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Rusty Floor Panel and No Welder

Pman

Busted Knuckles
Lifetime Member
City
Mount Pleasant
State
SC
With the spot welds cut out, I needed to separate the rocker from the floorpans. The problem was the two sections were “rusted together”, so it was time to break out the air chisel. This made short work of it, and also revealed the next issue: the lip on the rear pan was partially rusted out, and unusable. I’d need to create a new “lip” for the fresh rocker panel to attach to (for structural purposes). I took a scrap piece of metal and stitched in a new lip. Turned out good and very strong. This will all be hidden, so it doesn’t have to be pretty, but I’ll still clean it up before I assemble everything.
 

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Pman

Busted Knuckles
Lifetime Member
City
Mount Pleasant
State
SC
At this point I’ve cut the bad metal out of the rocker, and have the replacement panel set up and ready to weld in. Note the panel clamps. These are really handy to keep your metal “in place as you begin your welds. I have a bit more work to tighten everything up before I stitch this section in. Since I’m starting to stray from the floor pans now, I’ll end this here (and resume on my own thread). Hope all this rambling chatter and pics helped. I’ll post the finished floor pans when I get everything else done.
 

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wm69

Scrambler Junkie
Silver Member
Lifetime Member
City
God's Country
State
AR
Ugh! It doesn't take much with these Heeps of ours! Man, that is great you are taking a course. I've had to learn from my mistakes over the years, and wish I'd have taken a course. You'll be able to do some serious damage when you're done!! My MIG machine is by far one of my favorite tools in the garage. I've run quite a bit of wire through it, and repaired so many rusty panels on Jeeps (not to mention frames, mufflers, etc). I'm having a blast with this plasma cutter, too. A bit more money than I wanted to spend, but just cutting the rocker panel out took about 30 seconds, and I used a piece of heavy steel as a "guide", so the cut was straight. Won't warp the sheet metal either!!

Only two of us signed up for the class so they cancelled it. I talked to the guy teaching it and he said "Just go on youtube, lot's of how-to videos on there"

Ah well, maybe they'll post it again in the fall.
 

Pman

Busted Knuckles
Lifetime Member
City
Mount Pleasant
State
SC
Only two of us signed up for the class so they cancelled it. I talked to the guy teaching it and he said "Just go on youtube, lot's of how-to videos on there"

Ah well, maybe they'll post it again in the fall.
What a bummer! If I was in the same town I’d have signed up for it, too! YouTube has some good content but nothing like “hands on” experience from a guy skilled in the trade.
 

Belizeit

CJ-8 Member
Gold Member
City
River Ridge
State
La
A few years back I was looking on line at the local Vo Techs to find something in welding but nothing. Many years ago there were ship building yards and pipelines and oil platforms, but much of that has disappeared now.
 

wm69

Scrambler Junkie
Silver Member
Lifetime Member
City
God's Country
State
AR
My wife teaches at the local community college, so I can take classes there free. They merged with the local Vo-tech a couple of years ago, and I've been waiting for a night time welding class for a while. They offer them during the day and those classes always have enough students to make, but I'm at work then so can't get up there.
 

Pman

Busted Knuckles
Lifetime Member
City
Mount Pleasant
State
SC
My wife teaches at the local community college, so I can take classes there free. .
When I read this first sentence, I thought you were married to Rosie the Riveter! ??
 

wm69

Scrambler Junkie
Silver Member
Lifetime Member
City
God's Country
State
AR
When I read this first sentence, I thought you were married to Rosie the Riveter! ??

Ha, no she teaches science. I wish she could weld. Would be convenient!
 

ag4ever

Average Nut
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Silver Member
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Richmond
State
TX
I talked to the guy teaching it ...

Talk to him about doing an "out of program" private class for the 2 of you. Bet he has a welder in his garage and you could have a lot better experience in a near one-on-one setting.
 

Pman

Busted Knuckles
Lifetime Member
City
Mount Pleasant
State
SC
Speaking of his advice to watch videos on the internet, Craig Hopkins is a true master. These are good “teaser videos” but he shares quite a bit. One of my favorites.

Conversely, there’s some garbage out there! A body shop has a channel and the work they post as “instructional” is downright horrid. On one video they lap weld in a terrible looking patch on the rear quarter of a car, with no weld thru primer (or any protection on the backside of the panel. They then beat that section down, grind it and then glob on the filler. He gets drilled in the comments section!
 
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