Dynasty 280 TIG welding body panels

[H80N Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close H80N]

Mark McDonald and Aaron Ellenbaum of Detroit Speed & Engineering explain why they prefer to TIG weld body panels using the Dynasty 280 TIG welder and the Dynasty 200DX TIG welder. Benefits of TIG welding the panels include less warpage, less cleanup and the ability to control the heat.

Here is a video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-yyTcnqVPY

[coxey2 Member Find all posts View Profile Close coxey2]

why

The more I see someone on tv weld body panels with a tig the sicker I get. It's too slow, too much prep, too much bull **** to mess with when a mig is up to the task...

[H80N Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close H80N]

The more I see someone on tv weld body panels with a tig the sicker I get. It's too slow, too much prep, too much bull **** to mess with when a mig is up to the task...

IMHO.... TIG is the only way to go in a critical restoration where you want the backside as pretty as the front... no bondo no bs...

yes it takes longer and involves more effort....

to each his own ... but TIG works for me...

MIG for sheetmetal in my world is reserved for stuff like dumptrucks and used cars...

[Tryagn5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tryagn5]

very few tig.....

IMHO.... TIG is the only way to go in a critical restoration where you want the backside as pretty as the front... no bondo no bs...

yes it takes longer and involves more effort....

to each his own ... but TIG works for me...

MIG for sheetmetal in my world is reserved for stuff like dumptrucks and used cars...

Like i have said in countless posts, very few tig body panels. First in a production shop, you would starve. Its hard enough to make time with a mig,,or spot welder. Second, why? Yes if you are doing a 100k build on a showcar perfect panels are great, unless.....its in a 100 stock class then welds that are perfect hurt the value of the car, as you are trying to duplicate factory finishes. Third...i have very little distortion probelms with a mig. Also im willing to bet most do there fit up with a mig anyhow. Now once all these aluminum body panels start to get dented and cracked i will be the first to use a tig.
Kevin

[H80N Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close H80N]

Like i have said in countless posts, very few tig body panels. First in a production shop, you would starve. Its hard enough to make time with a mig,,or spot welder. Second, why? Yes if you are doing a 100k build on a showcar perfect panels are great, unless.....its in a 100 stock class then welds that are perfect hurt the value of the car, as you are trying to duplicate factory finishes. Third...i have very little distortion probelms with a mig. Also im willing to bet most do there fit up with a mig anyhow. Now once all these aluminum body panels start to get dented and cracked i will be the first to use a tig.
Kevin

I won't change your mind.... and I am pretty comfortable doing things the way I do...
Think we are comparing Apples and Pomagranates anyway

Not in a production shop... do vintage racers and cherished old sportscars..
many times if I weld in a patch panel... it is one that I have handformed in house....
BTW... I live in a world where there are already a lot of Aluminum panels..

If a neighbor brings me his dumptruck... THAT will probably see the business end of the MM350P....MIG....
Otherwise.... not so much...

[Tryagn5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tryagn5]

panels?

I won't change your mind.... and I am pretty comfortable doing things the way I do...
Think we are comparing Apples and Pomagranates anyway

Not in a production shop... do vintage racers and cherished old sportscars..
many times if I weld in a patch panel... it is one that I have handformed in house....
BTW... I live in a world where there are already a lot of Aluminum panels..

If a neighbor brings me his dumptruck... THAT will probably see the business end of the MM350P....MIG....
Otherwise.... not so much...

Do you do a lot of older british cars? I have not seen any old amercian muscle cars which use aluminum panels. If the new f150 is an indicator, i think we will see many trucks, ie dump trucks, larger trucks start using more aluminum in there construction. The next shoe to drop in the emission world of fuel economy on 10k and up trucks, only way to do that is back of egr, ramp up urea injection, and reduce weight. The real test will be how the truck holds to static loads, as many aluminum trailers fail when left loaded over periods of time.

[sledsports Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close sledsports]

[QUOTE=Tryagn5;325879]Do you do a lot of older british cars? I have not seen any old amercian muscle cars which use aluminum panels. If the new f150 is an indicator, i think we will see many trucks, ie dump trucks, larger trucks start using more aluminum in there construction. The next shoe to drop in the emission world of fuel economy on 10k and up trucks, only way to do that is back of egr, ramp up urea injection, and reduce weight. The real test will be how the truck holds to static loads, as many aluminum trailers fail when left loaded over periods of time.

