How To MIG Weld Thin Automotive Sheet Metal for Beginners
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- Опубликовано: 3 июл 2024
- In this video I show you how to properly set up your welder settings for thin sheet metal welding on automotive car or trucks repairs for beginners.
In this video I go over setting up a welder settings for thin sheet metal, the differences from having the wrong settings, and finally how to implement it and complete your first mig weld on a car. This works for rust repair and small holes repairs for automotive MIG GMAW Welding on cars or trucks.
How to MIG Weld on Cars for Beginners
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Wire & Gas
01:15 Fitting Metal
02:26 Voltage Too Low
03:01 Voltage Too High
03:31 Wire Speed Too High
03:48 Wire Speed Too Low
04:00 Perfect Settings
04:50 Welding Patch
08:20 Grinding Weld
09:45 Pin Holes
10:40 Finished 
Авто/Мото
One tip I’ve learned for sheet metal is to not practice on a metal welding table. The table draws the heat from the piece your welding. You won’t have the luxury of this heat sink when you’re welding the actual work piece resulting in burn-through because your welder settings will be too hot. You should try to mimic the workpiece conditions when practicing.
That is a very good tip. Thanks
Run reverse polarity. You want any excess heat in the wire.
I prefer fluxcore
Great advice 👍🏻💪🏻
@@M70ACARRYif you have any tips on welding sheet metal with fluxcore, I am all ears. I keep blowing holes even when I am only tacking
This is the first channel I found that actually shows you how to set the welder up to weld thin sheet metal!!🔥🔥🔥🔥
Glad you could learn something! If you have any other ideas for videos I should make let me know
@@fealgarage ok I will.
@@fealgarage how about welding techniques to practice? More like practice drills to practice to get better without actually welding or just welding on test pieces?
@@papergatorzfedducca7998 Sounds good I will get on that
@@fealgarage ok thank you 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I have 2 welders, a large 250amp for bug stuff running .035, and a smaller welder 140amp with .023 wire for sheet metal.
Way easier with the .023 wire.
You are using big wire for small stuff.....hard to do but, you are doing real nice work with it!
My hat is off to you. :)
I had the very same thought. Things sheet metal is best welded with the smallest diameter mig wire.
Wire spool should be flipped. It should feed from the bottom directly into the feed rolls not feed off the top at that angle. It pulls the wire tight down into the rest of the wire on the spool and will cause lots of headaches
Yes thanks, I've realised and swapped it around. I was in a rush to put it on while filming my previous video and overlooked it. The label being on the wrong side didnt help.
Deffinitly 100 %
@@fealgarageThere is no way I would even try to use. 35 wire on sheet metal like that.
My Hobart Handler 210 came with .30 and that is about all, on the thin side it can do. .24 would be way better for sheet metal.
@@lestergillis8171 Yes, thinner wire would be better. .035 was all I had on hand, and it worked fine. Just need to tune the welder to handle it.
I don't understand the air blowing. Rapid cooling can cause warpage.
I liked the video, so don’t give up.
I don’t care if all of your welds turn out textbook perfect, because that isn’t what I’m going to see when I head out to my garage to do some work on my daughter’s car. What I AM going to see is likely a mix of all of the problems you started with, maybe a nice looking piece, followed by an ugly result that WORKS.
I’ve watched hundreds of hours of welding videos, far more than I’ve spent actually welding, and your video is both helpful and encouraging. It’s easy to get discouraged when your welds have never looked like a stack of dimes, but a reminder that they don’t have to helps.
Thanks!
Clear, informative and no bs. Thank you very much!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for this video. I've seen other videos but not as detailed as this one. My wife bought me a Mig 140. I've never weld before but I guess she remembered me saying I would like to learn how to weld so I could repair my own exhaust when we were at the muffler shop being im a DYier. I'm a quick learner but to learn things right I needed this video which explained everything. I needed this video. Know i will need some practice of course. Can't wait to get started.
I truly enjoyed this video. Informative AND helpful!
