Learn to weld? Or pay someone to do it!

[Mags]

You don't need to have a contract with BOC for gas, I cancelled mine recently as I was fed up with the charges, see here:
http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=45942" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I did the same as you, went to college in the eve's to learn to weld and then attacked my bus. It turned out to be much worse than I expected (never heard that before!) and nearly 3 years later I'm still going!
A word of advice is make sure your welding is good before you start some of my earlier attempts look crap compared with what I can do now, practice practice practice.

 

[superfunkyfresh]

A word of advice is make sure your welding is good before you start some of my earlier attempts look crap compared with what I can do now, practice practice practice.

I think this is a bit of an odd thing to say, surely you would expect your work to get better as you carry out more and more welding? Surely it doesn't matter how it looks as long as its a solide weld and can be ground back.

I say get stuck in, if it looks messy, grind it back and redo it.

 

[Mags]

As you say, as long as its solid. That's what I was trying to say, some of my first attempts I thought looked OK, but I didn't have a solid weld with good penetration and have now had to return to these to grind off and re-weld.

 

[davidoft]

it does matter what welds look like! its a very good indication of quality of weld. i had a guy come to me with a van he had welded up all by himself and pround to have done so, i looked at it said it all wants doing again, he looked at me as if i was being a tosser so i showed him, with one swift kick i took the front step off( same for his chassis repairs out riggers door etc) I have seen a lot of it and it makes me shudder. Its easy to weld once you know how but to be a good welder is a skilled job that takes time and practice. how to fit and remove panels is also half of the skill in restoring.

see here what can be hidden

http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20949" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[dames]

didn't want to start a new thread so thought it would be relevant to ad it to this one. I am thinking about learning to weld would this be a good first welder.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Tools-Supermig130-Mig-Welder-Welding-130A-130-Amp-Uses-Disposable-Gas-New-/140713699895?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20c330aa37" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Buss69]

didn't want to start a new thread so thought it would be relevant to ad it to this one. I am thinking about learning to weld would this be a good first welder.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Tools-Supermig130-Mig-Welder-Welding-130A-130-Amp-Uses-Disposable-Gas-New-/140713699895?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20c330aa37" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hi, I'm definitely no expert but I would probably avoid, but it really depends on how much and what you are going to weld. Some bus welding may require a welder that can go higher than 130Amps, I bought one that is 170 and is very good with thicker metal plate. The other thing I would say is that disposable gas cylinders are going to cost you the earth. Get a system that can use the large refillable gas tanks. You'll be surprised at how quickly it goes, especially when practising. Disposable really isn't going to last long.

Find your local welding supplier and visit them, mine where excellent, really helpful, friendly and gave me more knowledge than I knew what to do with.

 

[Trikky2]

didn't want to start a new thread so thought it would be relevant to ad it to this one. I am thinking about learning to weld would this be a good first welder.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Tools-" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 20c330aa37

It depends what and how much your going to weld.

If your doing rear corners and battery tray or door bottoms, for instance, then fine.

If you are doing a full on resto of a wreck that requires all the bottom six inches, new floors, chassis sections etc then you may need something more substantial.

 

[89Rallye]

It's predictable that 95% of people will say just learn to weld but being realistic it's all about how well you want it done and how quickly. That's not a simple project for a novice who can weld let alone starting from scratch. It's also not just the skill of welding, there's a lot of sheet metal work (a skill in its own right) needed there making and fitting panels (and usually making shoddy but expensive repair panels fit in the first place)

I'm not saying it can't be done and I know people have achieved high standards starting from scratch etc but it takes years... To do right anyway.

ZedBed sums it up nicely I think,

8)

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