Although we have a water cooled tig on our 440 Trailblazer, I myself never use it. 45 years ago I used gas and coat hanger wire. About 20 years ago I got my first Millermatic 200 and ran 030 wire. I now have a new toy that I keep at my house. It is a Hobart 140 and I run .023 wire with CO2. The thing is just unbelievable on thin stuff. I have a vice grip type crimper and an air operated crimper, but I seldom use them. I always manage to distort things while crimping. On rather flat areas, I lay a 1" strip of 14gauge behind the splice and hold the 2 pieces together with sheet metal screws and fender washers. I like about an 1/8" gap between the 2 panels and put a screw about every 2". I make about 1/2" stitch welds between the screws and then remove the screws and stitch weld until it is all is welded. Not much grinding or warping that way. But again, on something like a floor, I usually cut out the rusty spot, lay a patch over the hole and weld. The floor mat covers the splice any way. If I wanted it to look pretty from the bottom, I would butt weld it.
Last edited by crenwelge; 10/30/2008 11:02 PM.