Very nice video, this is the best way i have seen to explain things . I have seen a lot videos on RUclips of suppossedly renowned welding instructors show how to weld, but all they do is talked all day long and not show the very important crucial steps which is setting up the machine . Thank you for posting this video.
Thank you for the kind comment. Glad you found what you were looking for! Nothing worse than a video where they are talking for 20 minutes without showing you how to do it!
Thanks for a great video. Lots of good info in just a few minutes.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video, thank you
that was helpful, went through all the stages and settings
thx
Glad you could learn something! Thanks for watching
this is a brilliant video! super helpful! thank you so much!
Glad you enjoyed my man! Thanks for watching
I have that same welder. Over 15 years still runs wonderfully.
I just bought this one recently, so far I'm impressed. I just wish it had actual voltage and wirefeed settings and not just a 1-10 scale
I have the millermatic 200. I just love that welder. Had mine for 40 years. Still works great. I also just bought a 140 Hobart because the price was right. The miller I run with co2 and the hobart is set up with argon. The hobart is for auto body work. Both great machines.
Great video. Thanks.
Great video! Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
I dont have a compressor, but i have the fan. When my ordered welder will appear, i will practice as you shown in this video. Thank you very much!!!
Nice vid!really helpful
🟥 Nice, no bullshit video. Gets the job done. I probably would've welded up the space on the right, but that's just me 👍👍 keep em coming
Yeah thats definitely a viable option. Personally i would rather just use a bit of filler instead, less chance to overheat and warp.
Glad you enoyed! Thanks for watching
Best advice here is always set your welder up on the same thickness scrap metal before you start welding on the job it's self. Good video.
Yes! That is the best thing you can do to improve your welding. The hard part is getting it dialed in to where it wants to be. Once you can do that its all smooth sailing
thanks . some great advice.
Thank you for watching! Glad you enjoyed.
Thanks!!! New subscriber 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Thanks for subscribing!
great video! working on cars with thinner guage than 18...18 is easy compared to the thinner more modern car sheet metal.
Got to love the old boats!
Pretty good😊
Thanks, useful
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching
Auto body sheet metal should be done at 0.023 or .030. c25 gas. Most everything you do including frame can still be done with 0.023 wire. You could also reserve the 30 wire for frames 023 for all sheet metal.
Great info .. I’m amateur doing a chop on an antique 1937 Chevy … still so may times I burn through, gaps ugly .. etc
I have done lots of heaver welding but always avoid light gauge, this excellent video from settings to finish is a great help, thanks.
Glad you enjoyed! I mainly do structural type welding, but I took on the challenge to restore this car. Its been fun learning to work with sheet metal
Great
Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for watching
I usually run my wire the other way around. From the bottom out. Not the top out like yours. Plus for sheet metal I also use 0.030. 0.023 would be even better for sheet metal. I've been welding for over 40 years. Heavy metal, 2' to sheet metal. You do as you wish though.
Oh good I'm not the only one who does this.
Thanks for watching!
Good tips, Welding upside down to old metal is another thing altogether on an old car 😂
1 for heat and 42 for wire speed. Thats the setting i use for 18 to 22 gauge. Ive owed that same welder for 20+ years. Your getting though. Keep practicing. It is possible to stack dimes on sheet metal.
All welders are different, even two of the same model must be accurately set
Tablesaw as a welding table! Crazy!
Not as crazy as the price of 1/2" steel plate 😭
@@fealgarage Lucky you have a cast iron saw table you no longer use to cut wood. But for other people; don't do welding on you saw table if you was to keep the surface clean and useable.
I know that hurt the wood worker inside of me to see that
You had access to the underneath with some dollies and body hammers you can float the metal flat in most cases without using body fillers later . Also, the welder table for practice, as stated in another comment, I agree with that individual.
Awesome video.
Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed
you can use soldering tin for the low spot.....it better against rust ..... keep up the good work :))
Never heard of that technique. I guess it makes sense, just like how they used to use lead back in the day. Very neat idea
SUPER! Thanks. I was wondering how to do that body work where I could not change the panel and not able to hammer from back side yet had deep gouge . Do not want to have high thick bondo or even bondo in this high vibration area. I will use the solder to do the fill. Genius. 👍
a copper backing plate behind our sheet metal welds really helps us amateurs.
