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I have a cowl off the passenger side of my truck. I also have a 1 by 2 foot hole under the drivers side of the same truck. I need to clean the rusty floor and make a patch. I need to remove the primer from the replacement cowl and rust from the cab. I need to align the patches and do the patch welding. I am learning to create patches and weld, too.

I usually have 1-2 hours to work on this during each weekend day. During this time I need to set up, do the work, then put the tools away.

Has anyone else had this situation and how do you do the welding?

This is how I am rebuilding a 1948 3100 chevy truck.

This is done outside

Time is a finite commodity, you can't create more... and that's what you need.

You can do all prep work on that schedule but you're going to have to set aside a bigger block of time for the welding part, especially since you have to set-up and clean-up each session.

Dennis,

"I usually have 1-2 hours to work on this during each weekend day" ... did you mean weekday?

On just 4 hours per week, it's going to take a long time to learn to weld, and then repair your cab floor. I guess I would suggest taking a welding class to get the basics first. It could be very frustrating trying to make and then weld patches without help... I wish I was closer.

Dale

Thanks for the kind words.

I have no more time. No time for classes.

I was hoping others are in the same place. Probably not - this is a stretched life. I just want to make it work. I have searched for a welder in the north dallas area. I don't have transportation for parts.

I am afraid of cleaning the parts and having them rust between cleaning and next weeks welding. Then how do I prime?

And when I get to rust removal on the cab - can I do a few square feet and primer it with rattle can primer. Many of you have big shops, equipment, and are professional. I am not alone on this and would like to hear from the beginner people. I am also like most of you with a limited budget. Family comes first.

I am thinking this welding needs to be done then find a sandblaster and (?) primer shop.

Thanks again and I hope this helps others starting projects.

We need advice.

First thing.

The hole in my floor under the seat. I cut out the rust. Now I have a square hole with rust on the edges. How do I clean off the rust for welding? Grinder. Wire wheel. Sand paper. Naval gel and brillo pad.

That would be a good start

sanding or wheeling doesn't get as clean, grinding makes for a good amount of "texture", grind it to shiney metal - if that leaves it very thin it needs to be cut back further

if you can keep the cleaned/derusted areas dry you don't need to coat them immediately, do as much as you can each session, protect it til next time, get a largeish area done [like one side] and epoxy prime it - rattle can primer won't protect metal, it's not water proof - anything you put on will have to be resanded before the final job, so use the best you can afford

Bill

4.5" grinder with a flap wheel works good for me

I like these: You can also get cheap knock offs but they are not as good. I don't go too crazy on the grit, a medium works fine.

You are lucky it hardly ever rains down there in the desert. Texas is a desert, right?


flap flap!

I do have a 4.5 grinder. I will get a flap flap wheel.

I can probably get the area clean but will have to wait until another weekend to weld. Then there is the primer. Epoxy primer. What I think of is mixing and spraying with an air can sprayer. With this there is a lot of mess and clean up?

Again. I am thinking short time bursts of work.

as a protective coat that'll later be sanded for real painting, don't need to spray, I did the whole bus with brushes and rollers a bit at a time, works fine

Bill

Practice welding on scrap sheet metal first before you try to weld your patch. It is very easy to blow holes in and warp sheet metal thus ruining your patch.

Hit the cleaned area it with some rattle can epoxy primer and wash off with lacquer thinner and a rag before welding.

I have a lot of scraps welded together. Thank you for the advice.

The problem is - when working on the real thing. And the space to work in.

I do have to admit that welding is fun

I could never do a bus. One lifetime is not enough.

My hat is off you, Bill

Hey Dennis I'm starting son #1 welding tonite. He will be taking welding as part of his high school robotics class but they will learn TIG..I'll give him stuff to take in and weld. LOL

we'll see if one lifetime is enough hopefully yer hat won't be off before it's done

Bill

I feel like a pigeon

I'm in the same boat, except I can more or less weld already. I usually have no more than a couple hours at a time to work on teh truck, and I am doing a LOT of patch work on the cab...I have found that breaking it into small individual projects works well for me....one patch at a time. Don't try and prep everything, then weld everything, you'll go crazy. Try doing one floor board, then pick a hole and cut and patch that, then another...Before long its just about done. Also, I have had to prep and leave metal for a few days or a week, if it starts to rust it is a LOT quicker to prep the next time, usually just a quick once over with a wire brush or some emery cloth. I'm in Washington State too, so stuff rusts a lot faster here!

I knew there was somebody in the same boat as me. I feel better. This will get done. It is difficult when it seems like others have all the time to put into these rusty trucks. Or contract it out. I have to work on a planned schedule and on the cheap.

I need to keep working on my knowledge of prep work and welding

Thanks Erik da Viking.

Heh heh heh. I feel your pain! I have learned that I need to multiply ther amount of time I THINK something will take by at least three or four to see how long it will ACTUALLY take! But it gets a little closer everytime I do something on her...

After you have the metal cleaned up and prepped for welding, spray on a light coat of cold galvanized spray, that is available in a rattle can, it will stop the parts from rusting between work sessions and you can weld right through the coating. It is readily available at most welding supply shops. When you are ready to prime, the excess coating will wash off with lacquer thinner or most wax and grease removers.

Do you have to be careful with the fumes like if you are welding regular galvinized stuff?

B 5 setting on the Lincoln works well. And a flattened copper pipe on the back side. I drilled a couple of holes to attach the copper piece. Welded one of the screws. LOL

Now I need to do the front - up against the seat skirt. I do not know how I am going to clean the metal? Wire wheel & brushes, and the scotch wheel do not do the job. Only the grinding wheel.

I hope to get time this upcoming weekend for that.

Oh. I made it up from a hole burner welder to a booger welder.

Fun Fun Fun

grinding is best Dennis, totally clean shiney metal will make your learning easier

only if you value your lungs and brain the cold galvinize or weld-thru primers are good for protection, but it'd be good to regrind the edges just before welding

Bill

Yup. You are right. My whining and crying when I started this was mainly due to not having clean shiney metal. Lesson learned.

I need to keep working on being patient and taking more time in preparing what I am working on.

My bad

"only if you value your lungs and brain"

Heh heh heh. I am still scared of galvinized metal, in my high school shop classes they told us so many times not to weld galvinized metal that we were convinced we would probably die immediately upon the arc being struck.