Sheetmetal replacement with TIG?

[Jemo]

I'm very new to this but love it! I'm getting better and better at Tig by the day and was planning to buy a Tig machine in the next month or two for the house.

I've also been looking for a few months for a neat old car to play around with and found one this weekend! '56 Chevy 210 2-door. For a 50-year old car, it's not all that rusty. Needs some small patches on both of the quarter's behind the front doors, the lower part of both front fenders and most of all - full piece floor pans for both sides.

I've looked all over the internet at using my newly developed Tig skills on doing the patches myself with aftermarket panels but every single one of the sites uses Mig. I'd imagine that one reason is that it is much faster but if I go ahead and buy a Tig machine, do I still need to buy a Mig to make these repairs? I wasn't anticipating having to buy two machines and don't know how to Mig anyways.

What do you suggest?

Jeff

[sha_ba_do_bang]

If you can TIG than you can MIG. And the reason most body shops and the like use MIG is because its easier to learn and way quicker.

You will also almost always grind down the weld after you weld in the panel so if you can weld it 4 times faster with mig then grind it makes more money , especially in a shop.

I would buy the tig, and if your only doing sheet metal than definatly buy the TIG. I have a millermatic MIG and recently bought the schncrowave and its great. Since i do alot of custom fabrication and not so much repair old rusty things, i use the TIG quite abit.
Good Luck and lets see some pics!!

[houseoffubar]

Tig rules! Where's the pictures of the '56? Eric

[norm]

mig only takes one hand
the other hand can hold the part in position

tig takes two hands
one for the torch the other for the filler rod

mig is easier to learn
better suited for many production jobs

[Pete's Metalshaping]

Most body shops will mig weld the panel in, grind the weld and bondo over everything to finish it off. Mig welds are harder, therefore difficult to metal finish. I generally will either gas weld or tig, mostly gas because I've been gas welding a lot longer.

Your mileage may vary.

[rookie]

If you can TIG, stick with it, you will have less weld build up than with a MIG. If I didn't have either and was going to buy, I'd buy a TIG set up.

Phil

[Jemo]

Thanks fellas!

I feel much better now. The Tig machines aren't cheap so I had already accepted that I'd buy one of those but then when it looked like I might also have to buy a Mig, I got a little discouraged.

The car is a semi-basketcase at first glance. No glass, desperately needs paint, 4 flat tires. It has promise though. The seller is going to bring it to my house on Sunday afternoon so I'll try to post pics then. Stay positive, it will look better soon. :D

After I get the car, order the replacement metal, and buy the Tig, I'll post again for some guidance on how to put them in. Never done this before so I'll need some help. As Norm stated the facts about Tig, I'm a little puzzled how you feed rod with one hand, hold the torch with the other AND be on your knees while putting in the new floors.

Thanks everyone.

Jeff

[Irrational Metalworks]

Pretty soon you will be able to lay on your back and stick the foot pedal in your arm pit!! Done that before. Stick with it, you will get the hang of it. One day you will look back and remember these days and smile!


Tim @ Irrational Metalworks

[tdoty]

I'm a little puzzled how you feed rod with one hand, hold the torch with the other AND be on your knees while putting in the new floors.

That would be called balance :D .

Personally, I'd be willing to trade the speed of mig for less grinding ..................... but I'm too cheap to pony up the dough for a tig right now. I use the tig at work a lot, and mostly to avoid grinding if I don't have to.


Tim D.

[docauto]

Most TIGs are available with a hand control (Miller has a nice one, fits on the torch), makes the juggling a little easier (no feet required, I can barely chew gum and walk at the same time).

Dave