25 replies to this topic

[GreaseMonkey]

Hi,

The offside inner arch in mini is looking like this



Basically instead of replacing the whole lot im assuming it is fine to replace the top bit with all the holes with this ?


 untitled.bmp   291.38K   95 downloads

how should it be welded in ?


Also the spot welder from hss hire is it fine to run on a household socket because it does say it runs at 240v ?

thanks

[liam_italian]

Erm I wouldn't run it on a household socket! Mine runs on a 16amp 230v socket! The problem with a spot welder is they need alot of juice to get going!

Also how are you going to spot weld the new piece on? as I cant see how you are going to be able to reach where you need to weld with all the other panels in the way!

[R1mini]

I would put a complete arch in if I were you, trying to split it on the car is a pain and more than likely it will have rusted elsewhere when you try to cut it all apart

As liam_italian says, most likely you won't be able to reach the areas that need joining as originally the wheelarch panels would have been assembled off the car then fitted to the car in one piece, you could use a mig to do it in pieces on the car if your determined to only fit the part panel

The smaller migs will easily run of a 13 amp supply

Cheers
David

[GreaseMonkey]

so it is better to do the whole lot ?

the one from hss says it runs off a 240v supply ?

could i maybe hire a transformer for it as well or something ?

Edited by GreaseMonkey, 23 February 2008 - 05:30 PM.

[R1mini]

It's not the volts, it's the amps that cause the problem, you would need to run the spot welder of a cooker circuit or something similiar, a circuit that can run more than the usual 13amps.

The main problem is a lot of places that need to be welded you will not physically able to reach and you will have to use a mig anyway, get a mig do the lot with the mig it's easier

Cheers
David

[liam_italian]

Probably easier to replace the whole arch as R1mini suggested. It will mean you can spot weld most of it back on and only require the mig to attach it to the seat back panel etc!

[morley]

it doesn't matter about the volts, it's only 230 volts nowadays because the power distributor companies couldn't gaurantee a 240v supply to evey home hence why they had to say it is 230v

[v21ash]

The spot welder from HSS is a 2+2mm and is 230v 32amp it states 32a industrial supply on the website and in the book. Most smaller 1+1mm spot welders can be run from a 16amp supply.

I hired one from HSS about 6 months ago and i wired a 32amp socket into my garage consumer unit. You could wire into your cooker supply or if you have space add a 32amp breaker into your house consumer unit (don't forget to check the breaker rating of the main incomer first).

But as said above, i don't see how you will be able to spot weld the arch, better off plug welding with a mig.

[GreaseMonkey]

so is plug welding generally as good as spot welding then ?

[liam_italian]

not really, purely because you have to grind your weld down then and tidy it all up. With a spot welder it's basically weld and job done, all nice and clean and most importantly of all, it makes the job look like it would have when it left the factory!

[midridge2]

be aware that its not just hire a spot welder and away you go, spot welders have to be set up.
you need to file the tips to a certain angle to give you a certain width depending on the thickness of the amount of steel you are spotting.
you have to set it up for the timmer and other settings to give you the correct spot weld.
a spot weld can look fine but is very weak if not done setting the machine up.

[liam_italian]

As above really, you need to set it up, although I would advise against file'in the tips, better to clean them with a bit of scotchbrite!

Best way to set it all up is to get two pieces of sheet matal and practice on them, once you think you have it setup properly, do a line of spot welds to join two pieces of sheet steel together and then do a destruction test on them, basically do your very best to destroy and rip the spot welds apart!

Edited by liam_italian, 24 February 2008 - 05:36 PM.

[GreaseMonkey]

how is the rear inner arch held in ? By spotwelds i presume ?

[midridge2]

sorry liam, but you have to file the tips of the electrodes, the contact point of the tips have to be a certain width for the thickness of the steel.
the thicker the metal the wider the tips, the thinner the metal the smaller the width, there is a table of measurments for this.
to wide and you will burn through, to narrow and it will not spot well.
scothbrite is for cleaning them.
the correct way to test a spot weld is one spot on 2 bits of steel the same gauge as you are going to spot, and twist the steel to unbutton the spot. it should come apart with a few good twists and leave a spot on each plate.

Edited by mattyoung69, 24 February 2008 - 08:34 PM.
No need for insults.

[liam_italian]

sorry liam, but you have to file the tips of the electrodes, the contact point of the tips have to be a certain width for the thickness of the steel.
the thicker the metal the wider the tips, the thinner the metal the smaller the width, there is a table of measurments for this.
to wide and you will burn through, to narrow and it will not spot well.
scothbrite is for cleaning them.
the correct way to test a spot weld is one spot on 2 bits of steel the same gauge as you are going to spot, and twist the steel to unbutton the spot. it should come apart with a few good twists and leave a spot on each plate.

Yes I agree that you need to make the tips the right size for the panels you are welding. However again DO NOT FILE THE TIPS, this should be done with a dressing tool which is designed for shaping the tips! Leave the file method to the cowboys!

Can I also draw your attention to the fact that this is a forum for everyone to share ideas and try and give friendly advise and help to each other. Therefore there is no need to be insulting to other users by telling them to shut their gobs, atleast give someone the benefit of the doubt that they either A. Misread your post, or B. Got it wrong and may actually admit to being wrong aswell.

Edited by mattyoung69, 24 February 2008 - 08:35 PM.
As above.