Tools

[Pathfinder-jay]

Hey guys doing some repairs on my truck want to know what you guys recommend....

 

Heres my choice for torches....For welding... not sure what you recommend... cheap if possible

 

Torch Choices

 

Grinders

 

Grinders....angle grinder I was thinking of getting the master craft one on sale for 20$

 

 

What other tools should I be looking at as far as body work... I got sheet metal...fiberglass cloth...putty, scrapers....primer.

 

If I rip out all my carpet and redo all the bottom by applying sheet metal what kind of welding do you recomend and what material? Also what would you recommend to cover all the spots I ripped out? like a paint of some sort or primer...make sure doesnt rust again...

[derogate]

If im not mistaken, any body work welding I've ever seen done is either with a MIG or a TIG welder. I'm sure if you where already skilled with any particular type of welder you could do a Decent job regardless, but If you don't know anything about welding, I'd suggest starting with a MIG. Practise A LOT on scraps before you dig into your actual rig. Hope that helps ya, thats pretty much all I know.

 

some usefull links:

http://doityourself.com/auto/smallrustspotsmodelcar.htm

http://www.autobodystore.com/door_rust.htm

[Pathfinder-jay]

Ya I do a @!*%load of welding at school... with all kinds so i think im good on that aspect...just not sure which one to buy

[RedPath88]

Ya I do a @!*%load of welding at school... with all kinds so i think im good on that aspect...just not sure which one to buy

Instructor have any suggestions?

[sammyb33]

do not tig weld.

 

mig welding is much more common and stronger and will look better in the end, because tig welding is more time consuming, and also is a smaller bead. Mig welding when done, and grinded donw, will look better, and will take much less time!!!!

 

thats just my two cents....

[mws]

Personally, I have found cheap tools to be way too expensive when the day is done.... they do an inferior job and break.

 

Angle grinders: My buddies $25 el cheapo lasted about 6 months with limited use. My $100 Rigid has a lifetime warranty. I've been using the tar out of it for a couple years now with no hiccups. If you think you will be using it for more than 2 years, the "cheaper option" is clearly going to end up costing you a WHOLE LOT more.

 

For welding the floor, gas or MIG (GMAW is the current and more correct term for it) are both fine. GMAW is much faster, but a decent set up (welder, tanks, regulator, wire, tips, good hood, etc) will cost you at least $1000 US new. Estate sales and post-divorce garage sales (especially when the bitter ex-wife gets everything!) are golden if you want to save major $$$.

DO NOT bother with the sub $400 units you see at Harbor Freight/Home Depot/Lowes. Those things have so many compromises designed and built in to meet a cost target they will only lead to frustration and regrets. Please trust me.

 

The bare minimum GMAW I would recommend for home use would be the Lincoln SP-135 Plus. Miller and Hobart also make good entry level units - but you really, really want to have infinitely variable power and wire feed speeds. If it's not one of the big 3, service and parts will be a major issue.

 

I have a SP-135 Plus and am very pleased. It is only 115 volt/20 amp and limited to about 1/8" thick steel, but it does sheet metal beautifully. And I can power it off my generator for field repairs. I have done 3/16" and 1/4" with multiple pass, but if you plan to do a lot of plate, you need more power. I have an old Lincoln 220V buzz box stick welder for that....

 

And if you go gas, I strongly receommend sticking to Victor stuff or equivalent. Sure, you can get cheaper kits from Taiwan, but where do you get replacement parts 5 years from now? You can't. Throw the whole thing away and buy another new set. And another. And another. Not so cheap anymore, is it?

 

I've been using the same Victor set up my dad bought USED 30 some years ago. And I just walked into Airgas a couple months ago and bought new tips and valve packings OFF THE SHELF.

[mws]

Oh, and for body welding, most shops do use GMAW or GTAW as it is much easier to control and minimizing heat related warping with those.

 

Oxyacetylene gas will do just as good of a weld, but controlling warpage is very difficult. On a floor board, who cares? So gas will do fine with proper technique.

