Welding lessons

Welded bits
Originally uploaded by Phil_Parker.

Welding the Type 2 today. First I tried to repair the tinware but gave this up as a bad job when I spent more time blowing holes than filling them. Grinding another hole in it didn’t help.

Still, with this practise under my belt I moved on to patching the holes under the petrol tank. In theory these would be reasonably easy (read: doable by a newbie welder) but to be on the safe side I made a trial piece up out of a couple of off-cuts. One reasonably successful lap joint later I decided to be bold and try it for real.

First I cut the patches from 0.8mm thick steel. They seemed to fit OK. Next I cleaned the area to be welded again with the angle grinder. I’m smart enough after years of soldering to know that you need clean metal and it’s not clever to struggle with anything else.

Then I took the welder for its first trip outside. The ensuing struggle lasted about an hour I think (don’t wear a watch while doing this sort of thing, a lesson learned a long while and several watches ago) but resulted in two bits of metal attached over the holes. Fortunately they aren’t structural although most of the welds aren’t bad and some of them are very good.

What I learned today is:

Use the red welding visor. It doesn’t have a flip up lens like the black one but what it does have isn’t so dark. I can actually see what I am doing but not get dazzled.
Welding visors protect your head when you keep hitting it on the engine bay roof.
The engine bay roof is in the way.
If you kneel on the lead to the welding torch the wire won’t feed through.
You can’t tell that you are kneeling on the cable when wearing kneepads.
Other than this, kneepads are good. I must buy a better pair that the ones from the 99p shop I’m using.
Getting a good earth on a vehicle isn’t as easy as you think.
Welding isn’t affected by failing light as much as other activities.
Seam sealer is difficult to get off your fingers.
I love my new metal cutting tool. Except when I catch my fingers in the handles.
A small hammer is good for persuading metal into shape. You don’t always need the “proper” tool. Brute force can work. Sometimes.
I would like a proper indoor garage. And a vehicle lift.