When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I spent the last few nights repairing the rot on the bottom of my radiator support. I am quite happy with how it came out. To those of you who have welded all your life I am sure it is clear that a novice did it, but not bad for buying a welder and watching a couple videos online and giving it a go. Felt good to try something new, and save money while doing it.
I love this post because it's cheaper to buy a decent welder and dive into the project than it is to spend the $500 on a new radiator support. Then, at the end of the project you have the experience to tackle other welding related tasks and the equipment to do so.
The biggest hurdle is always working up the nerve to cut something apart and weld it back together. I found that it was much easier than I thought it would be. I learned via YouTube and asking questions to the high school kid down the street that's taken a bunch of welding classes.
I'm about to take rad support rust repair myself. A radiator support with a cab/front clip that I bought essentially for the clean fenders. I've since cut patches from the cab lower rear, cowl and floor and welded them onto my truck.
My little Hobart Handler 140 has paid for itself a couple of times over in the year and half that I've had it. My only regret now is that I didn't buy a more powerful unit because getting good penetration is a challenge with the machine at its max when you're a novice like myself. (Maxing it out wasn't on the sheet metal work, it was welding together a winch mount out of 1/4" material for my flat bed trailer.)
I love this post because it's cheaper to buy a decent welder and dive into the project than it is to spend the $500 on a new radiator support. Then, at the end of the project you have the experience to tackle other welding related tasks and the equipment to do so.
The biggest hurdle is always working up the nerve to cut something apart and weld it back together. I found that it was much easier than I thought it would be. I learned via YouTube and asking questions to the high school kid down the street that's taken a bunch of welding classes.
I'm about to take rad support rust repair myself. A radiator support with a cab/front clip that I bought essentially for the clean fenders. I've since cut patches from the cab lower rear, cowl and floor and welded them onto my truck.
My little Hobart Handler 140 has paid for itself a couple of times over in the year and half that I've had it. My only regret now is that I didn't buy a more powerful unit because getting good penetration is a challenge with the machine at its max when you're a novice like myself. (Maxing it out wasn't on the sheet metal work, it was welding together a winch mount out of 1/4" material for my flat bed trailer.)
I have a Lincoln Pro-Mig 140 that I bought off a guy on CL for $100 with a couple spools of wire and a 40# tank... his wife and him were getting divorced and he needed to sell his stuff quick. My gain, his loss.
I was worried to make the first cut into the metal... but then i thought... ANYTHING I do is better than rot and although its not perfect, its not bad for a novice. Last week I welded something for my neighbor, a 1/4" plate and like you said a little hard to penetrate, but was able to make a pass on both sides.
The rad support wasn't in bad shape, I couldn't justify spending the money on a new one or even a good used one... hundred bucks on a welder and some patients and some grinding... and I got something halfway decent. Good luck on yours, be sure to post before and after pics.
That is my type of car crafting right there. I have so much more fun with hobby when I fix what I have, buy used or hack together a solution on my own.
The radiator support is next on my list once I have my engine back in my truck and it moving under its own power. I just did the head gaskets, seals, etc on it... My first time doing head gaskets on an FE. that intake manifold is an adventure into itself!
This truck has a lot of firsts for me... I have been working on Tractors with the single cylinder engines... and I've rebuilt a few. But this is a whole new game... I only did the top end rebuild with my engine, new valves ect. The y-block in my truck is pretty easy to work on but wouldnt be as far along as I am without this site.
For those new to welding, watch some youtube videos on welding. Learn different welding methods. 1/4" plates or thicker can be welded by a novice and a mig welder. Penetration is key, you want to listen to your welder as well as watch your beads. The sound of bacon frying is what you want to hear. Welding clean virgin plates together is no big deal. It's welding a clean plate to an old plate that is the challenge. Sometimes two passes is needed other times three passes are needed. For a novice welder, a grinder is your friend. I like welding with a MIG but I learned with an ARC. I'm not good with a TIG but like anything else, practice makes perfect. Learning techniques on how to keep metal cool, or how to do a "Stack of dime" welds is challenging as much as fun. Always challenge your self. Thin metal requires moving all over with small welds. You don't want to warp metal. Thick virgin metal is fun, but no challenge. Learn to move puddle from good to bad. Always be careful when welding certain types of metal. Some give off harmful gasses. As a novice, read about the type of metal you plan on welding. This can save your life and lungs.
06-15-2016, 09:50 PM
