Welding and metal fabrication

[marc4242]

I did a 10 week welding course and want the excuse to get a MIG welder.  I've a rusty portion that wants cutting out,  and a new bit welding in.  Yes, it would probably be easier just to buy a door, but then I wouldn't 'need' the welder. 

It will take a lot of practice welding for me to be comfortable doing the welding, but I'm reasonably confident about that.   

What I'm pretty clueless on, is how to cut out the old rust / metal (angle grinder?  Anything else?) and then how to make the new metal section. 

Marc

[TITCH]

You can buy an air operated cutter! Look at CLARKES tools as examples of air tools etc. it'll give you the right idea, sometimes a grinder is a bit too cumbersome.
Titch

[marc4242]

My immediate reaction was that I don't have room in my single garage for a compressor, but thinking about there are 2 external cupboards at the rear of the garage, so I guess the compressir could live there ... hmmm ... thanks! 

[Dell Boy]

I use a 115 or 125 angle grinder with metal slitting discs all the time. I have a Clarkes air operated angle grinder which I have hardly used. The slitting discs are too small so you don`t get the depth of cut you want & the discs last no time at all & are not generally available at usual suppliers. Just buy a reasonable 115 m.m. 240 volt angle grinder plus 10 slitting discs, plug it in & off you go. Plus you can use it for other tasks & operate it anywhere an electric lead will reach. Derek.

[marc4242]

Thanks Derek.

Now, can someone advise me on the metal frabrication side of things, eg what tolls to use, is there any information you'd recommend on the web?  I look in on http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/ sometimes and there's some interesting info there.  Where would I go to buy suitable metal?

[marc4242]

Well, this was right in front of my nose:

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/metal-suppliers.htm

[Dell Boy]

How much do you want to spend? Most tasks can be achieved with a strong/sturdy bench with a 150 m.m. engineers vice securely mounted on it, a 3 foot length of scaffold tube, heavy hide mallet, a lot of ingenuity & what is known as a good "eye". A more sophisticated set up would include a few bits of 50 m.m. angle iron. Metal can come from scrap yards, old washing machines etc. etc.  Derek.

[marc4242]

What is the scafolding and angle iron for, for shaping things around?

[Dell Boy]

Yes, mount the tube in the vice & shape curves by beating the sheet metal round it with the hide mallet. A little bit at a time. Same with the angle iron to make right angles etc. Derek.