the rear axle, spot weld the subframe connectors in place, and then remove the engine package. Then weld the whole thing while the car is hi up in the air with the front? Seems to be easier to weld that way... Would it work, see any problems with the idea?
I'm in a garage with high ceilings and I could probably get the car up very high in the front if I put some blocks under the rear wheels also.