wyzat520
Mar 20 2007, 01:29pm
Since i once read up on every shaving thread I could find. Then went out and actually did it. I now find myself trying to answer questions in threads. Allot of the same questions get asked and the same answers repeated.
First thing about shaving you need to know is MAKE TACK WELDS. Go extremly slow. If you weld to fast you will without a doubt warp the metal your working with. A warp takes more time (and money) to fix and is a big PITA. If the tack weld is cool to the touch do another. If you hear 'poping' its a sign to slow down. Make sure your filler plate is also the same guage (thickness) as the metal your welding to.
A MIG or TIG welder can be used. In the long run the final product will look the same. I prefer MIG because it requires only one hand and is easier for a beginer to use. When I was tack welding my filler plates into place I turned the heat on the MIG welder up just a little to make sure i got good penetration. Be carefure of burn through though.
After your done making tack welds you want to grind them flat. Be carefull with the grinder. Sparks can shoot onto the rest of your truck can burn paint, so just throw down an old blanket or something to adjacent areas. Also be carefull for heat. A grinder can create enough heat to warp the metal to. So dont keep it on for to long. If your metal is changing colors on your, your heating it up to much. Same thing as the tack welds, if its cool to the touch keep going. I found that no matter how 'flush' i thought i grinded my tacks down they seemed to always show through when i was sanding my filler, so i always grind them down just an extra bit. But to much and you'll just break your tack and you'll have to start over thats why i make sure i have good penetration with the welder.
Body filler is your freind. But not to much. Body filler applied to thick will crack. Especially places prone to vibration (tailgate/door being shut/hit) On my truck I used 'all metal' Its exactly like bondo but it doubles as a sealer to fight against any moisture that could get behind your work. It has aluminum in it. Its also used to prevent rust and stop rot out. Although ive never used it for that. After the all metal i used regular body filler then a glaze coat to make sure everything was really smooth.
Good luck, and keep it smooth!
First thing about shaving you need to know is MAKE TACK WELDS. Go extremly slow. If you weld to fast you will without a doubt warp the metal your working with. A warp takes more time (and money) to fix and is a big PITA. If the tack weld is cool to the touch do another. If you hear 'poping' its a sign to slow down. Make sure your filler plate is also the same guage (thickness) as the metal your welding to.
A MIG or TIG welder can be used. In the long run the final product will look the same. I prefer MIG because it requires only one hand and is easier for a beginer to use. When I was tack welding my filler plates into place I turned the heat on the MIG welder up just a little to make sure i got good penetration. Be carefure of burn through though.
After your done making tack welds you want to grind them flat. Be carefull with the grinder. Sparks can shoot onto the rest of your truck can burn paint, so just throw down an old blanket or something to adjacent areas. Also be carefull for heat. A grinder can create enough heat to warp the metal to. So dont keep it on for to long. If your metal is changing colors on your, your heating it up to much. Same thing as the tack welds, if its cool to the touch keep going. I found that no matter how 'flush' i thought i grinded my tacks down they seemed to always show through when i was sanding my filler, so i always grind them down just an extra bit. But to much and you'll just break your tack and you'll have to start over thats why i make sure i have good penetration with the welder.
Body filler is your freind. But not to much. Body filler applied to thick will crack. Especially places prone to vibration (tailgate/door being shut/hit) On my truck I used 'all metal' Its exactly like bondo but it doubles as a sealer to fight against any moisture that could get behind your work. It has aluminum in it. Its also used to prevent rust and stop rot out. Although ive never used it for that. After the all metal i used regular body filler then a glaze coat to make sure everything was really smooth.
Good luck, and keep it smooth!