Working to fix issues with your car is perhaps the most fulfilling undertaking you can have. Other than this, the structural and functional integrity of your car will highly be determined by your efforts to keep it well maintained. You have seen new cars deteriorate fast while vintage cars smoothly glide on the highways. Whether you are driving a 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray or a classic Volkswagen Beetle, regular maintenance is all it takes to keep your car in good shape and get the most out of it.
Now, for those wishing to bring some life back in an old car by revamping its bodywork, higher chances are that you’ll be dealing with thin rusty or dented body and materials, which may prove quite challenging to work with. In this situation, welders come in handy, whether it’s your own vehicle or you run an auto repair shop. With this having been said, here’s how to use a welder for auto body panel repair.
1. Choose Your Equipment Wisely
Working on thin and rusted auto panel body parts can be challenging. The quality of work will in so many ways depend on the type of equipment used. Needless to mention, welding thin body panels greatly differs from welding on thick plates. Having the right welder can make a huge difference between half-baked work and quality panel repair. To skip the dilemma when it comes to welding equipment, this Pro Welder Guide from Weld Guru can be helpful. It provides you with some of the best welding tool insights and how to pick the right welder for auto body panel repairs. With so many types of welders out there, you must choose a welder best suited for your particular welding project. That said, below are tips on how to pick the right welder for auto body panel repairs. They include:
- MIG welders – When it comes to welding thin sheets of metal, a MIG welder will be right for the job. Unlike stick welders, MIG welders produce no sputters and give your joints more refined welds. In addition to this, they eliminate the chances for burn-throughs, especially when working on thin sheets of metal. They are also a great choice for preventing rust on the welded areas.
- TIG welders – This is a type of welder best suited for those with advanced auto body panel welding skills. TIG welders will help you achieve high-end results. The best part is that it can be used on cars with aluminum body panels.
- Stick welders – While this option can work well on other welding repairs, you’ll be advised to avoid stick welders on auto body panels. The reasons being; it sputters a lot, can burn through thin sheets of metal, and it’s difficult to achieve well-distributed welds.
2. Preparing the Welding Surfaces
Before you commence to weld on your car’s body panels, it’s crucial that you prepare the surfaces. The thick layer of auto paint must be scraped off to reveal the underlying surfaces. For the best outcome on car repair and to avoid repeat jobs, ensure to get rid of all the rusted panels. By all means, avoid welding new body panels on rusty ones. Always have a hand grinder ready to cut unwanted body pane. When it comes to cutting unwanted panels, ensure to cut along a straight marked line. This way, you’ll achieve evened-out surfaces that will be easy to weld.
Apart from getting rid of rusty panels, it’s also important to ensure that the welding surfaces are clean and free from dirt. Additionally, remove sealers, inserts, and moldings from the welding areas before you start to weld. Most importantly, never weld near your car’s electrical systems especially when the battery is still connected. This will not only help you achieve the desired results but it’s also a safety precaution measure.
3. Auto Body Welding Techniques
Technological advancements in auto body welding and equipment have made things easier in all matters welding auto panels. But even with the best tools, you still need to have the skills to achieve the best results. Remember, proper maintenance is one of the tricks to prolong the life of your car and this goes without saying. When it comes to panel repair welds, the difference between high-end results and shoddy work will depend on the welding techniques used.
Basically, the goal of any welding job is to fuse two pieces of metal. Most importantly, you’ll also need to determine the type of materials you’re welding on. Some cars have steel panels, whereas some have aluminum panels. With that in mind, not all techniques will work on certain panel materials. For instance, you cannot use a stick weld on aluminum panels. It just won’t give you the best results. Let’s now take a look at some welding techniques and which panels to apply them on. They include:
- Arc welding – This type of welding technique requires the use of coated electrodes. This technique can be used on various kinds of steel panels but will not work on aluminum panels. The electrodes come in different diameters to be used on different materials. You can visit welding near you to find complete details about the different procedures of welding.
- MAG/MIG welding – MIG and MIG welding techniques use almost the same welding processes. The difference, however, is the shielding gas used for each application, inert or active shielding gas. MAG/MIG welding techniques are the most advanced welding techniques of our time because for starters, they are more efficient and in addition to this, can be used on larger surfaces within a short duration of time.
- TIG welding – This is considered one of the most difficult techniques in welding requiring extensive knowledge and prior training on the same. The reason behind it being, you need to use both hands, especially when using an additive material. However, it’s the most efficient technique for those looking to achieve high-end results. It’s also a neat technique with no sputters or sparks.
Most importantly, don’t forget to use clamps when welding. These will come in handy to hold new panel pieces onto the existing ones. You can always use tack welds as an alternative.
4. Safety Precautions When Welding Auto Body Panels
When welding on your car’s body panels, you must observe safety at all times. You’ll be using electricity to power your welders, and this increases the risk factors. Below are basic welding safety precautions:
- Always wear a welding helmet
- Wear nonflammable long-sleeved protective clothes
- Wear the appropriate welding gloves
- Protect your feet with closed shoes
- Have a fire extinguisher on standby
Let’s hope that this insightful welding guide will help you achieve the best results when working on your car. While it might take some practice, especially when it comes to adopting new welding technology, you can always rely on professional welders or enroll in a welding course to perfect your skills.
