Thanks to all who responded to my questions! I wanted to avoid overlapping
the pieces of metal because of what the panel would look like from the back.
I like David's idea below the best for butt-welding in small areas at a time
to keep the panel from warping. This way, the panel should look okay from
the back side too. Will try it soon.
Thanks,
Bob
-----Original Message-----
From DLancer7676 at cs.com <DLancer7676@cs.com>
To: boxweed@thebest.net <boxweed@thebest.net>; atocci@advanta.com
<atocci@advanta.com>
Cc: spridgets@autox.team.net <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: Wednesday, March 15, 2000 7:59 PM
Subject: Re: Structural Repair
>In a message dated 3/15/2000 6:36:27 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>boxweed@thebest.net writes:
>
><< t sounds like a good way
> to match up the new patch panel with the old metal, but what keeps the
joint
> from warping when you weld them together? Any tricks to keep this from
> happening? >>
>
>Bob: I haven't tried the devices you are talking about but I have heard
>from others that they are great. A couple of ways to match them up are to
>match up the edges (using a grinder to get an exact match), then place a
>couple of strong magnets on them to hold them there while you tack them
>together. The magnets will hold them level as well. Another way is to
crimp
>one of the edges with a hand or pneumatic crimper (I have a pneumatic) so
>that it is offset and rides behind the other edge. You can clamp them with
>wide-jawed vice-grips or c-clamps. This method is great but the gap must
be
>carefully filled with rubber undercoating or seam sealer in order that it
>avoids becoming a rust trap.
>
>As per your question, when you get the edges of the sheet metal lined up (I
>really prefer the butt method of aligning to avoid that gap), you tack weld
>it about every 3-4 inches. Then run your beads between the tacks, skipping
a
>tack or two for each seam. In other words, picture the following as the
dots
>being the tacks and the numbers the spaces between the tacks:
>
> . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5
> .
>
>I would run a seam in #2, then #4, then #1, then #5, then #3, for example.
>
>This would keep you from overheating the panel and warping it. To run a
>straight bead from 1 to 5 would overheat the panel and cause warping.
>
>Hope this helps.
>
>--David C.
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