Colin Lindsay Posted February 3, 2021 Report Share Posted February 3, 2021 No matter how much damage I've done to myself over the years, cuts bruises and breakages, scars and holes to prove it, nothing gives me more grief than the absolutely tiny thorn in my fourth finger that tormented me all night. Couldn't see it at all, every time I moved my finger it caught against something and was sooo annoying. Dug it out this morning with a pin so the thorn is gone but the finger still hurts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted February 15, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2021 Is it just me or has it been a bit cold of late? The last two weekends in the garage haven't been particularly productive, as I generally find it useful to be able to feel my fingers when performing manual tasks! I did try running the heater in the garage, but I can't have a heater and weld, as I also need the air compressor to cool the welds, and the combination of all three blows the fuse to the garage! So freezing it was, with regular trips into the house to defrost and imbibe steaming mugs of tea. So last weekend I only managed a couple hours in the garage, which apart from trying to keep warm was composed predominantly of cleaning up the welds around the seatbelt mounting point, so not very exciting, hence no picks. With that done though, I was able to swing the tub around and start work on the driver's side, starting with the door step. Based on my experience with the passenger, I was a bit more organized this time, and started by grinding out the spot welds on the front edge, rather than just blindly setting about it with an angle grinder like I did last time. A quick tap with a wood chisel, and I was able to peel the front edge back. Urghhh! Not pretty, but par for the course. Next up was drilling out all of the spot welds on the rear edge of the panel. A bit blurry but you get the idea. These just needed a fairly gentle tap with a wood chisel, and off the panel popped, with just a little twisting required. Looks OK from this side, not so much from the other. The new panel is sitting ready to go, but first I need to clean up the section of the floor pan that is staying. Somewhat crusty but intact, this then received the tender ministrations of the angle grinder and wire brush combo, leaving me with nice step area ready for a coat of rust stopper, which was duly applied. It was still a bit parky when I packed up yesterday, but with this week's balmy weather, I'm looking forward to applying a coat of zinc primer during the week, and getting the new step welded on next weekend. Karl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fungus Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 On 03/02/2021 at 10:07, Colin Lindsay said: No matter how much damage I've done to myself over the years, cuts bruises and breakages, scars and holes to prove it, nothing gives me more grief than the absolutely tiny thorn in my fourth finger that tormented me all night. Couldn't see it at all, every time I moved my finger it caught against something and was sooo annoying. Dug it out this morning with a pin so the thorn is gone but the finger still hurts. Get yourself a microscope Colin. Best thing I ever done. So easy to find the smallest splinter or bit of metal from a cheap screw. Just upgraded to one that conect to a screen. Brilliant for that difficult angle. Then plenty of neet detol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 9 minutes ago, fungus said: Get yourself a microscope Colin. Best thing I ever done. So easy to find the smallest splinter or bit of metal from a cheap screw. Just upgraded to one that conect to a screen. Brilliant for that difficult angle. Then plenty of neet detol I spent Monday gardening and the rest of the week digging out the tiniest little thorns. I was also cleaning small parts with a little wire brush on a Dremel, and got one of the metal wires in my thumb. I couldn't even see it but everytime I rubbed my thumb I felt it. Dug it out eventually. What microscope did you get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 55 minutes ago, fungus said: bit of metal from a cheap screw. we wont ask for how this came about !!!! Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 Not More "Doug`s other site"?. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fungus Posted February 20, 2021 Report Share Posted February 20, 2021 On 19/02/2021 at 10:55, Colin Lindsay said: I spent Monday gardening and the rest of the week digging out the tiniest little thorns. I was also cleaning small parts with a little wire brush on a Dremel, and got one of the metal wires in my thumb. I couldn't even see it but everytime I rubbed my thumb I felt it. Dug it out eventually. What microscope did you get? ordinary one was Brunel microscopes ltd one but there is no model name or number. the one for the pc is "Bysameyee Handheld 40X-1000X" which is ok but somw time does not focus far enough away to get good dig at the splinter sorry if we are highjacking your thread Bordfunker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted February 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2021 Don’t think of it as hijacking, more an extended health and safety briefing! Karl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted February 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2021 Isn't it a joy being able to work in your garage with the door open, and still be able to feel your finger tips? What a difference a week makes! Last week saw the old door step on the driver's side removed, cleaned up, and a coat of weld through primer applied, so this week logically started where I left off last week. The new step was offered up, and a number of adjustments made to obtain a decent fit, didn't have to do that on the other side but ho hum. Once the fit was OK I marked up the holes for the sill screws, and drilled them out, followed by punching out the spot welds on the front face. Half an hour with the welder, and a bit of clean up with the power file left me with this. The plug welds