Welders Save My Sanity Please

As any one following my build knows I am in the process of rebuilding the tub. I am currently replacing the bad areas with patch panels on the drivers side panel. I was getting frustrated today so called it quits for the day.
I am in the learning process of welding panels and think the welding is going good. My question is when to stop.

Do I get the seams perfect like below to use very little filler cuz I'm anal.


But my problem seams to be in the grinding phase. As you can see below in my quest for perfection I grind the joint down but then the sheet metal gets so thin it makes another weld impossible



As you can see here


So now I'm replacing this section when I was supposed to be done today with this side





So do I leave the joint like this and rely on a thin coat of filler to blend



Or do I try to get it more like this ? When do I stop



This is where I stand with the side panel

 

Its all personal preference my friend.

 

My personal preference is perfection but that doesn't seem to work out lol

 

I hold a light behind the panel to see where I missed and it goes downhill form there

 

Filler shouldn't be viewed as a cop out or lesser method... it has its place in restoration and body work...

If filler will keep your project rolling and make it more enjoyable.... there is your answer.

 

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So do I leave the joint like this and rely on a thin coat of filler to blend
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Yes. Short strand fiberglass filler is the waterproofing. The weld is the structural bond. Tiny holes are no big deal. Cool thing about a jeep is that there's virtually no place you can't get to both sides.

 

I weld about like you do. Not afraid to use plastic. If you look around here you will see some awesome welding and am envious of their work. Sadly unless I start to do it for a living every day I don't think I have enough laps round the sun left to master the art.

I have learned to admire others work, and slap plastic over mine.

Jon.

 

There's is absolutely nothing wrong with using a skim of filler to fix the minor imperfections. I, myself, might go back and spot in small holes like that with the mig turned way down to avoid a blow out. Just a quick zapp to get it filled. Or I might not if I've had enough of it already. Thin metal is tough and frustrating sometimes. Body work in general is tough and frustrating for me. I tend to be anal about this stuff too but, when it gets to the point where it's good and I realize that my perfectionist side is getting the better of me, I move on.

As said, it's really up to you and your own quality control expectations.

I'm not real good at much of anything so, I find myself striving for perfection in the hope of attaining mediocrity. As a result, it seems to take me forever togged things done. It usually turns out better than I think it is,...or so others tell me. Maybe they're just being kind.

Not much help maybe but, at least you know you're not alone.

 

Where you stop is when there are no holes. You don't want there to be any exposure to unfinished metal to moisture. I'm not comfortable with moisture migration in to filler as its porous. I've seen fiberglass pop off metal due to moisture.

 

One thing I try to do is only grind down the weld to the surrounding metal. Try to stay away from the surrounding metal.

 

no shame in using filler. you want to focus on staying ginding only on the weld and minimize ginding on the base metal. i like to use a cut off disk to carfully hit the welds then blend with a 120 grit flap disk. if you have a good air compressor try using an angle die grinder with 2" or 3" sanding disks. they take i little longer but you get better control than a 4 1/2" grinder.

 

Nothing wrong with what your doing...............The first step to a good weld is having good clean material to weld to..........that includes the reverse side also , any trace of rust or or dirt will contaminate the weld and then not properly fuse together............like the others mentioned a little filler is OK...................Next time just build up the weld on the seam and grind it off only.

 

Dont grind down the surrounding material too much. Once you take it off its not going to get back on. Use some extra filler wire fed in by hand as you are welding when you with the thin parts. Wire wheel it and then make ugly blobby weld with another pass. You're welding not such good material and you need to get enough attached to weld onto. then grind it down, but dont be aggressive to the already thin adjacent material.

 

using a little putty is ok
but a better way to do patches is flange edge of patch or outside of opening in tub
Eastwood Air Flange Punch Tool

 

I have the manual version.

Eastwood Perfect Panel Prep Tool®

Works great, I use this type of repair when the back side doesn't show.

 

short strand fiberglass filler(not that chopped stuff) to fill the slight edges/holes,a quality filler for finish and a good 2k filler primer and sanding repeat filler primer as necessary to finish. a guide coat(cheap contrasting spray paint) sprayed over the filler primer will highlight the low spots for easy sanding till smooth.

 

When you get close to knocking most the weld down on the sheet metal. I have found a hand file will give you more control