Thanks for all the responses! Sorry for missing a few details. My MIG is 110 volt, I am running .023 wire and gas. The wire speed is about 4 1/2. I sand the metal on both sides with a 50 grit flap disc and wipe it down with Lacquer Thinner. I am holding the trigger for about 1 1/2 seconds, then wait 3 seconds and hit it again. I am getting that nice sizzle sound. Then I move to another spot at least 2 feet away. What happens is as I try to fill the hole I end up with a pile of round weld balls. I grind that down and inevitably there are tiny pin holes.
After doing some self analysis I think one of my problems is that I am grinding the weld down flush with the metal trying to get that seamless look, and thereby thinning the metal too much. Then when I see that tiny pin hole I try to fill it, and BAM!, I blow hours of work in a millisecond turning the pin hole into a 3/8" hole.
I am determined to make this work but I am worried that by going over the same spot 10 + times is going to cause other problems like weaken the surrounding metal? Should I just lay my hopes of a seamless look aside and tack on some small reinforcing plates in the thin trouble areas? I'm not planning on selling the truck so I think I can live with it. I just want it to last and not look like a rookie worked on it!