cleaned up nicely with the power file, really glad I bought this now, as it is amazing for cleaning up welds, so much more precise than an angle grinder. Weirdly my plug welds on the front of the panel were smaller and neater than the ones under the car, but given that they aren't really open to inspection, I don't think I'll stress too much. However they look spot on from the other side, giving just that slight depression that you get with a proper spot weld. With the step out of the way, it was time to address this. While the patches are a good fit, the welding is deeply suspect, so everything was ground back, and all the joints were re-welded now that I know that the welder works as it supposed to. Everything was then dressed back with a the angle grinder and power file combo, leaving me with this. Given that this is the seatbelt mount, I thought I'd test how strong it was, nothing destructive, just attaching the seatbelt anchor loop on the outside of the car and leveraging it with a long steel bar. Good news, no deflection or cracking, so I'm calling that a win. Everything then got a coat of etch primer to prevent flash rusting, and I went off to make a curry. Next week I'll start on removing the B-pillar to arch repair panel that I installed what seems an age OK, as the welding is suspect, and I can do so much better now. Karl 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 22, 2021 Report Share Posted February 22, 2021 13 hours ago, Bordfunker said: Isn't it a joy being able to work in your garage with the door open, and still be able to feel your finger tips? I went off to make a curry. Yes, today is shaping up to be another mild spring day so I'll be doing the same. Which curry? Had a great Dansak last night, but the open garage door is in no way related. It's to clear petrol fumes from the underseal removal. Honest! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted February 22, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2021 8 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said: Which curry? Keralan coconut curry, made with an M&S curry kit. Absolutely spot on with a beer after an afternoon in the garage. Karl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted March 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 There seems to be some mistake, as I am sure the weather was supposed to be getting warmer, particularly after my last update where I was welcoming the warmer weather! The last 2 weekends have been bloody freezing in the garage, not that is why I haven't posted for a couple of weeks, just what I have been up to is not very interesting. With the sill tread plate out of the way, I shifted my attention to the b-pillar to rear arch repair. Yes, I haven't forgotten I've already replaced it, but the welding was quite frankly appalling. Where I had seem welded it was plenty strong, but the plug welds gave way with leverage from a big screwdriver, no doubt because the welder wasn't supplying shielding gas when the trigger was first pressed. Nothing for it but to cut the whole lot out and start again, which didn't take long given the quality of the welds! First task was to make good the front edge of the horizontal section of the sill. Rather than try and repair the edge in a single section, I split it into two this time and simply welded two new sections. Leaving me with this. On the passenger side I did both the horizontal and the vertical elements of the repair as a single piece, which in retrospect probably only made it more complex than it needed to be. With that in, I then needed to replace this. There was no way this was going to survive contact with a welder without evaporating in a puff of smoke, so nothing for it but to cut it out. Which I did, followed by an attack with the wire brush in the angle grinder, which took me back to good metal, but a bit further back than I expected. Cue the world's smallest patch. The bit is red is the bit that I actually needed! With that in, I welded in the vertical section, which was Z-shape in profile, and then complete forgot to take any decent pictures of it. Well that was worth it wasn't it! The next section up was more substantial, the vertical web that runs across the body mount and to the rear arch itself. This is where doing this bit as a separate section, paid dividends as it made it a very straightforward panel to make up, being essentially flat with a kink at one end to accommodate the rear arch. I also put a 90 degree fold in above this so that it would tie in better with the outer repair panel. And pretty simple to weld in too, just needing a handful of plug welds, and a bead of weld run along the lower edge to tie it firmly to the horizontal portion of the sill. The plug welds just need a bit more of a tidy up, but that can wait till next week, and it has since received a couple of coats of zinc primer for protection. It’s nice and solid now, certainly a million times better than what I originally put in. A reinforcing gusset needs to go in on the front of the lower B-pillar where it meets the sill, and then I’ll need to remake the lip on the front edge of the B-pillar before the outer repair panel goes on. Karl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted March 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2021 This week's update is 'Nuts & Gusset', but fear not, you have not strayed onto one of Pete's sites for the discerning older gentleman, the reality is far more pedestrian, if you can say that about a car restoration. The 'gusset' in question is the section at the base of the B-pillar behind the rear wing, here: This area had rotted out, not unsurprisingly given that it's just a funnel for condensation to run down the interior of the B-pillar itself, with little opportunity to escape. Thankfully it's a straightforward repair section to make up, just requiring a joggle, mid-way up the section to clear the horizontal portion of the sill. Welding in was simply a matter of clamping it in place, plug welding through the pre-punched holes, then seam welding the lower portion of the patch to the