Straight 57 Nomad

Show off your work! Anything from final results to full start-to-finish project journals.

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 12, 2012 5:51 pm
Never mind. Sorry.
Never argue with an idiot, he will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:07 pm
Finally put some lead on the rear edge of the right side door.

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Early on in the project I ground down some welds on both door frames where two of the inner panels meet at the top, to get the bottom rear of the door to twist a little for alignment.

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Then vice grips were used to hold the panels until I knew the doors were through moving from the shrinking process, then rewelded. But the right door retained a little movement, so sometimes I would have to twist slightly. I could barely hear a rubbing sound when it twisted back in shape, but couldn't find where it was. When the vice grips were holding it, I thought they were just slipping.
Then while working on a cowl problem I noticed the top flange on the door was not held by the spot welds

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There are only two spot welds on the top and neither one is holding.

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So I checked the twist movement of the door with my hand on the seam, and I could feel the skin moving on the door frame-----problem solved.

Before welding up the gap at the top front of the right fender, there was a problem to deal with.

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The car suffered a fender bender at some time, and that caused a little damage at the cowl.

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Not very noticeable but I pulled it out and ran the file over it. It just happened to be near a leaded panel seam.

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The stud welder was used to pull the cowl

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The gap is too wide and the cowl is too low, but no problem with the windshield frame, so I will use lead to fix it.

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There is not much chance of this edge getting chipped, so weld spots were put on the cowl before removing the fender. The spots were filed to the proper gap and height of the fender so I would know how much lead to apply. I never seem to get enough on the first time.

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This is double panel as you can see by the spot welds, so pulling was a pain.

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A little more filing and it looks like this side is ok

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Not so lucky by the hood.

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Last edited by chevman on Fri Jan 20, 2012 9:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:49 pm
This thread is like a course in metal working - thanks for taking the time to post the pics with annotation and commentary - excellent work!

-Chris

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:56 pm
chris wrote:This thread is like a course in metal working - thanks for taking the time to post the pics with annotation and commentary - excellent work!

-Chris

Very meticulous in work and documentation. You should be writing tech books.
Never argue with an idiot, he will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.



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PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:45 am
Hey Rock
I am fascinated as usual, I really want to learn leading.

Neat trick using weld bead as a guid for the fill, I sure its not as easy as plastic filler to just add more is it?
At the same time you dont want too much as excess is hard to get off as it is. Removing lead and removing plastic are two diffrent things.


Keep up the excellent work


Do you have any good resources on making Hammer forms?
I was thinking about using cement but am worried about the strength I know wood is better but shaping it UGH!!!!!!!
Dennis B.
A&P Mechanic, FCC General radio Telephone Operator
Line Maintenance A&P Mechanic and MOC Tech specialist.



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PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:12 pm
Thanks guys for the kind words.
Doright, the tail panel on this car is the only thing that I have ever hammer formed, and I just did a little reshaping on the brace under it and used it for the form. I have used different things in the shop to help in slightly changing the shape of a patch panel, even my knee. But if you surf through this guy's videos you might get some ideas. He worked at Harrah's museum for years on real classics, done the old way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K6c3_DMXjQ



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PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:36 am
Hey Rock
Can i pick your brain on how your setting up your Tig welder?

I just picked up a used Tig the other day THANKS A LOT TOO YOU AND YOUR THREAD! :flatten:

I have been reading every thing I can find, The Miller owners manuals only go so far.

I am confused on Tungsten selection metal thickness and current settings :knockout:
Dennis B.
A&P Mechanic, FCC General radio Telephone Operator
Line Maintenance A&P Mechanic and MOC Tech specialist.



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PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:41 pm
I have been able to get good results, but I still don't have a lot of experience with tig. Certainly not ready to start teaching LOL. But after sorting through my problems and trying to find solutions, here is what helped me. After practicing some, you may find that something else works better for you.

