Welding on a fender - bodywork Q, McMark......and body gurus Options

[Aaron Cox]

i need to pull a mcmark and section on a new fender... it was curled in heavil at the bottom by the door.... and a low spot above the wheel arch. PO bondo'd crap out of it.... i want to cut it off and weld on a new section....

urgerboy.....lend me your brain

[curtis]

Hey Aron I got you covered!!! I will check hirschels stash and pick a primo piece for your fender section that you need.

[Aaron Cox]

thanks shawn... i got a primo fender already cut off a car. just need to cut and paste (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

shawn, when you leaving for work again?

[skline]

Aaron, I got a welder here and you are welcome to use it. I could even help you with that project. Let me know.

[skline]

I know Joe made a donation to your account today too so you should have all the money you need. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[skline]

I am at work right now, been here most of the night, but I will be home in about an hour or so if you want to call. I left my cell phone at home.

[JB 914]

thanks shawn... i got a primo fender already cut off a car. just need to cut and paste (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

just right click the mouse into photoshop and paste. then clean up the fender and save it to your driveway.

if you screw it up just exit without saving changes and open the car in photoshop again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)

[skline]

LMFAO (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif)
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/chairfall.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chairfall.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chairfall.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chairfall.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chairfall.gif)

[Aaron Cox]

thanks shawn... i got a primo fender already cut off a car. just need to cut and paste  :)  

just right click the mouse into photoshop and paste. then clean up the fender and save it to your driveway.

if you screw it up just exit without saving changes and open the car in photoshop again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)

i needed a laugh joe....thanks.

scott. thanks... i would love to learn to weld (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

EVERY PENNY HELPS!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif)

[skline]

Come on out, I will learn you how to do it. Bring Propel (Kiwi Strawberry)

[Aaron Cox]

name a time... ill be there with a sixer of propel (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[skline]

Well, I am working tonight so I can take my truck in to the shop again tomorrow and then I should be home after that. So I would say after about 10 tomorrow I will be there. I even got this really cool body saw to make short work of removing the old fender.

[skline]

In fact, I am heading home now, been here long enough.

[Aaron Cox]

ill call you tomorrow AM.

pretty sure ill be there. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

you da man scott!

[McMark]

The biggest key is that you want to make your gaps to be as small as possible. Welding a tiny gap is simple. Welding an 1/8" gap is hard. I wouldn't plan to do this project in a few hours. More like a long weekend.

Cut your replacement piece way big and trim it down a little at a time. Hold the replacement piece up and trace the line you need to reach. But never ever ever cut exactly on the line. The idea is to trace a line and cut 2" away from that line. Clean the line off (Brake Cleaner) and draw a new one. Cut 1" away. Clean it off and do it again. When you first start out you won't be able to hold the replacement precisely in place because it's so big. So you take a little bit off and now you can hold it closer and get a better line. Each time you cut some off and redraw the line it's a better line, but never assume your line is 100% correct. The longer you take and the slower you go, take a little off each time the better job you will do. The first few cuts will go quickly. Each cut will take more time. Eventually you'll have to switch to a hand file to get the last bit when the cuts become too small for your saw.

You need to make sure that the pieces line up 100% before you weld. If you think you'll be able to weld a little bit and then bend this or hammer that you're setting yourself up for sub-par work. You should be able to hold the piece up with 1 finger and everything fit nicely. If things aren't that nice, bend bang and massage them until they do. You should actually do this before you make the last few cuts because massaging the metal can potentially change the gaps.

When you finally get to the welding, do small sections. Move around a lot. I prefer gas welding for these sorts of repairs because the weld is softer and more workable. But MIG will work.

Anything else? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) There's a thread somewhere on here with more pictures and a similar write up you might want to read.

Oh, and when you're deciding where to make the cuts look for where it'll be easy to work with. Don't try to make the smallest section as possible. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Have fun! Be sure to take lots of pictures so we can share in the fun!

[Aaron Cox]

great advice.....

heres how i THOUGHT it would work.

1) cut part of old fender off.....
2) cut new fender several inches wider than the piece that was cut off....
3) set new piece inplace and trace the line from the back side....
and trim and cut in steps from there.....


kinda scared.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) ...havent tackled this stuff before...want it to be like new. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

is there some sort of template i can make in the exact shape of the cutout?

[McMark]

Can you make a template that you can trust? If you can it'll still take you a long time to make a good template. You'll do fine if you do it slow. That's the key. If you're in a hurry, be prepared for less than perfection. You can do it, I have faith. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Aaron Cox]

You can do it, I have faith. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(GULP) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

ill see if i can do the template thing and still cut wider than that line..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Mark, thanks....you kinda instilled some confidence in myself....thanks for the advice (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wavey.gif)

[JB 914]

Come on out, I will learn you how to do it. Bring Propel (Kiwi Strawberry)

just soak some socks in cold water and put it in a Propel bottle. he will never know the difference (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

[IronHillRestorations]

Be sure to practice on something that doesn't matter, before you start welding on your car. After you've spent enough time to get the welder tuned in and the welds nice and pretty, then weld the piece on. Don't practice on the finished piece.

If you are going to MIG, don't make beads any longer than 1/2". And DON'T GET IN A HURRY!!! How long are you going to live with this car/fender? Take care and time.

I agree with McMark on the template thing. Why take an extra step anyway?

One last comment, how bad is the fender on the car? Unless it's totally mangled, I'd probably try to coerce it back to shape before welding on a different piece. If this is your first effort, you could end up with more filler to fix your welds, than to even out some metal work.