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Body Repair
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With the damaged areas on the door prepped and sanded down to the bare metal, serious repair can begin with use of welding equipment.
Welding Note :
- Welding can be extremely dangerous if not done properly, and if a number of critical safety Note are not followed. Undertake welding only if you have had proper instruction.
- Always wear eye protection - goggles or safety glasses - when using any power tools.
- It is imperative to put on a welding helmet with a suitable visor, and welding gloves before you begin work. There are different visor lenses depending on the type of welding being done. Make sure that you have the appropriate lens. Welding while using the wrong lens could result in damage to your eyes.
- It's a good idea to have a spray-bottle filled with water nearby when welding in case something ignites from a welding spark.
Note :
- Be certain that the welder's ground clamp is connected to a clean metal surface before you begin.
- Be aware of the distance from your work surface and how quickly you are welding. The rate at which you move along the joint is called "travel speed." It may be necessary to slow down or back off slightly on your welds.
Welding Tips :
- For our repair, we used a MIG wire-feed welder. Welders are available from equipment rental stores. Be certain to follow all directions and safety Note that come with the equipment. Welders have a number of settings that vary according to the job. Lower-voltage settings should be used for thinner metal. For our repair, the voltage was set to "1."
- The welding mechanism uses a wire that extends from the end of a nozzle. A trigger activates the end of the wire and introduces a flammable gas to create a clean weld. "MIG" stand for "metal inert gas." Most professionals use gas welders because they produce such a clean weld.
- At the start of the weld, the wire at the tip of the welder should protrude about 1/4-inch beyond the end of the nozzle. Once you've established your arc, you can go to a longer "stick-out" to fill larger gaps.
- Once you're finished welding, use the disc grinder to smooth the welded area.
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