Npulver's 71 Fj55 Build "Sea Unicorn" (1 Viewer)

[npulver]

I just go to show that you can have little body work knowledge and basic tools and get a lot done. Anyone that's afraid to dive in because of the lack of knowledge. I say jump in, learn something new! Remember it's just metal!

And thanks Ron for the kind words. I love doing my own work and learning the the process. Has been very rewarding thus far.

 

[71greenpig]

I need some of your courage npulver. As I can not weld but want to learn....got some places I need to fix as well. ..but scared to bite the bullet and learn to weld, don't want to mess up, then again it's just metal uh?

 

[npulver]

Before embarking on this adventure I did have some experience working with metal, just not much. I have welded and built things from steel. But my skills are limited by my time doing it. Unfortunately you can only learn one way. I did however take a few scrap pieces of metal and do some weld passes on those first before doing it on the bobm metal.

As they say, practice practice practice. Without trying you can never fail or succeed. I like to at least say I tried.

 

[scrapdaddy]

I was told this one time, that Babe Ruth had the homerun record, but he also had the strike out record. I don't know if that's true, but the moral is just keep swinging!

 

[abqcruiser]

I don't know if this will help, but I was in the same boat as npulver as far as welding experience. I watched a lot of u-tube videos on bodywork and thin metal welding. It helped having that visual on what a good weld should look like and techniques to achieve it. There were also some good advice on getting the settings on your welder right. That was an area where I struggled the most.

 

[npulver]

I don't know if this will help, but I was in the same boat as npulver as far as welding experience. I watched a lot of u-tube videos on bodywork and thin metal welding. It helped having that visual on what a good weld should look like and techniques to achieve it. There were also some good advice on getting the settings on your welder right. That was an area where I struggled the most.

After Ron and Rayjon gave me some tips i did some googling of how to weld sheet metal, did get some good tips from the videos i watched. My biggest issue apart from the crappy welder is patience. I lack it. lol

As far as welding itself, with a good welder i can lays some decent beads with good penetration. My issue with my current welder is it basically has no settings. High/low and Slow/fast with no gas option. Currently for welding the thicker metal to the sheet metal im using high/slow and im looping from the thick metal to the thin and only doing an inch or two at a time. Seems to be working well.

 

[abqcruiser]

Well you already have more patience than me. The first thing I did was buy a better welder, after fighting with my old one. That's pretty impressive considering what you are currently using.

 

[bobm]

Welder can make all the difference.

 

[npulver]

After today I'm about ready to get a new welder. Probably will also be a 110 for now. But will have a gas option.

 

[abqcruiser]

i went the 110 route as well on my upgrade, mainly because my garage isn't wire for 220. I was eager to get started, but in hind site I should have bought a bigger welder. It will just give you more options in the future. fortunately I have a friend close by with a larger welder that I can use any time. Like Bob said a better welder will make a big difference. Just don't go for the welders out of Home Depot or Lowes. There is a difference, especially in the Lincoln welders. IMHO the big boxes just sell a cheaper version of what the welding supply houses sell. If you are leaning towards Lincoln, I can look up the model that I bought. The nice feature that it has is the infinite adjustment on both the wire speed feed and power out put adjustment. I got talked into the Lincoln, but I have also used Miller's version and was equally impressed.

 

[npulver]

I currently have my garage pre wired for 220. Just need to choose a location on a wall to run the wire and outlet. Depending on money and time frame I might lean towards a 220. Only time will tell. Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[J Mack]

I currently have my garage pre wired for 220. Just need to choose a location on a wall to run the wire and outlet. Depending on money and time frame I might lean towards a 220. Only time will tell. Thanks for the thoughts.

A couple things to look at if comparing welder’s especially when it comes to 120 vs. 230, the miller 120 VAC machine is rated @ 90 A @ 20% Duty Cycle and the 230 VAC machine is rated @ 135 A @ 30% Duty Cycle. With the 120 V machine you will be welding up close to its max giving you about 2 to 3 minutes of welding per ten minutes of time, with the 230V machine you’ll be welding in the middle of its range giving you 5 to 6 minutes of welding per ten minutes of time.

Duty cycle is the number of minutes out of a 10-minute period a welder can operate. A 20% Duty Cycle machine can weld at or near max for two minutes and then must cool down during the remaining eight minutes to prevent overheating and/or the weld will start falling off if you push it.



All my machines are 100% Duty cycle because I got tired of waiting or having my welds suffer for pushing a machine past its limits.



Hope this helps

 

[bobm]

Miller 211 autoset has both. Nice machine, does Aluminum also with optional spool gun.

 

[davegonz]

Goood job npulver. Post up some more pics of the front body mount if you can. I just ordered the two front ones from BobM.

 

[npulver]

Goood job npulver. Post up some more pics of the front body mount if you can. I just ordered the two front ones from BobM.

You wanting more pictures as she sits or the process of me cutting it out ect.?

 

[davegonz]

Both.

Are you putting in new rubber mounts?

 

[npulver]

Yes, I have new poly bushings and stainless hardware to go back in.

 

[PabloCruise]

Wow, so much cutting. You are learning a TON, I am envious of your experience!

 

[PabloCruise]

I was told this one time, that Babe Ruth had the homerun record, but he also had the strike out record. I don't know if that's true, but the moral is just keep swinging!

I heard the same. If you want to hit homers, you have to be willing to take a swing (and strike out sometimes)!

 

[bobm]

You in the garage? Or waiting to un-wrap new Welder in morning?