Aluminum has dominated the heavy truck industry in the US for 30 years or more. Theres 3 aluminum dump body's to 1 steel dump body on the road. 4 aluminum flat trailers to one composite or steel trailer. Kenworth cabs... Aluminum, Peterbilt... Aluminum, freightliner, wester star... aluminum and fiberglass. Even some class 8 aluminum chassis from the 60s 70s and 80s still floating around under these trucks... Shoot a lot of the ol girls had marine plywood in the floorboards!

[H80N Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close H80N]

[QUOTE=sledsports;326080]

Do you do a lot of older british cars? I have not seen any old amercian muscle cars which use aluminum panels. If the new f150 is an indicator, i think we will see many trucks, ie dump trucks, larger trucks start using more aluminum in there construction. The next shoe to drop in the emission world of fuel economy on 10k and up trucks, only way to do that is back of egr, ramp up urea injection, and reduce weight. The real test will be how the truck holds to static loads, as many aluminum trailers fail when left loaded over periods of time.

Aluminum has dominated the heavy truck industry in the US for 30 years or more. Theres 3 aluminum dump body's to 1 steel dump body on the road. 4 aluminum flat trailers to one composite or steel trailer. Kenworth cabs... Aluminum, Peterbilt... Aluminum, freightliner, wester star... aluminum and fiberglass. Even some class 8 aluminum chassis from the 60s 70s and 80s still floating around under these trucks... Shoot a lot of the ol girls had marine plywood in the floorboards!

Heck yea.... I recall a 66 California Peterbuilt that had aluminum cab and frame...... and many more commercial vehicles with a lot of aluminum... the heavier stuff is pretty easily addressed with an XR Alumapro or 30A on the MM350P..... the thinner stuff is done with TIG

I have done XK120 Jags with aluminum bonnet, doors & trunk... Porsche 928S and Cayenne Turbo's.... Audi A8.... even 1979 Olds Toronado with aluminum hood and decklid......etc... etc...
that darned stuff is and has been all around us...

[Tryagn5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tryagn5]

[QUOTE=H80N;326092]

Heck yea.... I recall a 66 California Peterbuilt that had aluminum cab and frame...... and many more commercial vehicles with a lot of aluminum... the heavier stuff is pretty easily addressed with an XR Alumapro or 30A on the MM350P..... the thinner stuff is done with TIG

I have done XK120 Jags with aluminum bonnet, doors & trunk... Porsche 928S and Cayenne Turbo's.... Audi A8.... even 1979 Olds Toronado with aluminum hood and decklid......etc... etc...
that darned stuff is and has been all around us...

My expirence with all aluminum semi truck cabs have been rivoted and glued body panels. I have only fixed one which got crushed by a gravel box and it was a nightmare. NEARLY impossible to remove the panel without destroying the other. There was no fixing it either, it was destroyed. Dents pulled than aluminum was streched. Never again. As for the olds...never saw a tornado ever get fixed, although i like the chevy 350 diesel that was in other models. Cant remember if the tornado got one or not. If kept cool the olds diesel was not that bad.
kevin

[WillieB Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close WillieB]

[QUOTE=H80N;326092]

Heck yea.... I recall a 66 California Peterbuilt that had aluminum cab and frame...... and many more commercial vehicles with a lot of aluminum... the heavier stuff is pretty easily addressed with an XR Alumapro or 30A on the MM350P..... the thinner stuff is done with TIG

I have done XK120 Jags with aluminum bonnet, doors & trunk... Porsche 928S and Cayenne Turbo's.... Audi A8.... even 1979 Olds Toronado with aluminum hood and decklid......etc... etc...
that darned stuff is and has been all around us...

At 18 I knew what a Jaguar was, could recognize one on the road, that was all. I answered an ad for a XK 120 basket case, the price was $1,000. I got there to look, a 19 year old blonde beauty had a rich uncle. He had dismantled a very nice car, sent components off for professional restoration. The body was stripped of paint, and steel was primed, aluminum was bare, wheels were restored and re chromed. Upholstery was new glove leather, engine and transmission were blueprinted, carbs rebuilt. I agreed to her asking price, but had to go to the bank. She wouldn't be home till 4:00 next day. I was at work at 4, I sent my mother with the money. When she arrived, a guy in an Eldorado was waiting. The bidding got to $3,000. I dropped out.


I never forgave myself! I searched for another XK 120, never have bought one, but I did have an XKE 4.2 Roadster with two tops. Not the car the 120 was, but very nice.