Wire reel is upside down nice video 👍
Nice tutorial
Thank you glad you enjoyed!
Great examples dialing it in and on the repair.
I’m just not sure why you hold your MIG gun at such a drastic angle when welding.
I found it helps to prevent blow through and also fills up the gap a bit easier. I was using thick wire (0.035) in this video
Agree with LNS detailing below. Should have been able to easily finish that smooth if you hadn't built up so much weld metal and closely made your tacks next to each other. Doesn't matter but weld shouldn't have top pin holes. You pull your gun back quickly before weld tack pools.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean. What do you mean by finish it smooth? And what do you mean if i closely made my tacks next to each other? Thats what I did... And what do you mean by pull your gun back quickly before weld tack pools?
One of the best tutorial videos I've seen on YT. Nice work and good use of annotations vs. talking (and no music). I gas weld the thin stuff but nice to see and learn about Mig here. Some good comments below, too.
Thanks for the kind words! I learnt to gas weld when I was in univeristy doing my welding schooling. I wouldnt dare take the torch to my car tho! I'm too scared of distortion. Have you had any issues with putting too much heat in and warping the thin metal? Or do you get in and get out quick with lots of cooling? I guess with thin stuff you dont have to stay in it for a long time
@@fealgarage Yes, just takes a little practice like anything else. No more risk than mig and actually maybe less; you're working with a small tip and flame just take your time and don't get it excessively hot. It takes a bit more time to setup but you also have less grinding.
Aquire lead. Melt lead into a block. Hold lead block to the back of the panel and use as a heat sink. Works better than copper spoons.
Yes, backing plates work great especially for filling in big gaps. This patch was not quite accessible enough to use that technique.
Thanks for watching!
I don't recall ever seeing someone use their Delta UniSaw as a welding table.
I STILL have my 185 I bought in 1996! Workhorse that’s never needed anything more than a liner changed out.
Think you'll ever do any on Gasless Flux Core welding? Great vids, and thanks!
Thanks for the comment. What type of video would you like to see with gassless fluxcore? I have a LN25 that I could run some off of. Don't have any on hand but wouldnt be opposed to buying some for a video
@@fealgarage I'm new to welding and bought one of the cheap crappy tire 110V gasless FC welders to do minor projects around the house (firepits / ATV repairs) just interested to see whats possible with such a welder and using flux core. Thanks for the Awesome VIDS!
Any thoughts on the best way to mig weld on a modern car with many ecms. I understand placing ground close as possible and not thru things that may travel current thru bearings hinge point etc. Do the surge protectors work? Unplug all modules and remove battery ground?
What are your thoughts?
I've welded on a couple modern cars before. My advice is to do exactly as you said. Step 1) disconnect battery and any easily accessable computers. 2) Have a good clean ground connection as close to the weld as possible. An arcing ground through a bearing or anything like that could cause the bearing to get pitted which would lead to damage.
👍✌️
Thanks for watching!
For a beginner, would you recommend the welder you had on this video? What metal thickness is that welder rated for?? I can't stand it anymore. I must learn how to weld!!!!
This is more of a heavy duty welder. This is an old one, which is great for longevity purposes as things were still built to last, although new welders do have some nice features.
If you are strictly going to be doing thin sheet metal work, you could get away with a 110V welder. This one is 220v, and it can do up to 1/2" plate in a single pass.
For sheet metal work I would recommend a smaller diameter wire than what I use in this video, this is just what I had on hand.
A. Would a damp or wet rag be ok instead of compressed air?
B. If you're going to fine tune the surface with body filler, do the pin holes really matter?
(Damn, there are some harsh critics in this comments section. It's good to know that making the world a better place is near and dear to their hearts. Sheesh!)
A) a damp rag would work, although i believe that may cool it too quickly which could possibly lead to hardening the steel making it more brittle. I believe air would cool it more slowly than water.
