Peugeot 309 rescue thread. Moving on.

[vaughant]

59 minutes ago, DoctorRetro said:

It can get expensive this lark can't it? 😳

Still imagine the garage bill for all the work 😳😳😳😳. 

Plus it's NICE to have the good lights and so on but not essential. And again, this is your first rodeo with welding, most of the bits will last for years, tub of seam sealer will last ages, the galvanic spray the same.

We've all been there with a table lamp run out into the street via 10 extension leads trying to change an alternator or the like laying in a drain in the rain (or is that just me 🤔🤔) but I think as time goes on it gets to a point where things like PPE, lighting, warmth/dryness become almost as imperative as getting the job done well in good time. 

That galvanic spray is a must though bud, otherwise all that work will be pretty much for nothing, you'll see the rust coming back through almost immediately. Put it this way, I bought some gates for the front of my house and the apparently galvanised fittings for them lasted maybe a month before I noticed a bit of surface rust on them, went back offshore, came home 3 weeks later, rusting everywhere. Flapper disced them clean, sprayed a load of that on it, still on my gates 7 years later and nothing has come through.

Seam sealer will hide all ills with your welding as well and has the affect as the cold galvanic listed above. 

I still think finished nicely there's a decent car there and even a profit to be made but above all else keeping something like that on the road will be a really cool thing to do. Also you know mechanically it will be a cinch to work on. 

[grogee]

On 10/5/2021 at 11:46 AM, juular said:

Being wary of it isn't a bad thing, but it's still probably* statistically safer than actually driving a car.

..Until you get all blasé after using one for years and run it right up at your face without the guard or goggles on.. 

In my experience the handle is more important than the guard. It's not the bits of disc and metal flying around I worry about, it's when it jams and snatches that things get ugly.

Grinder chat (not the app):

They are scary to me but I use one. I have now invested in a fetching leather apron because my wire wheel & grinder got snagged in my t-shirt around my tummy. Fortunately it is Screwfix's cheapest grinder so it didn't have the power to tear the t-shirt material and I just have an appendix-style scar to show for it.

I now also have ear defenders because I got sick of putting greasy ear plugs in (too lazy to wash hands before scrunching them up)

[bezzabsa]

a skill I always wanted to master....Congrats on getting stuck in!!

[DoctorRetro]

I think this is how it's done ... 🤷

 

[juular]

It's not an exaggeration to say it's an investment. Forgetting the car for a minute, you're learning a skill in demand that will pay for itself if you wanted to. Conversely a single welding job at a garage would eclipse everything you've bought so far.

The biggest benefit in my eyes is that you can look at cars on sale passed over by everyone else because they need welding, either saving yourself a fortune or allowing you to get hold of cars previously way out of your reach.

A 10k car that needs welding suddenly becomes a 2k car if you see what I mean. 

[juular]

1 minute ago, DoctorRetro said:

I think this is how it's done ... 🤷

 

Did you fold that yourself? It looks brilliant!

[vaughant]

9 minutes ago, DoctorRetro said:

I think this is how it's done ... 🤷

 

Immense work!!!!!! 

[DoctorRetro]

9 minutes ago, juular said:

Did you fold that yourself? It looks brilliant!

Yep. Used mole grips and gradual bending for the lip, and an aerosol can for the curve

[DoctorRetro]

Just some minor adjustments needed.

I feel so fucking lost though, wish I had some in person guidance/support.

 

[Rod/b]

That looks alright that. Just wang it on and see how you get on. What’s the worse that could happen?  You got any magnets to hold it in place? 

[Sham]

Just some minor adjustments needed.

I feel so fucking lost though, wish I had some in person guidance/support.
 

Looks like you're doing just fine. Confidence comes with practice.

[Scruffy Bodger]

Nice bit of fabrication that  

https://workshopping.co.uk/chemical-products/aerosols/paint-aerosols/primer-aerosols/sealey-scs034s-grey-zinc-primer-paint-500ml?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIleOw76Tj8wIV0rvVCh0uGwcIEAQYASABEgLTWfD_BwE

I used some of that on the inside areas on the Connect, it doesn't seem to fuck with the weld at all, maybe worth getting some so your repairs last? Are you using both hands when doing your spots? Support your non trigger arm on something and it should help with your accuracy.

