947 replies to this topic

[mini mad tom]

looking good mate good welding skills with the eletric good job best to finesh body then engine

[Barnett]

interesting thread Dog!! keep it up...

[Dog]

Thanks for the comments guys!

I got to say, I am glad I started this thread now, its kinda given me the kick up the arse I needed to actully get the welder out!

Fingers crossed I can be nearly 50%-70% finished with the welding the weekend

[camp freddy]

Dogmatix, you could do what i have done, that is fold down the bumper mounting lip
this will give you something to weld too, you will have to trim off the flange from
the new valance  a34.JPG   74.19K   57 downloads

if you are getting bad 'pidgeon weld it could be your wire feed too fast, the best
way too set your wire feed from my experience is as follows;

select a power setting suitable for the material thickness,
using a piece of scrap metal and wearing a head shield,
while holding the wire feed knob strike up run a weld while slowly
altering the wire feed until you get an even crackling (like sizzling bacon)
if the wire burns off close to the torch or drops in blods the wire speed
may be too slow, if ithe wire is stubbing into the weld the speed may be too fast
if holes are being blown through lower thr power setting or try too move faster.

i hope this is off some help.

ps cleaner the surface to be welded the better .  a36.JPG   71.04K   35 downloads

Edited by camp freddy, 22 August 2006 - 09:24 PM.

[Dog]

Nah I'm not finding my welding too pigeon pooy at all now I've gotten used to the welder. My welder isn't brilleant... I have 4 settings....

Fast/hot
fast/cool
slow/hot
slow/cool

I've got it set on fast/cool, seems to let me move at a fairly slow pace, but yet allow me to get ideal penitration. I am comfertable with this... ok means more grinding after, but never mind. lol

I have no bumper lip at all.... mine had to be cut alone the panel where the hinges hang from, so got to make something up for that.

Must say yours is coming along well!

I'll work something out, with my idea for the back end, I won't need the entire valance anyways.

[camp freddy]

Must admit not done much lately, need two full floor pans , got to get my
finger out cus i want to go to some shows in it, it aint the same going in
my Galaxy or the Corsa (which was bought until the mini is ready)plus
my six year old keeps asking when he can go in it, and my eight year old
want to hand me my tools LOL!

[Dog]

my six year old keeps asking when he can go in it, and my eight year old
want to hand me my tools LOL!

Little helpers.... aww lol
The only little helpers I have are mole grips, and pliers.... and the ocasional old biddy wishing me luck

[camp freddy]

I took them all round the block when i bought it and they thought it was really
fast and bouncy , had to explain it felt fast beacause it was a 'BIT' nearer
to the ground than the Pajero i had at the time LOL.

[Dog]

Right no pics with this update, i just wanted to get on and get the job done, before the weather set in.

Done a couple of nights after work on it this week, thanks to that... the boot is now FINISHED but got the valance to fit yet (but something a bit special is going on there, so its not a major concern)

Got the front part of my inner sill welded up too! got to go back over it to fill in a few burn holes but other than its looking puk-er

Started on the rear quater... grinders love playing in filler and now it looks like its been snowing in our street, cars are covered in white dust just lucky its planning to rain soon....... but hopefully, now the long weekend is here I hope to be at least 70% done with the welding....

Jobs to do;

Rear quarter panel
Rear inner sill
Patch a few holes in the wheels arches
Fit Valance
Finish removing the rear seat

Tidy up all welds, and rust treat, prime, and paint a winter coat of rust proof paint....

Hope to get most of them job done this weekend.... long days me thinks

Will update over the weekend, maybe with pictures...

[Dog]

Ok its been a really full on day.

Started at 11am this morning, and finished about 4.45pm this afternoon...

So things I've managed to do...

Fully finished my inner sills
Almost finished my rear quarter panel

Just got to trim and tidy up the floor, ready to fit my outer sill

So at this rate, I could see me finishing the welding this weekend

Heres a few pics of my inner sills...

Looks messy in those pics, but its a nice smooth weld, better than my boot weld! Oh word of warning, normal seam sealer burns VERY well!

Rear quarter preping...


Will get more pics tomorrow, I would of had more today, but I was just in the flow of working lol

[miniallsort]

wow well done dude keep up the good work

[TJenkos]

Doing it all on the side of the road?

Project is looking good. It looked like a minter before, but what it hides is shocking!

[Dog]

Amazing isn't it. Underneth all that lovely girly pink paint, hides what a screwdrive can find

A little annoying for the amount I paid for it, but hey, we live and learn.

Its coming on a treat now, almost finished the welding, just got to fit the outer sills, and patch a hole here and there. Oh and fit the valance, but I need a MOT'ers word that my "something special" will pass MOT and will be ok in the eyes of the law, and insurence.

[miniallsort]

good work

[TJenkos]

Yup. I only got the 850 as it looked less of a project than the Mayfair....

Boy, was I wrong!!

It looks really bad at the moment, but putting it into perspective its just the back lip and a few patches across near the rear subframe then the weldings just about done.... (Oh, just until I find some more rust!)

Edited by TJenkos, 27 August 2006 - 11:39 PM.