42 replies to this topic

[Turbo Tom]

Hi

I was like you mate, and could not weld. So i went back to collage and did an evening course in bodywork, and this taught me everything from welding to spraying. i would recomend it highly!

[adammini]

Hi

I was like you mate, and could not weld. So i went back to collage and did an evening course in bodywork, and this taught me everything from welding to spraying. i would recomend it highly!

Hi Tom

Id really like to, I should look into it. Im sure I could learn far more than I can on my own!

If I can over the summer would be great because I head back to uni in september.

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[Turbo Tom]

I'm sure you can do just a welding courses. Before i started mine, i couldn't really do bodywork, but now i can
weld, paint, skin doors,the works. it only cost £280.

[adammini]

That does sound good. I think I better start saving my pennies!

Thanks

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[adammini]

Hi guys, bit of an update.

After lots of practicing I have welded 2 patches on my inner sills. They aren't perfect but hopefully they should be ok for the mot.

Heres a pic of m first patch:



and the one I did today:



Any comments on my welding appreciated!

I have decided, as my inner sills are full of patches anyway that I would patch my holes. In a few years time im probably going to have to cut the floor out because of the evil oversills. >


Still to do are the 2 gaping holes in the floor which im not quite sure how to tackle as there are layers of old metal, and one small hole on the inner door pillar on the passengers side.


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[miniboo]

looks alright to me. make sure it is fully seam welded all the way round and any big pigeon poo bits just grind it off and neaten it up

[adammini]

Cheers miniboo, it looks much better now I have ground all the poo bits off.

next up, butt welding floor patches, ahhhhhh!

[Mincento]

First of all nice little mini its also one of my favourite colours and ive got a miniworld t shirt with a surf blue mk1 on the back

On the welding id recomend a night course at a good college, if your anywhere near stoke go to stoke college as my uncles the head man of welding there and hes a top notch welder, but i wouldnt say go for a bodywork course to be honest ive just completed my bodywork repair and paintwork course of three years with distinctions all through but that is nothing to do with how good they are at teaching etc or the projects ypu do etc its because in my own time ive done many little projects to teach myself figure it this way

you weld a subframe mount on a college car, grindit down make it look goodish and skim it, and it never goes near the road, will never crack etc

You weld a subframe mount on your own car and YOU have to make sure its right or youll end up the wrong side of a brick wall/hedge/tree when the weld breaks and your dead

the best way to learn is to teach yourself IMO with help from others, i can spray reasonably good, and i have taught many poeple to spray at college, but im not this good due to a lecturer (although he is good) its because i sprayed a full bodykit for a nova, resprayed the side of my cinq after some bint ran in the side, help spray my mates mini, sprayed a scooter, currently doing a cinq sporting and a combat kitted corsa 1.4 16v sport

sorry for the long reply but basically what im saying is the best teacher is you, if you fcuk up your own car youve got to put it right and live with it and another thing (not moaning) never do something like a bodge thinking that will do for the moment till i have more time etc as it will only come back to bite you

wayne

[miniman86]

looking nice, keep up the good work!

[adammini]

Thanks mincento and miniman86.

I wouldnt trust my welding to weld a subframe yet! I can do lap joints fairly well.

I have now cut a a section of the repair panel for the passanger footwell and im fetteling that to fit at the moment.
Would it be ok to lap weld that in the floor? I was thinking of welding both sides for strength, ie inside and outside.

Before I put the repair panel in the floor, ive got to put in a section into the wheel arch section so I have something to weld to!

Cheers

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[adammini]

I thought id do a bit of an update.

Been a bit busy with other non mini things of late, but this week and next ive set aside the evenings to mini fun!

Ive started welding the passenger floorpan, and boy is it hard. Ive laped in the repair panel, and it looks pants.

Here are a few pics of what I have done so far -






Im planing to weld both sides of the lap to be doubly sure. Do you think this will be ok for mot man?
In the last pic, its all jaggedy, would it be ok to weld it then put seam sealer over the joint?

Its very annoying because I keep blowing holes in what looks like sound metal, when is thinner that paper, aahhhhhh >


Adam

[Pooky]

That looks good mate!

I don't think you could do much better without replacing the whole footwell

Keep it up buddy, the jobs get nicer after bodywork's done

[adammini]

Cheers pooky, it gets a bit depressing sometimes!

I wish the floor didnt keep doing an impression of a sieve!


By the way, nice estate, its looking sweet. One day I hope to do a proper resto like that on mine. How long have you been working on it?

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[adammini]

Hi all,


Ive just finished the mini ready for its mot tomorrow!

Hope it goes ok :'( Ive been off work the last few days blitzing the welding and other repairs.
Its not quite finished, hence the primer in the pics.

Fingers crossed for the mot, im going to france on holiday in it a week on sunday!

Heres where im at:












My welding has improved, although its not pretty but at least its now solid.
I should rename my car scrappy with the amount of holes it had ( and still has in places, eek!)


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[jack_marshall]

They're excellent repairs matey.

Welding aint half bad either.