[Blackdog]

Just wondering how you pro's do it. This is how I do it:

1. Small holes from say 1/4 inch down, I just use my mig to slowly weld it shut.

2. Holes bigger that 1/4 inch, I try to find a washer to weld in.

I'm never really happy with the results. Seems like alot of heat. How do you guys do it?

Thanks

 

[Ron M]

I am no pro bodyman, but a metal man), but from what I have read, some use either tig or braze. They are both softer than mig and can be shaped easier. The tig obviously has less heat used properly. I hear of folks who also use copper as a back up for filling the hole and as a heat sink. If you want to go fast witrhout distortion at all, how about metal bonding adhesive from 3M, Fusor or similar? Just a thought on the last one.

 

[Magnus_Jager]

I've done the copper backing with MIG, and was very pleased. I've found it keeps the metal from burning up as well as giving something to arc to. The biggest hole I filled with it was about 1/2" circle, and I've filled up to 1/4" gaps between panels with it.

I'm also experimenting with panel bonding adhesives like Lord Fusor, but I've only used it for attaching longer pieces like part of my floor, because you have to do a new tip each time I use it. (unless you where doing alot of small patches at once, and have more clamps than me...) The fusor is also supposed to be water tight so you should not get water between the patch and panel.

 

[Dubz]

i've welded up 1/2" holes with a mig without distortion of the surrounding metal, just weld around the outside slowly like as if you were tacking a panel in, then grind those welds flush and repeat until the hole is gone

far from being a pro bodyman, but it seemed to work fine for me