B) if you use a good waterproof filler such as the fiberglass reinforced filler, pinholes may not be an issue from the outside. Although water could get in from the back side of the repair, and soak into the filler which could cause issues.
@@fealgarage good point, I didn't think of water coming at the pin holes from the other direction.
Thanks for the education. Can we see the rest of the car?
I can go over the whole car in a future video! In my sandblasting video you can see the underside of the car.
Thanks for watching!
In Fitzee we trust. And he uses .023
Amen to Fitzee The King of Autobody panel repairs !!!
The roll of wire in the mig is upside down.
Can you please explain the choice of wire thickness? I usually use .025 for thinner stuff. Im a beginner/amateur, seems like .025 penetrates where as .035 cold welds (for me) using a lincoln 110 spark box. If .035 is better for thin metal then what is .025 for then? Thank you
I'm just using what I have on hand. I usually dont do sheet metal work. .035 works fine for this application, but thinner wire would be better.
@@fealgarage Okay so its more about the technique than the wire thickeness then. thanks!
Technique is definitely the important part! But if you are buying wire for mainly doing sheet metal I would recommend buying thinner wire.
great video. I do have a question that nobody seems to be able to answer. After you weld in the new panels how do you protect the patch backside of the weld from rusting?
If you can access the back side, then paint it once its welded in. If you can't access it, then spray the patch with weld thru primer, as I did in this video. Once done, if possible, get a cavity wax with a 360 degree spray wand and coat it that way.
thank you!@@fealgarage
Just before you pull that trigger, is your wire touching the surface, or do you hover above a millineter or so?????
I'm not sure I've ever payed any attention to this. I think its usually not touching the surface, but it shouldnt be a problem if it is.
Cool i am going to do my rocker panels on my dodge ram mega cab 2500 4x4 can you do this with out gas ?
Yes you certainly can, although it takes a bit more time to dial in your welder. Just do a few tacks, then chip off the slag, then do a few more, chip it off, etc. You don't want to weld overtop of the slag at all
I happened to notice your wire is feeding from the top of the spool, is there a reason for that?
No I was rushing when I put it on, simply overlooked it. The label being on the wrong side didnt help at all. It has been flipped around now.
Your wire spool is feeding from the top, rotating clockwise. Northern hemisphere correct rotation is counter clockwise. It also feeds wire straight into the feed roller assembly, without bending the wire as it enters said assembly, or causing wire drag at assembly entry point.
Also why do you use 70S-3? Lots of guys use 70S-6 and other wires too. If there's crud on body panels, S-6 might be the call. If all is clean, S-3 is OK.
I especially question the wire diameter of .035, as it takes more energy to fuse the sample material. This, in turn, heats the materials more quickly -- especially if performing these maneuvers after lunch. Nothing warps a panel quicker.
Why to choose machine settings as shown? Now, I know those settings are just to save electricity, but some guy just starting out might have a question.
Vernier caliper read about .O52, I thought. That's much thicker than 18 guage. Perhaps you should turn the machine back up?
What gas was used? Regular? Or premium? And what is See -- 25 anyway?
I have-tuh stop. Too painful. But know your subject before you attempt to teach.
Yes, I had the roll flipped around for the video so that the sticker is showing. It's not the best way to have it, but it works the same either way.
Where did you see me using S-3 wire? it says multiple times in the video S-6.
0.035 wire is all I had at the time, I don't do lots of body work. Just like the people who watch this video probably don't do body work.
Saving electricity with the machine settings? How? No? I explained why and how to set it properly in the video.
Calipers read .052, which anyone who has cut metal before will know, is because the edge isn't clean and is deformed from the cut. at 0.052" the closest is 18 gauge sheet metal which is 0.0478.
The video says the gas that I used, and even explained the exact mix of the gas.
You should know your subject before trying to correct someone. Lol
Pretty damb good for supposed wrong size wire.
