How To Mig Weld Sheet Metal Holes

My friend pete shows us the proper way to weld up small holes using a mig welder.

How to mig weld sheet metal holes.

With these materials use a tri mix gas 90 helium 8 argon and 2 co2. Short quick welds when welding sheet metal with a mig welder you do not want to try and run one long bead like when you re welding heavier metal. For years i ve triggered the mig welder to weld the hole shut. Keep in mind during the welding process it is important to direct the arc right at the center of the weld puddle and don t do movements like whipping or weaving as it may cause warping and burn through quickly.

Mig welding uses an arc of electricity to create a short circuit between a continuously fed anode the wire fed welding gun and a cathode the metal being welded. Learn how to mig weld automotive sheet metal in about 5 minutes or less. I keep it short and to the point in this welding instructional video and show how ve. When mig welding sheet metal it is important to set the proper parameters to prevent warping and burn through or else it will create excess heat and easily blowholes on the metal.

To obtain the best results while mig welding sheet metal proper fitment and cleanliness of the metal are essential. If you are welding a large panel then the expansion of the metal during. This will save burning holes in a panel and then having to try and fill or repair the damage you created. Tig welding is the way forward for metal under 0 6mm and a mig welder with decent power and wire control is needed for anything less than 0 8mm.

It is recommended that a welder should use 023 or 024 inch wire for light gauge sheet metal work. However if you are dealing with materials that are 18 gauge or thicker one should be able to use 030 inch welding wire. However i have discovered a much easier method for doing this. Tig welding sheet metal.

It takes practice to get it right but once you learn how to do it it becom. As a rule when mig welding sheet metal never use a body filler metal that is thicker than the base metal. The heat produced by the short circuit along with a non reactive hence inert gas locally melts the metal and allows them to mix together. Don t attempt to weld thin materials like sheet metal with flux cored wires which put more heat into the base metal.

Sheet metal warps easily and also can burn through easily. The backside of the patch should be sprayed with etching to prevent rusting. After cutting and fitting the new panel you are now ready to weld the patch panel in place. I was hoping to manage a butt weld too but the metal was far too thin for mig and i just blew holes.

Hold the panels in place.