The best way to handle puckered weld seams...

More of an art than a science - discuss metalworking and welding here.



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PostPosted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 9:54 pm
In several locations on my truck (72 GMC) I have welded in a line. The resulting patch is puckered from the weld, and heating/quenching, slide hammering, and the like only gets so far. The result is still a bit wavier than I would like when starting a thin layer of good filler.

So...

Solder?

Glass filled filler?

Anything else?

I am willing to try either one, and they seem to half reasonable success either way, and the cost isn't even that different.

Which one is the right choice and why?

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 8:35 am
If they are high spots, filler won't help. Maybe a shrinking tip on your stud gun, or a shrinking disc.



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PostPosted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 11:03 am
Bowtie001 wrote:In several locations on my truck (72 GMC) I have welded in a line.

Hopefully you have only used your technique on one of the locations.

If you have access to the back side of the panel after welding, you can plannish the weld on the rest of the locations and get all of the shrinkage problems out without using those techniques. These two practice coupons were welded in one continuous bead without filler rod, then plannished without any grinding.

Image


You might be interested in the sticky at the top of the page to learn how to do this.
As far as dealing with your current problem, I would rule out body solder because of more shrinking problems, so it only leaves one of the two options left. Then use the stud gun to shrink any high spots.
Maybe someone else can recommend the proper filler to use.

If you don't have access to the back side on any more weld areas, you will need to go much slower with your weld dots and spread them out for even more cooling time. Let them cool naturally, for less shrinkage.



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PostPosted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:35 am
To clarify:

I do stitch weld in spots to minimize warpage, and I do employ hammer/dolly as well as shrinking techniques where I can. The worst offender now is on the B pillar. I cannot get to it from behind, and my best effort with a slide hammer is still leaving 'un-level' about 1/8" or so. I figured this was too thick for regular filler and thus was trying to decide if a metal based filler would work well or if I needed to try some body solder.



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PostPosted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 3:12 pm
I'm a little confused here as to why you are having to shrink. All your problems should be from the weld shrinking, so are you shrinking the weld further?

Also, I don't understand why you are having problems with weld distortion on the a roof pillar.
Maybe some pictures would help us all to understand.



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PostPosted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 2:14 pm
no reposes in long time

Throw in my opinion on the filler questions
I have seen plastic filler used in excess of 1/2 inch holding on well and had no idea there was any damage till I removed it. not saying it was rite.

I like the short strand fiberglass filler adhesive such as the Corvette repair stuff from Ever coat

I have also used two different name brand metal filler's I like both I even abused these both by filling a bunch of holes in a roof panel and left it out in elements for in excess of 5 years sun heat rain was still holding on great with no signs of falling off even though I never applied any protective top coats to it just hauled off to junk yard recently was ashamed I hadn't used it.

Follow instructions on can clean areas were to be applied, Used properly today's fillers will hold on for a long time when applied properly. I don't think I ever seen a Limit on thickness that any could be applied to either? although I am sure there is! I would offer a $100 bet that its more than an 1/8" any takers?

Some on the web sight say a 1/4" is the limit fillers can be used too but I never seen any thing in writing from a mfg saying that? But I can & will testify that I have removed it from cars where it had been applied and it was still hanging on even when it was 3/4''+ and even making up a whole lower quarter panel backed up with Screen mesh.

Is it rite? That's up to the user and the owner of the car!
Would I do it on my own cars? NO
But I have more tools and equipment knowledge and experience than most.
Last edited by Doright on Thu Jan 01, 2015 1:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dennis B.
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 7:16 pm
Doright wrote:no reposes in long time

Throw in my opinion on the filler questions
I have seen plastic filler used in excess of 1/2 inch holding on well and had no idea there was any damage till I removed it. not saying it was rite.

I like the short strand fiberglass filler adhesive such as the Corvette repair stuff from Ever coat

I have also used two different name brand metal filler's I like both I even abused these both by filling a bunch of holes in a roof panel and left it out in elements for in excess of 5 years sun heat rain was still holding on great with no signs of falling off even though I never applied any protective top coats to it just hauled off to junk yard recently was ashamed I hadn't used it.

Follow instructions on can clean areas were to be applied, Used properly today's fillers will hold on for a long time when applied properly. I don't think I ever seen a Limit on thickness that any could be applied to either? although I am sure there is! I would offer a $100 bet that its way more than an 1/8" any takers?

Some on the web sight say a 1/4" is the limit fillers can be used too but I never seen any thing in writing from a mfg saying that? But I can & will testify that I have removed it from cars where it had been applied and it was still hanging on even when it was 3/4''+ and even making up a whole lower quarter panel backed up with Screen mesh.

Is it rite? That's up to the user and the owner of the car!
Would I do it on my own cars? NO
But I have more tools and equipment knowledge and experience than most.


What brands of filler do you use? Are there certain fillers to use over rust or holes?

When there's holes do you have to use fiberglass to give it more structure?



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2015 12:18 pm
I weld up holes and cut rust out and patch.
I like Ever coats fillers some I like more than others they have so many
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 Jan 01, 2015 4:52 pm
Doright wrote:I weld up holes and cut rust out and patch.
I like Ever coats fillers some I like more than others they have so many


Well I found a new dent on my car that was filled with filler, it looked perfect and didn't see this dent coming. Had to grind through the filler and it had to be 1/2" - 3/4", it seemed like there was two different colors, so I don't know if a specific one was put on the metal first and then another filler over it? Is that what is needed to really build it and put it on thick, is there a specific filler used to fill deeper dents? This isn't the first time I found a very deep dent filled with filler and it lasted and looked like no damage was even there! No paint peeling or anything.

I'm doing a minor restore/ rust patching and I'm taking the car down to bare metal due to that being recommended on this forum. Im going to have to use filler in some areas but I'm going to fix everything I can and pull dents out, and try not to build the filler any more than 1/4" as per everyone's hear say.

I'm new to all of this but was recommended evercoat rage gold, so that's what I'm going to use and I hope it's all I will need when it comes to filler, I plan to high build primer over everything so I don't think I should need a glazing puddy.



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:03 pm
Ever coat rage is really nice filler to sand off nice and easy unfortunately its one of the most expensive stuff on the market. I can get almost same results using there bottom line least expensive stuff Evercoat lite weight and adding a bit or their Plastic Honey to it, It thins the stuff down I like using it when I want a really thin coat or to make sure theirs no air bubbles in the filler I cant justify 60 dollars a can for filler that's mostly going on the floor. Just me but when I know I'm gonna use a good thick coat right off the bat I reach for Ever-coats short strand fiber glass vet panel stuff. Put other stuff like Rage over the top of that that's what I did on my Plymouth project quarter panels.

If your going to bare metal you should be going for near perfect body work by shrinking and stretching you panels by hammer and dolley and using shrinking disk you can get panels near perfect if you take your time study and practice.
See Chevmans metal working sticky and his thread on a 57 Nomad he did fantastic workmanship.

He uses Lead filler I havn't tried that yet but I will some day.
Dennis B.
A&P Mechanic, FCC General radio Telephone Operator
Line Maintenance A&P Mechanic and MOC Tech specialist.
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