Wire size isnt as important as everyone is making it out to be. Sure, thinner wire would be prefferable, but .035 works if thats what you have. I've done most of the other welds on this car with .030, but this was the last weld I had to make, and I'm not going to go buy a whole new roll of thinner wire for one weld!
i weld with 0.6mm welding wire. so you bring less temperature into the material
Yes, thinner wire is better for thin material. I however don't have any left, and this was the last weld the car needed so it was unnecessary to buy a whole new spool. Most of the welds were done with .762mm wire
Where do I find an 18 ga car?
Tig Welder would be a better option for thin metal work. less heat, more control, less clean up
I prefer mig just because its faster, but tig is also a good way!
start of the video saw how you put roll of wire on backwards, feed from the bottom much better.
How fitting for me LoL 😂😂😂 im doing tha exact modification ir repair... Who needs antannas anyways bro 😂😂😂😂
10:14 it almost looks like Meatball from Aqua Teen Hunger Force/ Adult Swim. 🤣 🤣
Haha totally does!
@@fealgarage I'm going to start learning how to weld and you videos are a great help with knowledge, thank you.
Im going to upload a video about good welding techniques to practise. Good luck with your learning! It is a very fun and useful skill to have
Nice job feAl👍what settings were you using?.023 wire?
JR
It's ok ,I just saw it at beginning of video
@@jraposo911 .023 would be a good choice for thin metal like this. I am just using what I had on hand.
Thanks for watching!
If you want to weld about 2 inches and put a little water as soon as you finish with a wet rag and you will have a nice Grove your
I don't like to use water as it can cause issues with rust
wow welding on your table saw table?! lol.
Are you saying that heat is your biggest enemy?
its smiling @10:13
Аврора динамика 1800 лучший полуавтомат для такой работы.
Сварщик вроде неплохой. Здесь, в Канаде, я предпочитаю использовать сварочные аппараты Miller.
@@fealgarage miller не плохой аппарат,но он трансформаторного типа.
Для сварки кузова автомобиля лучше использовать инвертор.
@@pro_mig Большинство новых Миллеров - инверторы. Это трансформатор 1982 года. Мне больше нравятся инверторы, но по долговечности трансформатор не уступает
@@fealgarage 🤝 согласен
Ну вы блин даёте ....
Spool of wire is on wrong way should feed from the bottom
Yes thank you, I realised now. I was rushing in the previous video when I put it on didnt even notice. The label being on the wrong side of the spool didnt help
Most exterior vehicle panels are 22ga. A little thinner than 18ga. Big difference when welding. .035 is WAY too heavy to weld bdy panels. .023 is perfect.
I really don’t like videos without narration. And though I feel I don’t want to give those kind of silliness any time of the day. I’ve watched it a at too long. Two thumbs down. Not for the content. For no narration
Bonjour vous avez mis la bobine a l'envers entraînement des galets sont en bas donc l'arrivée du doit être vers le bas
Cordialement
Oui merci, j'ai réalisé et corrigé le fil. J'étais pressé de le mettre pendant le tournage de ma vidéo précédente. L'étiquette était également du mauvais côté de la bobine, ce qui n'a pas aidé.
Merci d'avoir regardé!
Excuser moi j'étais techniciens chez Lincoln déformation professionnelle 🤣🤣🤣
Thank you for the video. It is very informative concerning welding thin material. One item I wanted to point out is that you are showing laying the metal to weld on a machine ground table saw top. That is not good. If you do things like that (welding on an accurate machined surface), you will cause the machined surface to loose its accuracy. Please do not do that kind of thing.
I agree, I've been wanting to make a welding table but the current price of steel is sickening. This old saw has seen better days, I'm not worried about any damage on it. I've done plenty of welding, mig, stick, tig, on this top. Still no damage to it.
Thanks for the kind words!
Fuckin a bro, thanks
Did you know how to weld perfect.?😮😮😮
Why cool with air instead of a damp rag.
.025 wire works a bit better for sheet metal
Yes I agree
Its almost 2023 and yet were still using oxy acetylene... i havent tried mig or tig yet🙄😏
Been wanting to buy a cnc plasma table which is why i havent just bought a plasma cutter yet
Nice video, dude. Thanks for not using a robot narrator. I would rather pause and read than hear that garbage. Maybe when you get a few more videos under your belt you can record yourself narrating and cut it together.