pillar itself. Ignore the ragged bits at the top of the vertical sill section, this piece is over-size at the moment, and will be trimmed down when the outer repair panel goes on. With the 'gusset' out of the way it was time for a bit of lip! This bit of lip to be precise. What did you think I meant? The original section was pretty ropey, and wasn't going to survive contact with a welding torch, so I had already cut it back when sorting out the little Z shaped piece the other week, meaning it was just a case of making up a short L-section to fill the gap. Again, a quick wave of the welder, and various abrasive devices, left me with this. It'll get a thin smear of filler eventually, but is at least structurally sound now. With the lip sorted, it was time to focus on my nuts! That would be the captive nuts that retain the rear end of the cosmetic lower sill, to be clear. These were first marked up using the sill, and drilled, before applying a couple of tack welds to each nut. You have to careful doing this as you need the nuts to work after you've finished. And finally welding up the open corner on the repair panel with a few quick tacks. The holes for the plug welds have now been punched out of the flanges on the outer repair section, so this is now approaching the point next week where I should be able to weld the whole lot together. It feels time consuming getting to this point, but compared to the same exercise on the passenger side, the driver's has been infinitely faster, which gives me hope that I have the bulk of the welding done by the end of the summer. Karl 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted March 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2021 Despite not posting last weekend, I wasn't idle, and spent a few hours finishing off the B-pillar lower rear wing repair, which first meant doing some micro-welding. This was the issue. That gap shouldn't be there, so needed filling with this. Which was about the size of my thumb! A bit blurry, but all welded up! It needed a copper block behind it while welding, otherwise I would have blown holes all over the place. Time to fit ready for welding. Before waving the welding wand over the whole lot, going for a butt weld rather than an overlap, as I have come to conclusion that I find these more effort and faffing than a simple butt weld. And with a coat of primer. It'll need some filler to tidy it up, but nothing substantial. I had been intending to simply replace the cosmetic sills with new ones, but decided to take a closer look at the ones that I took off the car just in case, plus I have noticed that new ones seem to be no longer available from the usual sources. Like everything else on this car below the wheel arches, they were both slathered in underseal, and had then been painted body colour over the top. Here's the part cleaned driver's side sill, and the untouched passenger side for comparison. Actually not in bad nick, maybe underseal does have a use after all! The underseal got the usual treatment of hot air gun and much scraping, followed up by a through going over with strip discs and rotary brushes. Still a bit more to do, but very definitely salvageable. Note the lovely underseal texture on the untouched sill! Which brings us up to today's activities. I did replace the lower boot sides a few years back when the shell was still on the chassis, and more importantly, when the welder wasn't welding properly, so for the sake of safety and peace of mind I am revisiting these areas now. First up was removing the replacement panel that I fitted, which didn't take long with a grinding disc applied to my dodgy plug welds. Except at the back below the lights where I had to drill out the spot welds, before taking a wood chisel to them, hence the slightly dog eared appearance of the edge of the boot panel. I did replace the boot floor corner below the reinforcing bracket a couple of years back, but again, it coming out, so time to make up a replacement as it doesn't look like Chic Doig are doing these anymore. Not exactly a difficult shape to replicate with a few hammers, and an old socket. That's where I left it for today in terms of active fettling, but thought I would trial fit the new boot side panel. But it wouldn't fit, despite persuasion from a mallet. I didn't remember them being this awkward first time around. Take a look at this photo of the panel. Can you spot what's missing? They have managed to put the boot rain channel/seal locating lip on the inside of the boot, not the outside! No wonder it wouldn't fit I'll be making a phone call in the morning to certain establishment in Cheshire regarding this. And on a similar note my power file has also bitten the dust, seizing completely, despite having a loaded oiler fitted. That'll be another call I'll be making in the morning, this time to MachineMart. Hopefully I can get both issues resolved before the Easter weekend as I've got a week off, and would love to get the tub finally welded up. Karl 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted March 28, 2021 Report Share Posted March 28, 2021 18 hours ago, Bordfunker said: I did replace the boot floor corner below the reinforcing bracket a couple of years back, but again, it coming out, so time to make up a replacement as it doesn't look like Chic Doig are doing these anymore. Not exactly a difficult shape to replicate with a few hammers, and an old socket. Definitely not idle! That's some great work. What gauge steel are you using? I may have to start metalwork myself; no idea of what Chic Doig is actually doing as he isn't replying to e-mails and I can't be bothered trying to explain the bits I need over the phone, as I don't know the technical names for the relevant areas - I think his yard has closed and he's now working from the farm? To top it all off I've lost a repair section and cannot for the life of me find it anywhere in the garage; it was there earlier in the year but has gone AWOL since. I think I'm going to have to cheat and at the least buy a pair of inner wheelarches and one outer, but possibly also an entire wing - mine has been welded on completely wrong and covered up with loads of filler, which the shotblaster has now removed to reveal the true horrors. If you're making up any panels please post plenty of photos of the procedure; it's something I'd like to try (if the supply of sheet steel settles down over here - it's in short supply at present.