[DSM_guy]

mws is right

 

cheap tools are NOT the way to go. if you cash in and get a good setup it will last you a VERY long time. if you get some el-cheap crap its gonna break in a heartbeat. my dad had one of those $20 angle grinders from harbor freight...its stopped working after very litle use. i opened it up 2-3x to fix problems and each time a new one arises. he told me to just toss it..but in insisted on trying to salvage it but no use. i threw it across the shop the other day...its dead.

 

wheather its wrenches, socket, screwdrivers (yes even screwdrivers), pliers, cutters, etc you need to get quality equipment. youll end up rounding off things, breaking tools, etc. and that will require more money. as MWS stated..most good tools are lifetime guaranteed..you just walk in and get a new replacement for free. the lowest id go is a set of craftsman stuff. im sure some cheap stuff works ok..but i dont care to risk it. you dont need snap on brand..not if your just an avid or even advanced wrencher.

 

and as far as the welder..i dunno what your plans are..but unless you plan on doing body work and the like for a good long time professionally...dont bother getting a pro grade welder to fix your body issues. just get that done at a shop. i know you said something about doing alot of welding..but there is a vast distance in the world of welding. and the fact that you werent too enlightened on the type of welder to go with..and your wanting cheap..it occours to me that you might not know what your getting into when welding body parts. they are paper thin and take a good deal of skill and good equip or youll make a mess of it all. anyone can pick up a stick or tig on heavy metal..but light stuff is a diff story.

 

cliffs notes...cutting corners and costs when investing in tool or vehicles/parts is gonna be more trouble than what its worth..and youll pay many times over what you would have if you woulda done it right the first time

[Pathfinder-jay]

How bout these....

 

MIG

 

GAS

 

ANother one

[Pathfinder-jay]

Hey guys which paint gun you recommend

 

PAINT GUN

 

For spray painting panels...

[derogate]

Personally, i'd leave the paint to the pro's. unless its a straight up trail rig and you dont care about orange peel, or bumps in your paint that is.

[GrimGreg]

How bout these....

 

MIG

 

GAS

 

ANother one

I wouldn't buy an off-brand welder. You can get a nice Lincoln cheap just about anywhere.

[TrailChaser]

do not tig weld.

 

mig welding is much more common and stronger and will look better in the end, because tig welding is more time consuming, and also is a smaller bead. Mig welding when done, and grinded donw, will look better, and will take much less time!!!!

 

thats just my two cents....

That's not good info... Tig is the BEST in almost all applications. Like you said it's time consuming, but if you want the BEST welds Tig is the way to go.

 

This is comming from a welder that welds about 95% of the time with mig.

 

I will not however weld anything with stick. I just hate stick welding.

[sammyb33]

i also hate stick, but tig takes a lot, i mean i lot of talent....you have to be really good...and because hes doing it himself, MIG would be the way to go...tig i think is too easily messed up...and i believe i was told at one point in my life that not many body shops use tigs when doing their work..they use MIG...oh well maybe im wrong

[derogate]

thats weird.. I learned on stick, And mostly cause of that I've always had a hard time with mig and I've never had the chance to really try Tig. Arc or Stick welding is more of fabrication and industrial strength type of welds I think though... defiently to hot and cumbersom for autobody work.

[88pathoffroad]

Harbor Freight grinders work fine for me. Had two of 'em for going on two-three years and they still work great. They even come with replacement brushes for the motor.

 

Oh, and a sub-$400 welder is allright if it's a Lincoln Weld-Pak 100 like mine. I can't find anything wrong with it and it's been through a full 25 lb spool of wire, working on the next!

 

Do what you can, buy what you can afford, and take everything with a grain of salt. Above all, have fun making your own stuff!

[GrimGreg]

Stick welding is more of fabrication and industrial strength type of welds I think though...

Only reason Stick is used in a lot of heavy duty work is because it's easier to drag around 2 lead wires than a whole welder -thnkboutit- .

[TrailChaser]

Only reason Stick is used in a lot of heavy duty work is because it's easier to drag around 2 lead wires than a whole welder -thnkboutit- .

Exactly