Learn to weld? Or pay someone to do it!

[logicred]

Hi all. I have a '69 Bay that I have stripped down. I have identified areas that need welding. I am competent on most stuff apart from welding and want to know if this work below will be too ambitious for my first batch of welding! Perhaps I should get a professional to weld these and then look into learning to weld in the future. Any pointers to repair panels for various bits would be very helpful!

Underneath is solid as is the rest of the van.

Tailgate - The inner skin has come away from the outer just at the base of the window all the way across. May be cheaper just to buy a rot free one.

Gutter - Needs attention at the back and on the near side about 50% of it.

Inner wheel arch. Rotted where seatbelt mount goes. Poor previous repair

Sliding door panel (underneath the rear quarter window). Looks worse than it is, but there is a hole on the window frame

Battery tray - Might be ok

Back NS panel underneath the window - Rotted to hell!

Boot floor above engine - Hole

Spare wheel well - Hole, could hopefully just be welded over.

 

[Trikky2]

Learn to weld.

Its not that hard and its a skill that will serve you well for the rest of your life. You wont regret it.

You can learn from a book or from videos posted on Utube along with trial and error practice on off cuts of steel but the best is to have somebody show you and help you - just an hour or so and you will be away

 

[T2 Brinky]

learn urself, just get plenty of pratice on off cuts an scrap. Its just a bit time consuming but well worth it.

 

[ZedBed]

If you have time - weld
If you have money - pay someone else
If you have both take your pick.

 

[gagvanman]

Looks identical to my bus when I first got it. You don't have to be a professional welder to fix these problems. Repair sections are available for most of these areas, and as the metal is so thin do not attempt to do continuous runs of weld. Do what is called "stitch welds" lots of dabs of weld, spread out over the length of the join to minimise heat distorsion. They don't have to look pretty, as they will be ground down anyway.

Main thing is don't be put off, you will be supprised what you can do with a little practise, forethought and patience...

Best of luck.

 

[logicred]

Thanks for your help everyone. I think at this stage I just needed some confidence for a first time welder and was testing the water to see if it was something that I should definately not attempt to start with.

I have done some research on welders, would a Clarke 130 gas MIG be ok for these repairs? It seems as though most people recommend at least a 150amp.

Thanks

 

[logicred]

I am unsure about the gas bottles too. I read that you need to hire these from BOC?

Do these welders not use regular CO2 Propane gas from a local garage with a regulator?

Thanks

 

[Rippers]

Do you have a local college that teaches welding? There was one near me that did a restoration course which touched on welding and they also did a weld only course. Wasn't too dear either.

 

[tonicman]

buy the best welder you can afford! you do not need more than 130 amps for what you will be doing. A better welder makes it so much easier i tried a few welders and ended up with a grands worth of esab but i use it for a living, also energas is best for gas loads cheaper than boc when i shopped around. With amateur equipment you get amateur results i am afraid. You will need ALOT of practice and the correct gear before you get to the standard of a professional welder, but it is do-able. And the majority of vw's out there are badly welded by their owners with cheap equipment, but are relatively safe. It comes down to what you want from it if you want it mint and a real good job doing pay someone...... ME If you are not too bothered about the quality of the job have a go ,after all most things can be hidden with a skim of filler

 

[GIZ59]

learn to weld ! i did, it saves dosh in long run AND you will not be ripped off/let down in future AND you will feal fabio when you complete your 1st mot standard job on your own bus AND you will seriously impress yer mates !

 

[lhu128l]

you can drill out the spot welds on the wheel well and get a rust free one/cut and make a neat repair of it . But as above decent kit is the answer , people will say pub gas this and that but proper kit is half the battle .

 

[logicred]

Just got a 130amp welder, Argon 80/20 mix gas, helmet, gloves and a day welding course, so full speed ahead!

you can drill out the spot welds on the wheel well and get a rust free one/cut and make a neat repair of it . But as above decent kit is the answer , people will say pub gas this and that but proper kit is half the battle .

 

[Trikky2]

Just got a 130amp welder, Argon 80/20 mix gas, helmet, gloves and a day welding course, so full speed ahead!

:mrgreen:

 

[T2 Brinky]

i agree with tonicman, depends on what level of finish you after?

 

[mattd]

I went to the local college that ran evening classes for a term on welding, including bringing your own project in to work on. They had MIG, TIG, Arc and Oxy-Acetylene welders and we could use any of them.

Cost me about £200 and lasted 10 weeks. I also picked up a MIG welder. Better welders just make it so much easier, but preparation and practice go some way to making a half reasonable job out of things. You can always grind it down afterwards and fill the holes ;-)

 

[Tristan71]

Anyone fancy welding my baja lol thread hijack sorry!!

 

[Buss69]

For years I have been paying people to weld for me. Some welders are good, some are not, it takes time to find the good ones and its also very expensive. After reading this thread I thought "damn it I'm gonna learn for myself". Somewhere on the forum somebody mentioned a fast track course in Bridgwater. So I rang, enrolled, did the course finished yesterday and passed 3 of the 4 major codes in MIG welding. It has given me a huge boost of confidence and the brilliant tutor (Doug) and tech assistant (Steve) imparted a great deal of knowledge, way more than learning myself. Having said that, there's no substitute for experience so i'll be buying my first welder next week.
I know this will sound like an advert and I guess it kind of is (although other welding courses are available ) but if you are interested give Bridgwater college a call. The course I did covers ALL disciplines of welding and caters for all levels of skill and is called the Fast Track Welding course (coded). I can't recommend it enough, I enjoyed it so much I'm going to go back and learn TIG. Gone are my fears which are now replaced with excitement, whatever course you do will be money well spent.

 

[dubdubz]

For years I have been paying people to weld for me. Some welders are good, some are not, it takes time to find the good ones and its also very expensive. After reading this thread I thought "damn it I'm gonna learn for myself". Somewhere on the forum somebody mentioned a fast track course in Bridgwater. So I rang, enrolled, did the course finished yesterday and passed 3 of the 4 major codes in MIG welding. It has given me a huge boost of confidence and the brilliant tutor (Doug) and tech assistant (Steve) imparted a great deal of knowledge, way more than learning myself. Having said that, there's no substitute for experience so i'll be buying my first welder next week.
I know this will sound like an advert and I guess it kind of is (although other welding courses are available ) but if you are interested give Bridgwater college a call. The course I did covers ALL disciplines of welding and caters for all levels of skill and is called the Fast Track Welding course (coded). I can't recommend it enough, I enjoyed it so much I'm going to go back and learn TIG. Gone are my fears which are now replaced with excitement, whatever course you do will be money well spent.

:mrgreen: good stuff

 

[Fortunate Son]

Buss69 - could you post up contact details of the Bridgwater course please. I have taught myself, but the course sounds well worth doing and its pretty local to me. Thanks in advance, Andy

 

[Buss69]

No Problem Andy:

Course Title: Fast-Track Welding Course (Coded)
Course Tutor: Doug Robson
Duration: 4 Days Full-time
Cost: £600
Contact: Sally Ackroyd on [email protected]
or try calling on 01278 441 369

I think the next course is happening some time in April and then again at the end of the academic year June/ July. Probably wise to call Sally was very helpful.