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted March 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 I had a day off today, after all no one should ever work their birthday, no matter how much they enjoy their job! And the birthday fairy yielded a couple of car related presents. First this, which is very apt, and is now hanging in the garage. Wish my car looked that good! The second present is a bit of a game changer as I have been struggling with my current kit. My current welding mask is a cheapy picked up at the NEC a few years back, and although it is auto-darkening, it's like peering through a letterbox, and keeps slipping down my face, blinding me completely! This one has a full size, true colour screen, and I'm blaming Adrian for this, following his post on welding helmets a few months back. It even comes with a bag and cleaning cloths! I couldn't resist giving it quick trial this afternoon, and the difference is amazing, I can actually see what is happening at the weld pool now! Looking forward to using this in anger, of which there will be plenty of opportunities. Colin, thanks for the kind comments, they do help. With regards gauge of metal, I typically use 1mm for body panels bought in small sheets from B&Q, or off-cuts from a local metal fabricators. Happy to show you how I do things when it comes to fabricating repair sections, but would also point anyone at the link below, as this is an excellent guide to body fabrication: https://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/70135/panels I did some more work on the boot corner today, finessing the fit, using a large socket to get the curvature at the front and side of the panel, where it dips into the corner of the boot. This is great for creating a constant curve, but doesn't work on the corner where the two curves meet. For this you need to form a curved corner, for which one of these comes in very handy. Yes, a common or garden ballpein hammer, utilising the ball end of the hammer, hammering the corner over the ball, and working around the corner to join the curves on either side. All of which should leave you with this. Always best to leave the repair section oversize when forming complex shapes, as it gives you a margin for error, and allows you to focus on getting the shape right, without trying to get everything spot on straight away. With the shape right, I trimmed everything up with the air-nibbler, and a flap disc, before tackling the two holes for the chassis to body mounting bolts. Holes marked, and centre punched ready for drilling of pilot holes, before using the step drill to make the full size holes. I find using a G or F-clamp in a vice is a good way of holding sheet metal horizontally. The remains of previous repair was cut and ground out, leaving just the corner post reinforcement, now a little bit wobbly. I am assuming that the patch in the photo is something that I did previously, but for the life of me I can't remember doing, and it's coming out. Also visible is hole in the base of the support which will need patching and welding up before I can even think about welding in the boot floor corner, and that can't happen until I have a boot side repair panel that actually fits. Here's the repair panel resting place. I did contact Paddocks this morning with regard the issue with the repair panels, but they only have a passenger side one in stock now, so these two are going back and I am now on the look out for two new ones which are correctly pressed. Back to work tomorrow, but at least this is a short week, and I've got my Covid vaccination tomorrow, so may be even shorter based on the manner in which Mrs B, Master B junior, and Mistress B have all reacted to the vaccine. Karl 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Posted March 29, 2021 Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 Love the welding helmet, mine is auto darkening but small window, my work one is an air fed parweld with a large window and you really see the difference. Your work is progressing well. Looking forward to the next step 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted March 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 Mathew, I think having a decent welding mask will really help, as even on a couple test welds I was able to see clearly what was happening at the wire tip. It should also be more comfortable to wear, particularly given how much welding is still left to be done. Karl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted April 2, 2021 Report Share Posted April 2, 2021 Karl - Had a marathon catch up on your progress. Things are coming along really well. At least you have done more than me since September. Must get out and get my hardtop repair patches completed. All are cut and trialled, just need warm weather for the structural adhesive to work properly. Then we'll see if it really works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted April 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2021 So much for spring, it was bloody parky in the garage today, which was a bit of a shock after Saturday and Sunday! Before I get on with bringing you all up to date with my latest trials and tribulations, I did receive a couple of replacement boot corner panels, this time from another supplier, and this time, with the flanges in all the right places, and going in the right directions. Much better, even they do look like they have been painted with a bog brush by a blind man! And look what else fell into my basket! Half inch lowering block for the back of the Herald, to be salted away with the diff for later in the year hopefully. Despite the weather, further progress has been made on the driver's side boot corner, starting with my