Patch weld with torch

[1 Crummyshooter]

Since I have an O/A torch and do not have a wire feed, I am going to attempt to weld body panel patches with the torch.

Any advice, other than "DON'T"

[pockets1776]

The bottom six inches of my first hot rod were replaced, by one of the finest torch men I've ever known, by silver brazing with OA. Zero warpage at those temps and some finesse.

Greg

[1 Crummyshooter]

A butt weld or a backer behind the seam?

[cep62]

weld an inch then quench it with a WET rag,to keep the warping to a minimum.

And practice on something besides your truck.

[6Delta]

First of all I agree with practice on something other than your pickup unless you are already good. Way before MIG welders became cheaper than they are now OA was common. My brother was better than I and he repaired a 65 Galaxie 2 door convertible, rusted bad in between the door and the wheel well using the door skin from a 4 door and OA with wire coat hangers as rod. It came out great and I do not compliment my brother often. Go slow and keep your welds as far apart as you can (heat warp). Rod should be as close to the thickness as the material as you can get (hence the use of coat hangers) and use as little heat as necessary. A helper using a sponge to cool off the surrounding area would be helpful. It can be done and be done well with the right rod and patience. Good luck.

[67nukeford]

I've een guys do this, and they use damp news paper, stuck around the weld area, to keep it cool.

[motzingg]

if you can lap weld it, which you usually can with body work, just braze it. way less heat and very easy. bondo the seams. nobody will know the difference.

[HIO Silver]

There is no substitute... buy a MIG welder.

But if you do use a OA/torch or braze it, post a pic of the repair cuz we wanna see your handiwork wielding the flame.

[cep62]

If you Braze it , grind and sandblast the welds.
The brazing flux will make your filler bubble.
(the same goes for flux core wire welding.)

[fordman]

I seen a show on discovery or similar channel
The car maker in england brazed all of thier body welds. They say it was a stronger better weld than anything else.

[cep62]

The car maker in england brazed all of thier body welds. They say it was a stronger better weld than anything else.

British car builders did some things that can make you scratch your head.
(any one deal with Lucas electrical?)

Mig welding fuses the steel into one piece.
Brazing is an adhesion weld that uses a lot more heat , too much heat causes warping.

[HIO Silver]

The car maker in england brazed all of thier body welds. They say it was a stronger better weld than anything else.

British car builders did some things that can make you scratch your head.
(any one deal with Lucas electrical?)

Mig welding fuses the steel into one piece.
Brazing is an adhesion weld that uses a lot more heat , too much heat causes warping.

Lucas.... The Prince of Darkness

[Dan]

Sheesh first of all don't use a coat hanger for filler rod, welding supply stores are everywhere or you can order online, and if you cannot afford a proper material filler rod then why are you even doing this project?

All bodywork was either brazed, gas torch welded or lead soldered until the late 70's when MIG became the thing to do, like anything else there is nothing wrong with it unless you don't do it correctly.

It takes more skill and practice for sure, which most folks don't have the patience for. Crappy work WILL show itself, but usually not until you've logged in hours of bodywork and laid expensive paint over it....then just wait for the cracks and bubbles! You REALLY don't want to be the next guy who has to dig all that back out and do an even BIGGER repair to fix it all again.

If there is a weld supply close to you, go talk to them, they love to give you advice and may even have demo stations set up where you could try a thing or two. If not, get a bunch of the same thickness metal, proper filler, and practice for free until you are comfortable with it. Good luck!

[6Delta]

In the 70's the "online" approach did not work so well. Also the hangers were made of the same mild steel as the rod sold 30+ miles away. We were not town folk who could run to the store and buy what was needed when ever was convenient. That said. Not everyone has a welding supply store nearby or wants to wait for shipping. Do not use a wire that is brittle and be sure to use flux. Heck, just take it to a shop. You should not try to do it yourself under any circumstances. You may make a mistake and have to start over. The last time I saw the Galaxy (about 5 years ago) it still looked good except the metallic had faded and the top needed replaced again.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[elgemcdlf]

I'm old I guess. I learned OA. Butt weld. If you lap it you will need to weld both sides. If not the lap will fill with moisture you can't possibly clean out and will rust. Weld, do not braze. Plastic filler will not stick to braze. In no time at all it will bubble out.

MIG leaves a very hard weld as opposed to OA. A weld done with OA can be worked with a hammer and dolly. MIG is grind and fill. Use a small tip in order to concentrate your heat. Back when I learned we packed the area around the weld (prior to welding) with asbestos.

I am confident any welding supply company will have a replacement since asbestos is no longer used. Do not stitch weld. You should be able to weld it from end to end continuously.

As said before practice.

A few other thoughts. IIRC Eastwood sold and may still sell a mini torch head on wheels set at 45°. I always thought that would be a nice thing to have. Ideally you want your tip 45° to your panel and your rod 45° to the panel. You are fusing the three metals. You create a puddle of all three. When it cools it is one piece as metal from all three flow into all of it.

Oxygen at roughly 10lbs. Acetylene at 5-7lbs. Oxygen is what makes your flame hot. Too much pressure will lead to easily blowing holes in your work. It's a delicate balance.