[SiC]

1 hour ago, DoctorRetro said:

I feel so fucking lost though, wish I had some in person guidance/support.

Worse case you can cut it out and do it again. Unlike wood working, it's easy to add more if too much is removed. 

Anyhow you've got enough guidance here to not really need anymore. Quickest way of learning is being thrown in the deep end. 

[DoctorRetro]

I'm really shit at this 🤣

 

[dozeydustman]

Don't knock yourself down; this is all good stuff and far better than my attempts at welding in the past! As long as the structure is sound and the weld doesn't break off doesn't matter if it looks like metallic bird poo.

[Shite Ron]

It looks good to me, I’ve seen far worse jobs done by garages which is why I started welding myself.

[juular]

That looks alright!

If you want to make it super neat weld over the top of it to fill in the holes then flap disc it back.

TABF - my mantra

(There's always body filler)

[junkyarddog]

20 minutes ago, DoctorRetro said:

I'm really shit at this 🤣

 

No you aren't, that patch is really nicely made,and while the welding isn't pretty it doesn't look like it's going to fall off, you can add a bit of filler to smooth off the repair.

Don't forget to waxoyl the rear of the repair as it will rust out again extremely quickly if you don't.

Well done,that's really good work.

 

 

[outlaw118]

@DoctorRetro you're doing great, those welds are eleventy times better than I used to manage on the ba**ers, using that welder; twas either blown through of just blobby.

A bad workman always blames his tools etc, you're just proving that I'm the tool in this scenario.

Keep going Chuff.

[DoctorRetro]

Oh, it's definitely solid. I need to get seam sealer, primer and waxoyl, so just blasted some paint over for now. 

Bit of filler and it'll be fine. MOT worthy at least 

 

 

[grogee]

1 hour ago, DoctorRetro said:

I'm really shit at this 🤣

 

That is brilliant. My first attempt was joining some exhaust pieces and it was way worse than that. I've seen much, much worse come out of commercial garages 

[SiC]

It's a stronger and an actual repair rather than filler. 

[vaughant]

11 minutes ago, DoctorRetro said:

Oh, it's definitely solid. I need to get seam sealer, primer and waxoyl, so just blasted some paint over for now. 

Bit of filler and it'll be fine. MOT worthy at least 

 

 

Genuinely chuffed for you mate, you've done a fab job, just got stuck in and sorted it. 

Putting the paint on to for now is a wise move. 

As my fellow contractor and I used to say in Honda, there's no point being the best welder if you're the worst grinder and luckily for me I was ok to poor at welding but fucking great at grinding and sealing 😏😏😏😏. 

I did an OK bit of welding once on quite a complex job in there on a post that needed re-jigging however once welded it looked OK but not pretty. I used e-metal, 3 bond, a load of sanding and a really great paint job and to be fair it looked fucking great, so much so the other shift who thought they were the world's greatest welders thought we'd had the local fabrication form in to do it. 

Thank fuck they never poked the lovely paint too hard 🤭🤭🤭🤭. 

 

[SiC]

You could probably grind that back a bit more to make it neater. I find a grinding disc helps more than a flap disc at times. Or get yourself a finger/power file sander. 

[vaughant]

17 minutes ago, DoctorRetro said:

I need to get seam sealer, AND LOADS OF COLD GALVANIC SPRAY TO RETAIN THOSE SOLID WELDS I'VE JUST COMPLETED. 

EFA. 

17 minutes ago, DoctorRetro said:

 

 

 

[Dr_Slow]

Epic work @DoctorRetro!

[Dan302]

I think you are doing brilliantly and as the others have said you are learning such a useful skill. Keep up the great work!!

[phil_lihp]

This is quite inspiring stuff to be honest, I've thought about it before and never got around to actually trying - you're proving that it's always worth having a go.  I've seen much worse "MOT" repairs underneath on some of the heaps I've had in the past!

[Jim Bell]

Well done man. Like other people have said, it looks well enough. You should be proud of yourself. 

[GingerNuttz]

Turned out great for a first attempt, that sill panel is bang on 👍

Did you enjoy or hate the welding process then ?