dodgy previous repair to the boot corner reinforcement piece. Cue cutting out a rather odd shaped section, and creation of a corresponding oddly shaped repair section. As is my usual way, the curvature of the repair section was formed over a selection of old sockets held in the vice. Then the whole lot was welded up, before being ground back. It doesn't have to look particularly neat as it will be hidden between the reinforcement piece and the boot floor. As well as the patch above, I also needed to address some of the damage I inflicted from my overly enthusiastic wielding of an angle grinder first time around. Oops! Still nothing that a wave of the magic welder couldn't sort out. Quickly flashed over with a flap disc, and looks good. Needless to say the cut on the left also received the same treatment. In the pic above, if you look to the far right, you can see further evidence of my previous butchery of the reinforcement panel. Rather than weld in a new piece of steel, I decided to put a copper block behind the lip, and weld back and forth across the block to build the section back up. Weld doesn't stick to copper, which leaves you with a nice flat surface to the rear, and another flash of the angle grinder does the same to the front face, at the very least tidying the panel up, and hopefully also restoring some strength. OK, that was the repair work to the reinforcement section complete, onto fitting the new panels? Not quite, as there were still a number of areas around the periphery of the boot which required attention, starting with this one. When I'd removed the old boot panel I'd had to take a wood chisel to a couple of spot welds, which in the case above lead to the metal tearing, so nothing for it but to cut out the offending section. The repair section itself was straight forward enough, a flat S-shape, which was formed, yet again, over an old socket in the vice. What can I say, my metal working skills are very limited, and I have a large selection of hammers from which to choose! As usual I made the patch oversize, and then tacked it in, correcting the shape as I went, before seam welding it all up and grinding back. At this point it would have been great to have my powerfile, but unfortunately that has been sent back to Machine Mart, and I'm now waiting on it's replacement, so for now I will leave as is. Time for the repair panels now? No, still more little bits to do, like the flange inside the boot, that the boot side panels attach to, which was a bit thin in a couple of places. This ended up requiring a couple of patches, both of which need to be flush as the corresponding flange on the boot lower panel is spot welded to this. And the reason it took two patches it because I managed to grind through one end of the repair patch with the angle grinder!!!!! Another reason for wanting my powerfile back as it really is a much better tool for this type of clean up where a little finesse is required. So again, I'll park that for now. But that at least means the peripheral welding is complete bar the clean up, so time to trial fit one of the new boot corner panels. The new panels fit perfectly, and have been tacked in with self-tapping screws, so that I could check the fit of my homemade boot floor corner repair. Cue about an hour and a half of fitting, tweaking, removing, making miniscule adjustments, and then starting the whole process all over again. Which has at least now left me with a corner where everything fits as it should, so with a week off I'm looking to get this corner completed before I go back to work. For those of you still awake at this point, thanks for following my ramblings on what has been a longer than usual update after a very productive weekend. Karl 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Posted April 5, 2021 Report Share Posted April 5, 2021 Looking like your progress is speeding up. How are you getting on with the new welding helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted April 6, 2021 Report Share Posted April 6, 2021 Who supplied the new panels? I might go that way myself; it might work out cheaper if my welder (£20 per hour) only has to fit those rather than cut and shape patches. Here's a test for your skills: if I had a sheet of flat steel, and an air nibbler, and could cut the basic shape of the repair section for the rear behind-seat vertical panel... what would you recommend to put the strengthening ribs into it? How do you reckon you'd go about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted April 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2021 Matt, I’m definitely getting a bit quicker, with much less faffing around, and the welding is becoming much more predictable. The helmet certainly helps with the latter, as you can see so much more, and more clearly too, so no needing to keep taking the helmet off to take a look. Colin, given the rounded ends to those indentations, the easiest method would be to build a former out of wood. I’d be inclined to cut the ovals out of thin piece of ply, something that is the same thickness as the depth of the indentation, and then screw that section of ply to a much heavier piece of wood or ply. What you can then do is clamp the steel to the former, and then using panel beating hammers gently hammer the steel into the former. You could make a former for the full panel, and I saw one on a Triumph Facebook page recently, or just make one former, and move the panel along. Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Posted April 6, 2021 Report Share Posted April 6, 2021 For repair patches i have a selection on old panels i can cut, all the nice recesses already in them, never chuck anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted April 6, 2021 Report Share Posted April 6, 2021 5 hours ago, Bordfunker said: What you can then do is clamp the steel to the former, and then using panel beating hammers gently hammer the steel into the former. so... already it's costing me money... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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