Honey, I shrunk the Kar - was Welding 101

[alfacybersite <acs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm almost overwhelmed with all the great information.

Just like Mom, I've saved all of your letters. I really want to thank
Rick Lesniewicz, Tom Callahan, Randy Harris, Robert Gilberg, Mark
Denoivich, Peter Webb, Craig Baulderstone, David Khoe, Bill Gillham,
Russ Neely, David Fanagan, Skip Patnode, Will Owen, and Ron Horowitz.
Sorry if I've left anyone out.

Let me clarify what I'm using. It's made by Uniweld (apparently made in
the USA). I gather my two tips (0 & 2) are Victor Type (17). The system
was on sale for around $220 and with tax and filling the OA tanks came
to around $275.

Several books were suggested including Ron Fournier's Metal Fabricator's
Handbook and his Sheet Metal Handbook (the latter I have and friend Mike
is going to loan me the former). David Khoe was kind enough to include
the longish site where I could purchase a book written by his welding
instructor. The Welder's Bible seems to be popular.

Skip Patanode asked: "I have seen pictures of some of your work and it
is great!!  How have you managed all these years without a "smoke
wrench"? Wul now, not easily. I do have a shrinking hammer and also used
a 'picking and dinging' hammer. When the going gets tough, I've called
in Mike.

Regarding the bodywork itself, my Body Guru stops by from time to time
(believe he's weaned me completely at this point). He marvels at my
patience and admits that I generally / eventually get there - meaning by
the time I apply paint, those panels are surprisingly (to him) straight.

Yesterday (all my troubles were so...): I'd just talked to Mike, he
advised me on setting the pressure and gave me his take on lighting the
torch. Then I read Bill Gillham's post on the 750-101 Digest
specifically about shrinking. So I printed it out and combined his
recommendations with what Mike had just told me. Bill said to set the
oxy at 10 and the acetylene at 5 (somewhat lower than Mike had
suggested). Mike suggested to turn the acetylene on and just barely
crack the oxy and light. Most don't suggest you open the O until the A
is lit. Sorry, but Mike's made a bit more sense and since I've watched
him a number of times, he's never had problems with lighting.

I then adjusted the flame and as I'd seen Mike do and as Bill suggested,
started heating a small area with my gloved left hand holding the dolly
beneath, once red, set the torch quickly down on a pair of old car
stands and started hammering. Okay, wasn't a work of art, but it did
shrink nicely and didn't even get a pop the entire time. It took about
six or eight heating and hammerings and seemed to fill the bill. I then
cleaned up with a medium grit on a small sander and she was ready to go.
No, I'm not planning on getting to the stage where every inch of the
body has been worked by hand and there is not a drop of plastic filler
anywhere. However, it will be straight once painted.

Thanks all of you once again.

Biba
Irwindale, CA USA
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