Welding help!

Post your technical queries / problems here!
Message
Author
davemorris
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:11 pm

Welding help!

#1 Post by davemorris » Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:18 pm

I have been working on my car for a while now, and with the help of the PC articles have taught myself to mig weld. But so far all my welding has been on empty bodyshells etc. Now I have to do some welding (which i missed!) on my nearly finished car! I am concerned that I should take some precautions, as when I weld, the welding current will be going right through the car, and although my old midget does not have complicated modern electrics, I am worried I might cause electrical damage to the alternator, gauges etc. Is there anything I need to do before I begin welding? Also should I worry about petrol in the tank? I will be nowhere near the tank!

Dave

User avatar
Dazman1360
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:51 pm
Location: Milton Damerel, North Devon.
Contact:

Re: Welding help!

#2 Post by Dazman1360 » Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:40 pm

Disconnect the battery otherwise you'll fry the alternator.

If you're not near the fuel tank it should be fine, be careful of carpets, interior trim or anything else that could ignite in or around where you're welding. I set fire to a seatbelt in a MK3 Escort a few month ago. I laugh about it now, bl*ody scary at the time!!
http://www.triumphherald1360.co.uk

Triumph Herald 13/60 - 1968

davemorris
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:11 pm

Re: Welding help!

#3 Post by davemorris » Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:53 pm

Thanks Dazman. Thats what I needed to know. I will disconnect the battery. I knew there must be something I had to do. Re the Fire risk, with me welding its usually me I set fire too, or at least shower with hot sparks that always seem to go straight through my trousers or socks! But I will make sure everything is covered up and keep my extinguishers handy!
Dave

pryantcc
Posts: 289
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 6:35 pm

Re: Welding help!

#4 Post by pryantcc » Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:54 pm

Disconnect the battery Dave, it will break every circuit there is so that no current can flow anywhere. That should give you electrical peace of mind. As already mentioned, stay away from anything burnable!

davemorris
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:11 pm

Re: Welding help!

#5 Post by davemorris » Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:56 pm

Thanks Pryantcc

pryantcc
Posts: 289
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 6:35 pm

Re: Welding help!

#6 Post by pryantcc » Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:58 pm

davemorris wrote:Thanks Pryantcc
Dazman beat me to it!! :-)

Willy Eckerslyke
Posts: 225
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 2:35 pm

Re: Welding help!

#7 Post by Willy Eckerslyke » Thu Jan 27, 2011 9:42 am

And remember that while you're MIG welding, you're holding a fire extinguisher in your hand. A squirt of gas will quickly put out underseal that starts to burn. (But keep an eye on the reverse of the panel - it's not unusual to suddenly realise that the car is full of smoke when you're welding the underside...)

User avatar
JPB
Posts: 10319
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: Welding help!

#8 Post by JPB » Thu Jan 27, 2011 12:25 pm

Willy Eckerslyke wrote:And remember that while you're MIG welding, you're holding a fire extinguisher in your hand. A squirt of gas will quickly put out underseal that starts to burn. (But keep an eye on the reverse of the panel - it's not unusual to suddenly realise that the car is full of smoke when you're welding the underside...)
Sound advice there, but even better; employ a partner, neighbour or friend as a fire watcher and they can monitor the internal surfaces while you - and the torch - are under the car. That approach has more than once saved my destroying an interior where some sound deadening had been left behind, unnoticed. ;)
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

User avatar
chrissyboy
Posts: 47
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:57 pm
Location: Pub

Re: Welding help!

#9 Post by chrissyboy » Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:12 pm

...... and lift interior carpets up around the welding area - a lesson learned when I let a wally do mine for the MOT once! Brown soaked pants were the order that day!
Eyup!

User avatar
JPB
Posts: 10319
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: Welding help!

#10 Post by JPB » Wed Feb 02, 2011 11:08 pm

chrissyboy wrote:...Brown soaked pants were the order that day!
I prefer a dry powder extinguisher but hey, whatever works for the individual taste. ;)
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests