Rusty Thin Sheet Metal Blowing Holes Welding

Stick welding sheet metal with 6013 rods.

Rusty thin sheet metal blowing holes welding.

For these types of holes i start by cleaning the area around the hole with an angle grinder and flap disc. The most permanent repair to a hole in sheet metal is to weld the hole shut. I m welding very t. The easiest holes to fill are small holes about the diameter of a pen or smaller.

Any kind of welder can be used but the best results come from a competent repairman using a tig or mig welding machine. Video of the day. The photo is 1mm steel welded at a power setting normally reserved for 2mm steel. Try going for a wire of 023 inches when welding sheet metal.

Try applying that technique to steel less than 1mm in thickness and you are likely to blow a hole in the metal. Make sure to use an electrode wire that is thinner as it uses lesser heat and prevents blowing holes on to the sheet metal. Try welding with a scrap sheet metal piece and practice many times until you start working on more important projects. The complexity of welding increases as the thickness of the material decreases.

Sheet metal on the body of cars and trucks is pretty thin usually 18 22 gauge. The welding process actually adds new steel to the thin steel and can result in a repaired spot that is stronger than the original metal. A rust hole compromises the structural integrity of the metal. Two part epoxies are designed for this purpose and when applied to a clean surface the final repair will be undetectable after painting.