We finished up the intensive hands-on workshop on rust repair, patch fabrication/installation, metal finishing and dent removal I presented on 5/2, 3.
Attending was Ken, aka Flattie 39, Steve, aka wardsd and Steve's young teen son Ben. Gary aka jgp 1952 assisted me with the demos on Sat and brought a couple of his fenders, the front we had worked on for the rust repair tutorial previously posted and a rear he had made a patch for and welded in but hadn't yet metal finished. He left the rear at my shop when he went home, which turned out very fortuitous as I'll get to. Steve also brought his rusted and previously repaired (badly) F6 front fenders. I decided to use one of his fenders to demonstrate on.
The area where the upper and lower fenders join had the typical rust out between the curved reinforcing doubler and the outer skin. It had been repaired by a PO in it's distant past. The rusted loose portion of the outer skin had been screwed/bolted to the also heavily rust damaged doubler (these portions are not originally joined from the factory to allow flexing) then the area was given a coat of lead to cover/fill the rust out. I decided the best course to repair was to cut out the rusted and leaded portion of the outer skin and the corroded section of the doubler it was attached to. A pattern was drawn for a new section of 16 ga doubler which was cut and welded in place. After a small amount of additional trimming of the outer skin a posterboard pattern was traced for the outer skin patch. I demonstrated how to create the pattern and from it make a MDF hammer form to use to bend the straight and curved flanges on the patch. The formed but oversized patch was clamped to the fender and the seam line scribed on it. After the patch was carefully cut along the scribed line, and after a few very small trimmings fit like it was made for it! (after all it was!) After a discussion of the difference in the welding technique (series of tack welds) we would be using on the sheet metal, and me demonstrating a couple rounds of tack welds it was supper time. Steve, Ken and Ben decided they wanted to grab a quick meal then come back and continue welding in the patch so it would be ready to metal finish on Sun., It was fine with me if they wanted to continue the class past the scheduled time, so that is what we did. Gary headed for home. We came back and continued welding for a couple more hours when at a little past 9 PM the only glitch in the weekend hit: The spool of .023 Easy Grind wire ran out! The one thing I hadn't checked... I didn't have a spare spool. We were about 90% finished welding in the patch. At this point there was nothing more we could do, so we shut down for the night. I immediately hit the computer and ordered another spool of Easy Grind.
Sun AM we regrouped, and I demonstrated the use of the shot bag and forming hammers to form compound shapes, and several uses for the shrinker-stretcher machines, before moving on to metal finishing and dent removal. For this portion of the workshop we used Gary's rear fender to demonstrate and work on. As mentioned this fender had a patch that was completely welded in but no finishing of the seam had been done, and it also had an area ~ 6 x 12" on the top front corner that had been dented in, then someone roughly beat it out with a ball peen hammer!
After grinding the weld beads smooth on the face and inside I showed how to use a straight edge and stiff wire to see the heat shrinkage that had occurred and then how to work it back up to the "fair line" with forming hammer and wood dolly, and finally using the bullseye pick to bring up small low spots, until the metal surface was near perfectly smooth and true.
Once that area was complete, we turned our attention to the heavy "bag of walnuts" dented area. I showed how the shrinking disk, forming and body hammer and dolly work could be alternately used to finally work the metal back into it's original shape. We finished the class with a demonstration of how to make a flexible pattern of a compound curved area and how it can then be used to make a fitted compound curve patch. A brief question and answer session and critique of the workshop wrapped up the time left before we headed out for a steak dinner and drinks before saying our good byes.
I am awaiting copies of the pictures and videos shot during the workshop and will post some of them if they are not posted by the attendees.

 

Really enjoyed the class as it corrected some of my problem areas in thin metal welding and learned some interesting patch repair and forming techniques. Also enjoyed meeting everyone. I would be interested in attending a follow up hands-on class if Chuck offers one. Thanks to Chuck and Gary for making everything interesting and entertaining. Ken

 

I'd be glad to do another one, either similar to this one or a more advanced/different topics one. If anyone is interested, please PM me.
I am also now offering my bullseye pick, we used my prototype in the workshop. again anyone interested in one send me a PM.

 

Glad it went well! Wish I could have made it as I need plenty of instruction on body work. I work Saturdays though!

 

91F, since you are in state, I would be willing to do 2 (or more) consecutive Sundays or two weekdays. I am also willing to do single student one on one classes. PM me your email if interested and we can discuss it.

 

I can't wait for pictures and videos. That's a great service you are offering. I wish I was closer to attend your training.

 

I'll keep that in mind for sure. Might be a while before I start body work.

 

The spool of Easy Grind wire I ordered on Sunday was shipped on Mon. arrived on Wed., so I'm good to go, and will keep a closer eye on it from now on, especially before any more welding/body work workshops! The other spool lasted me 5 years.

 

The airport is only 15 minutes away from me, is that close enough?

 

Actually my ideal trip would to get my truck running well and street legal. Take a week to drive out there. Remove the front fenders and let the master teach me. Then put them back on and drive home.

Let's see, my youngest is 10....Maybe I can squeeze that in in about 8 to 10 years.

 

I'll be pleased if I'm able to pick up a hammer in 8-10 years...

 

Boy I can sure relate to that. I broke out in laughter when I read it.