Thank you for the kind words my friend. I definitely could narrate the videos, I have no issues with that. I think i kind of prefer the no talking no nonsense videos. Its soothing to me to just listen to the sounds of the shop. I may try tho, thanks for the suggestion!
Zdobywanie kwalifikacji nie jest potrzebne do show must go on 😂 i tego niestety nie udało się ogarnąć
dzięki za oglądanie
Wear gloves the weld light will give you a serious light burn that can cut because your hands need range of movement
should always wear gloves, for thin panel work I use tig gloves as they are thin so easy to work with(any gloves as long as they dont burn through are better than nothing), will prevent burns and long term UV exposure. not saying you do but just a heads up, dont just close your eyes for tack welds, you can still get arc eye through your eyelids, Have work as a welder and done as a hobby for 30yrs and still enjoy welding.
I do agree with you for the most part. Only reason I took my gloves off here was to feel if the patch was flush or not with the base metal. As for closing your eyes, I wear 99.9% UV protection safety glasses, which do help. I've flashed myself good a few times and those glasses prevented any serious damage being done. But again, I do agree with everything you said.
Thanks for watching!
Is that a datsun z car?
Yes, the last datsun ever made. 1984 300zx
I PREFER 023...LESS HEAT..SMALL WIRE..
What have you done to that poor table saw
Nothing worse than whats been done to it over the last 30 years
If that’s an old Craftsman table saw, using it for a welding table is the best thing that could happen to it. They were junk the day they were manufactured. I scrapped mine years ago and bought a Delta Unisaw. I recycled four tons of scrap a few months ago, and it included not one but two old Craftsman saws from two friends. Only then did I see a You Tube vid about repurposing a saw as a welding table. Best idea ever.
Your having trouble with light gauge metal because your using too thick of wire .023 for sheet metal is best to minimize heat put into the metal.
Sim desta forma é muito facil soldar chapa fina quero ver no carro 😂😂😂😂😂😂
If it was done right you should have been able to file finish that. The weld will probably hang in there but that should have been a simple uniformed weld. 4 tacs at a time letting it cool before your next set.
I agree! As said in the video you need lots of cooling to avoid warping the metal. Thanks for watching
god i hate guys who say shit like this
@@robertcampbell5605 why make it harder than it needs to be.
Seemed a lot of weld in the hole fill mayb more setting up before the test bits had good peno less wire more heat dunno even the angle of torch seem odd ,I'm no expert .good tips
The gaps were a bit too big on the repair, which is why there was a lot of weld metal to grind away. Thanks for watching!
Why the heck aren’t you running .023 wire?
Ran out of .030. Had 1 weld left to do on the car so used .035. Worked for me
@@fealgarage yeah it worked ok but i’ll leave it at that.have a good night.
Thanks for watching! You too
Like your frying bacon 🥓
Yes sir thats the ticket!
Job is a lot easier with thinner wire.
While I dont neccesarily thinks its easier with thin wire, .035 is not the best size to use for thin stuff. I was just using what I have on hand. If i were to go smaller I would need to buy new drive rolls and contact tips. I usually do heavier welding
@@fealgarage There is less heat input to melt the thinner wire, less heat to warp, and a slower rate of deposition of the weld material. This slows down the process slighlty, so that its easier to control and judge full penetration, yet not burn through. The bead is also narrower, which transfers less heat to the base metal, and also makes cleanup easier. But, that is just my personal experience. Thanks for making the video.
@@timothym2241 Yes I agree. Thanks for watching!
Great video but....... using a tablesaw as a welding table? Sacre Bleu!
Subscribe so I can afford to make a proper welding table :')
@@fealgarage Do those complaining think those small tacks are ruining the table?? C'mon man...
Lucky you have a cast iron saw table you no longer use to cut wood. But for other people; don't do welding on you saw table if you was to keep the surface clean and useable.
The saw still works fine. There is no spatter or anything on it, but yeah wouldnt recommend it. Gotta do what you gotta do lol
*spatter NOT splatter.
Yeah I always get the two mixed up lol