ChrisS
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 09:01 PM |
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Rippled Steel Floor - Welding Tip
All of those who have already welded in your steel panels and floors will tell you its pretty much impossible to get them welded on without getting a
rippled effect caused by the heat distortion from the welding.
Theres no real trick to stopping this from happening, but there is a way to resolve this after fully welding the panel in.
Once fully welded find the high or low spot as near to the middle of the panel as possible, then using not too much power as to burn through the panel
weld a spot making it gradually larger depending of the severity of the distortion in the panel. Once youve done this you should find that the once
distorted panel is as tight as a drum.
Best of luck.
Digital Eyes - digital cctv specialists
www.digital-eyes.co.uk
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phelpsa
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 09:13 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by ChrisS
All of those who have already welded in your steel panels and floors will tell you its pretty much impossible to get them welded on without getting a
rippled effect caused by the heat distortion from the welding.
Theres no real trick to stopping this from happening, but there is a way to resolve this after fully welding the panel in.
Once fully welded find the high or low spot as near to the middle of the panel as possible, then using not too much power as to burn through the panel
weld a spot making it gradually larger depending of the severity of the distortion in the panel. Once youve done this you should find that the once
distorted panel is as tight as a drum.
Best of luck.
Digital Eyes - digital cctv specialists
www.digital-eyes.co.uk
I might try that out.
Adam
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Mark Allanson
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 09:24 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by ChrisS
All of those who have already welded in your steel panels and floors will tell you its pretty much impossible to get them welded on without getting a
rippled effect caused by the heat distortion from the welding.
Theres no real trick to stopping this from happening, but there is a way to resolve this after fully welding the panel in.
Once fully welded find the high or low spot as near to the middle of the panel as possible, then using not too much power as to burn through the panel
weld a spot making it gradually larger depending of the severity of the distortion in the panel. Once youve done this you should find that the once
distorted panel is as tight as a drum.
Best of luck.
Digital Eyes - digital cctv specialists
www.digital-eyes.co.uk
commonly known as heat shrinking, best done with sexy ahotalene, but a blowlamp will also do the job. Work inwards with a spiral motion, planish with
a wooden mallet with a leather covered dolly underneath.
A lot or work, considering that only unlucky hedgehogs can see all your hard work
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
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Alan_Thomas
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 09:29 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by ChrisS
All of those who have already welded in your steel panels and floors will tell you its pretty much impossible to get them welded on without getting a
rippled effect caused by the heat distortion from the welding.
No ripples in my floor but then I drilled 5mm holes every 25mm around floor and plug welded to chassis - no distortion and a quick dress with the
grinder and it is as flat as the original sheet. - Alan
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Chris_R
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 09:52 PM |
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Why don't more people do that?
A bit of slapstick never hurt anyone.
http://www.chris.renney.dsl.pipex.com/
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Mark Allanson
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 10:17 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Chris_R
Why don't more people do that?
I plug welded mine, 8mm holes every 50mm, loads of distortion with 18g steel. If you don't get distortion with this thickness of steel you
simply have not used enough heat to secure the floor
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
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Chris_R
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 10:22 PM |
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Mark,
Would you expect distortion with 16swg?
A bit of slapstick never hurt anyone.
http://www.chris.renney.dsl.pipex.com/
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 10:31 PM |
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well, i know my 16swg is correctly welded then!
dunno if thats a
or a
atb
steve
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Mark Allanson
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 10:41 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Chris_R
Mark,
Would you expect distortion with 16swg?
Certainly, but it would be less pronounced
You will get distortion when using any flat plate, just look a a picture of a naval frigate, they are skinned in 1/4 plate
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
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Pseudo7
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 10:49 PM |
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"...drilled 5mm holes every 25mm around floor and plug welded to chassis..."
That's exactly what I was thinking of doing...shear loads will still be transferred as the plug welds are better in load transfer than fasteners,
but not as good as a fully perimeter welded panel. Better than a riveted alum panel however.
Properly dressed out, should look prettier too. Just more work drilling all those holes however
What about stitch welding around the perimeter of the panel in 1" lengths, alternating side to side, inside tube edge, outside tube edge?
Perhaps that would reduce/eliminate the warping? Similar to the pic attached (Ref. http://keith.miata.net/seven/flip.php?x=65)
I haven't welded any thin gage steel panels yet, so I don't have any experience.
 
Rescued attachment 7_drivers_floor.jpg
Pseudo7...similar, but not authentic!
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Mark Allanson
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 10:58 PM |
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The floor in the image is at least 2mm thick as you cannot get pickled plate in anything thinner. The welds look excellent, helped by the thickness of
plate
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
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kb58
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 11:01 PM |
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Another way is to bend up the edges of the floor pan 1/8" or so, and weld only those parts of it.
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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Alan_Thomas
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| posted on 6/1/05 at 11:08 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mark Allanson
quote:
Originally posted by Chris_R
Why don't more people do that?
I plug welded mine, 8mm holes every 50mm, loads of distortion with 18g steel. If you don't get distortion with this thickness of steel you
simply have not used enough heat to secure the floor
Distortion is not an essential sign of good weld penetration, its a sign of too much heat in the same place. My floor is 16swg and a single plug
produces no distortion. the secret is to weld one miss 3 weld one etc. By the thime you go back to weld the inbetween holes, again jumping over the
gaps, the metal has cooled enough that the plug weld does not heat the surrounding metal enough to cause distortion. - Alan
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