Welding Tub - Spitfire 1500

[Pettifordo]

4 hours ago, PeteH said:

I use Hobby Gas, (Mig Mix) there is a local agent about a 20 min drive away. I just ring him and swap the cylinder out. You do need a reducing head and adapter, come with 2 gauges HP and LP, but that is a one off payment, after that you just pay for the bottle. (16Kg, I think?)

Pete

I found a HobbyWeld supplier about 25 mins away and now have a “small” bottle which I had to pay a £70 refundable deposit on and about £35 for the HobbyWeld 5 mix which is Argon 93%, CO2 5% and Oxygen 2%
 

Now I need to pluck up the courage to have a go !!! 
 

Tomorrow after the club day 😱😱😱

[Pettifordo]

1 minute ago, andybeau said:

1.2mm for body panels and 2mm for chassis repairs. The Metal Store is a good place to buy from. reasonable prices and fast delivery.

Thanks

[Pettifordo]

9 minutes ago, andybeau said:

1.2mm for body panels and 2mm for chassis repairs. The Metal Store is a good place to buy from. reasonable prices and fast delivery.

Would you go for galvanised steel ?

[Clive]

1.2mm is quite thick for body panels, I only use that if it really needs to be thicker than std. 1mm seems to be the closest to original panelwork.

I have used almost a whole 0.5 x 1m bit of 1mm today, on my dolomite. I did used 1.2mm zintec steel to remake the sill bottoms (different to a spitfire) but would use the same for sill strengtheners on a spit. Zintec needs the zinc removing wher it will be welded, VERY nasty fumes. I use copper weld-through primer for a lot of spot welded joints, and will rely on that plus Dinitrol for rust prevention. 

Hot tip, buy a hole punch/joggler as it is such a useful tool. Not an ebay special, they are not very good. I have a Tama version, been using it 25 years, borrowed by many people too. No signs of wear and still working nicely.

[Pettifordo]

36 minutes ago, clive said:

Hot tip, buy a hole punch/joggler

Thanks for the tip

[Josef]

There are some parts of the Spitfire where 1.2 mm is closer to the original gauge. The heel board and crossmember that sits behind it off the top of my head. I’d probably get a bit of both 1.2 and 1.0 mm (you won’t need masses as you’re unlikely to be fabricating large patches) and measure the panel you’re mending to pick the most appropriate!

[Josef]

On 04/12/2021 at 18:55, clive said:

Hot tip, buy a hole punch/joggler as it is such a useful tool. Not an ebay special, they are not very good. I have a Tama version, been using it 25 years, borrowed by many people too. No signs of wear and still working nicely.

Yeah the beige coloured ones available all over eBay are junk. I bought one and it punched a total of two holes before refusing to do any more. Took me a while to get my money back too. Extremely useful tool though so I second the suggestion!

[PeteH]

On 04/12/2021 at 18:48, Pettifordo said:

Would you go for galvanised steel ?

The short answer in my veiw, would be No. There is a particular method of welding Galv; the weld surface needs grinding off and then it will corrode in the Weld/Heat affected zone even faster  without treatment. I would use mild steel sheet 1mm? is adequate for most and a compromise if you are forming your own panels. A good primer and top coat will last for years. Treating with "bilthammer" or similar should extend life.

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

On 04/12/2021 at 18:48, Pettifordo said:

Would you go for galvanised steel ?

You can buy cold galvanising sprays; in my last house when we had new gates fitted the fitter placed an unpainted thick steel plate into the ground for the gate stay and sprayed it silver from an aerosol of cold galvaniser. Eighteen years later it was still silver and practically rust free. I've no idea how it would work in an automotive setup but it was impressive on rusty steel.