13 replies to this topic

[Zenob1]

Evenin'

I am shortly going to replace my front panel. In order to do so I intend to hire a spot welder. I also need to repair the iner wings where the front panel meets them. Now, my skills with a MIG are not great, so I am wondering if I were to apply repair patches to the inner wings with a continual seam of overlapping spot welds - will that be good enough for the MOT man? Not sure if i could even manouver the spot welder into position yet , but with no front panel I thought that i might?

What are yer thoughts - and remember there's a fine line between genius and insanity!!!

Matt

[alexcrosse]

i pot weld, rather than spending money on a spot, i just drill a hole in the new panel where the spot weld would go, weld into that. Hey presto, a spot weld.

[james105]

same method as above here, think they call it a plug weld, info here:

http://www.mig-weldi...k/plug-weld.htm

[alexcrosse]

i call it a pot weld

[james105]

think different people call it different things. its like me calling my brother an ugly mug, but his girl friend keeps calling him 'hey gorgoues'haha

[sixwheeler]

Evenin'

I am shortly going to replace my front panel. In order to do so I intend to hire a spot welder. I also need to repair the iner wings where the front panel meets them. Now, my skills with a MIG are not great, so I am wondering if I were to apply repair patches to the inner wings with a continual seam of overlapping spot welds - will that be good enough for the MOT man? Not sure if i could even manouver the spot welder into position yet , but with no front panel I thought that i might?

What are yer thoughts - and remember there's a fine line between genius and insanity!!!

Matt

Repair patches as far as I know have to be seam welded (where they are structural/within 12 inches of suspension mountings). If you are replacing a panel then you can spot weld it on.

I have always pot/pool welded with a mig when putting on new panels - rather than spot welding, but you do need to be acurate and make sure that the weld goes through and melts into the lower panel.

[camp freddy]

If the joint was originally spot welded it can be refitted by spot or plug welding, if there were no joins ie part of a panel is being fitted or a patch then the joint should be seam welded ie a continuous weld ( not stitched or a line of spot welds)

[Ethel]

If the joint was originally spot welded it can be refitted by spot or plug welding, if there were no joins ie part of a panel is being fitted or a patch then the joint should be seam welded ie a continuous weld ( not stitched or a line of spot welds)

You could make a continuous weld of spots that'd be stronger than a butted seam weld, of course that'd be impossible if you couldn't access both sides of the panel.

[camp freddy]

If the joint was originally spot welded it can be refitted by spot or plug welding, if there were no joins ie part of a panel is being fitted or a patch then the joint should be seam welded ie a continuous weld ( not stitched or a line of spot welds)

You could make a continuous weld of spots that'd be stronger than a butted seam weld, of course that'd be impossible if you couldn't access both sides of the panel.

a continuous weld of spots would not be allowed on a join which was not an original spot welded joint
as if it was a line of spot welds there would be gaps between each weld.

[alexcrosse]

only need access to 1 pannel for plugs too
same strength if u practice

[camp freddy]

only need access to 1 pannel for plugs too
same strength if u practice

plug welds would only be allowed on a previously spot welded joint,
a spot wld is a resistance welded joint using electrodes
and a plug weld is a fusion welded joint utilising a drilled / punched hole
and a metal filler ie mig / gas weld.

[Ethel]

only need access to 1 pannel for plugs too
same strength if u practice

plug welds would only be allowed on a previously spot welded joint,
a spot wld is a resistance welded joint using electrodes
and a plug weld is a fusion welded joint utilising a drilled / punched hole
and a metal filler ie mig / gas weld.

Petrol tanks are put together with continuous spots. It may well be true tha MoT testers won't accept anything other than a continuous seam weld but they're not the strongest means of joining steel - otherwise cut 'n shut cars would be readily accepted as road worthy

[Dan]

Fuel tanks are roller welded, same as the roof seam. And non-structural. Roller welding is kind of like contiguous spot welds but there is no end to the spot. I know what you are getting at about overlapping the spots into one line but it still doesn't make a proper contiguous weld because one is finished and cooling before the next is started, the result tears easily I believe and contamination is a problem.

[Zenob1]

Cheers guys - appricaite all the feedback and thoughts.

Matt