How To Weld Auto Body Sheet Metal

To weld sheet metal with solid wires use electrode positive ep or reverse polarity.

How to weld auto body sheet metal.

Mig is going to be your go to welding type for most auto body repairs. While replacing body panels overheating and warping thin sheet metal is common. It works best because it is good for many types of metal and is suitable for quick repairs. The best two electrodes for welding auto body sheet metal is either ceriated tungsten or thoriated tungsten.

Here s a few tips on repairing rust holes in car body panels. It uses no flux or filler and is accomplished by applying a concentrated short circuit and strong physical pressure to a small spot on as many as three thicknesses of body metal to be joined. This has been a mainstay of automotive construction since the 1930s. Try going for a wire of 023 inches when welding sheet metal.

Avoid warping the sheet metal. It can handle a wider range of thicknesses than tig or stick. Short bursts or tacks will help you gain more control and adjust easily. Resistance or spot welding.

Place the welding tip wire at the gap and tack weld several small spots spacing them evenly apart. Tack in a few places apart from each other and wait until the panel is cool to the touch. Tig welding sheet metal. Then tack between the two previous tacks.

Forget the larger 1 8 inch tungsten electrode and use a smaller one. Don t attempt to weld thin materials like sheet metal with flux cored wires which put more heat into the base metal. They also generally move around the part so that consecutive welds are not next to each. Mcr s method of butt welding sheet metal is to do three or four quick tack welds followed by and air quench.

How to weld auto body sheet metal with a tig welder. Ditch a 1 8 inch tungsten electrode for something much smaller like 1 16 inch tungsten.