I like the gas lens because it allows you to extend the tungsten out further, in order to better see what you are doing. Its something extra that you have to buy separately. The gas lens is shown in this site, but it also has several good links for tips.
http://search.aol.com/aol/imageDetails? ... g+gas+lens

I use 2% thoriated tungsten .040 which is very close to the body sheet metal size, but I have also had good luck with 1/16.
The size tungsten should be close to the size of the metal, but you can sharpen it down to a very fine point. If you use a grinder to sharpen the tungsten, then it has to be a dedicated stone, so as not to contaminate it. But I use the chem sharp that comes in a small jar. I extend the tungsten out about an inch for sharpening and just dip it straight down into the jar over and over, and it will make the point you want. It will take a little practice, but working on sheet metal you need a real sharp point. Scrape the white stuff off after using chem sharp, by scraping toward the point, and adjust the tungsten to about 3/8 inch for welding. While you are welding, if the tungsten touches the puddle, then you have to re sharpen.

You have to be in a very comfortable position, preferably seated with your fore arms resting on something. The tungsten, the rod, and the puddle are all going to be very close to each other and you can't let the tungsten touch the rod or the puddle. After you get use to it, you might be able to weld in different positions.

Setting the current is different than mig. You set the current to the maximum that you will need, and then control it with the foot pedal. Full pedal works best to get the puddle started, then back off and use what ever current you need to keep going. When you come to the end of the panel you can back off to keep from burning through. If you gradually taper off right at the end, it will work good. Its also better to taper off when you stop in the panel, and hold the torch there until the gas stops flowing, that protects the weld.

Keep the torch pointed in the direction of the weld (to divide the heat between the two panels), and at the recommended angle, and directly on the seam. If you get off the seam it will be more likely to burn through. Another problem with continuous welding is getting off in no mans land. If you can't see the seam then stop and make sure you're not out there somewhere away from the seam. The tig is not as bright as the mig, so you can get away with a #9 helmet lens, and that will help your vision a lot. Another problem for me was letting the torch move up from the puddle area, so watch out for that too, keep it as close as possible.

I use the recommended settings and just do what they recommend. Its not rocket science, but does take some practice, so don't get discouraged.
I set the current at 65 and use ER 70S-2 rod. The tig welding handbook by ESAB might be helpful for quick reference, its available at any welding supply.

It might help to just lay a puddle in the middle of a practice panel and push it along without any rod, and then start adding rod. That may help you get your settings right and penatration before you have to concentrate on following the seam. Welding aluminum is all different, even the polarity, but I haven't found the need to get into that yet. Good luck.

This guy has some good tips and tricks. There are 151 videos of his here, so looking through them might help to solve some of your problems. As I have said before, it helps to see it done right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... ylFVhJ-KbY



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PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:50 am
Thanks Rock

I tried getting .040 & .020 peices for my torch no luck had to order I guess no one around here uses stuff that small. Forgot to order chem sharp who makes that?
I got 1/16 stuff no problem I found a bottle, boy owner bottles are outrageously expensive now days. The guy I get gas from only uses owner bottles on an exchange basses. I am going to get it all hooked up and turned on today we will see how it works.

I should have all the .020 and .040 stuff mid week

Check out this Tig thread
http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6292
Dennis B.
A&P Mechanic, FCC General radio Telephone Operator
Line Maintenance A&P Mechanic and MOC Tech specialist.



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PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:30 am
Here is the chem sharp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSSaJ-Ke7as

1/16 tungsten is fine, just put a sharp point on it. The video shows the tungsten without a sharp point, so the weld bead will be wider. If you keep dipping the tungsten in the chem sharp, it will give you a needle sharp point. I do it on the torch, because while you are learning you will have to sharpen it a lot, from touching the puddle or rod.

I saw that high speed welding on the metal meet before and I have used it for tacking, but I have enough trouble staying on the seam at slow speeds------ maybe much later I will try it. There is just a lot to concentrate on, until it becomes automatic.
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