Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Uncle Joe]

The trouble is, I dont know if anything that I do is different to the way that someone else does it.

I suppose that the best tip that I could give is simply have confidence in your own abilities, and take your time, making sure that everything is done correctly. I do like working on old cars, but I dont like doing the same job over!

The books coming along fine, but slower now due to other pressures.

UJ

[chimpchoker]

[Uncle Joe]

Yeah, but what sort of welding? MIG? MAG? TIG? Arc? Gas?

Rick has done a good sensible MIG/MAG guide on the main site, though I did have a few comments a while ago.

That part of my book is already completed, so if you really want to learn, you'll have to buy it! Is this blatant spamming? I'll have to remove my own post if it is!

[chimpchoker]

[UKdave2002]

[buzzy bee]

gas mig is the easiest to learn and enjoyable in my oppinion!

[Uncle Joe]

UKD: The book is about restoring vehicles, and aimed where possible at the money saving end of the market. I am a northerner you know!

Buzzy: MIG / MAG is the easiest to learn, but I do find that the other types are more fun, just because they require more skill!

UJ

[buzzy bee]

I don't like gassless mig, do you?

UJ what do you use, as far as welding goes I mean?

I had a go at learning gas welding when I was alot younger but due to some dodgy teaching methods and certain wording he used (best not to ask) I mis understool the whole principle and spent hours upon hours getting nowhere, I reckon I will have another go one day! I used to be able to get by in arc, I did actually get qualifications in it, but hate doing it and haven't done it for years, so hopefully Have forgotten how to!

Never tried Tig and have never even learnt the principle.

Cheers

Dave

[Uncle Joe]

Gasless MIG's OK if you are welding outside, but I still dont like it, to much spatter. So I usually Arc weld outside!

As far as cars and welding gases go, my preference is for a 25% CO2/Argon mix. Cant remember what its called in the UK, but in the US its C25. Here we call it Mison 25. Thats been difficult to get lately, so I've had to go over to an 18% CO2/Argon. We call this Mison 18.

UJ

[buzzy bee]

I think it is something like Cougan/Cougar 25, I used to know all of the terms when I got my qualifications, but I see no point in qualifications as I just forget it all afterwards!

Cheers

Dave

[Uncle Joe]

Thats the name, Coogar. BOC call it Argoshield Heavy. Contains oxygen if I remember, which is the stuff sheilding gases are supposed to keep out. Guess we are just more advanced here, as we use NO!

I'll see if I can check the contents of the american C25, just out of my own curiousity!

[Uncle Joe]

Buzzy, earlier in this topic, you asked about tips from us older ones. There is one that I thought of today. I'm guessing that the only ones that know this are Oldgoaly, Stuchamp and maybe some of the Aussies. Shrinking metal with an old stainless steel saucepan!

UJ

[buzzy bee]

??? come on, You have got to explain that one!!

Cheers

Dave

[Uncle Joe]

Buzzy, I suppose that I shouldn't really be telling you this, because if you liberate one of your Mums pans, she might assasinate me if we ever meet!

What you actually need is the lid off a 5 or 6 inch saucepan. It has to be the domed kind that has a handle that is fixed with one screw in a little 'dimple.' This is then converted into what is known as a Shrinking Disc. Which if you can get the hang of using, is brilliant for removing the warps in body panels after welding.

I've only ever seen them used in the US, never here in Europe. This is an old idea, but nowadays it is possible to buy them over the counter.

Cheers

UJ

[UKdave2002]

I’d be really interested in hearing more about the shrinking disk, when I did my vehicle body restoration course we were taught the traditional torch/hammer/dolly/quench method , which I found worked but you can end up with loads of heat in the metal, we also used shrinking hammers which I could never really get satisfactory results.
I guess the shrinking disk is a form of “high speed planishing “?

I think we need an article UJ !!!

Incidentally I was about 10 miles south of Fleetwood yesterday and saw an Uncle Joes’s lorry !