does anyone have any tips on how to do this? usually when i'm welding something small right next to something i dont want to get burnt i just soak down an old rag with water to shield from sparks and ****... but thats not going to work very well inside of the interior of my civic...

please throw some ideas at me!

 

asking for melted plastic, holes in carpet, maybe a car in flames.

you have much more to lose than you do to gain. bad gamble, take it out.

 

im guessing ur planning on using a mig? if so id take everything out... it u were using a tig there really isnt much of a problem

 

If you decide not to remove the interior tin foil works good to cover most things.

 

why would you build a cage with your interior still in it.. ug.. all looks.. sounds like you don't really know what your doing, or your in a rush. Ethier way i think this is out of your class. Suggest you bring it some where, let the pro's do it

 

I wasn't saying that is how to do it. I'm just answering his question about tips on welding inside of a car with interior.

 

i weld the cage in with most of the interior still in the car .. if you leave the footing on the main hoop last this way you can move the cage around to get complete weld around .after you get the front bars and rear bars welded to the main hoop then set everything in place and weld in all your footings /plates..
hope that help good luck ..
http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/Rollcage

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by menkio &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">why would you build a cage with your interior still in it.. ug.. all looks.. sounds like you don't really know what your doing, or your in a rush. Ethier way i think this is out of your class. Suggest you bring it some where, let the pro's do it </TD></TR></TABLE>

Coming from a guy with $125 headwork and "PNP" in his sig, i'm not too offended by your comment.

i've watched my dad weld right beside plastic fairings, rubber bushings and polished aluminum engine cases and with adequete shielding and little tricks of the trade you can get away with this type of thing without a single spark hitting anything. lots of shop rags soaked in water is one trick I've used, another guy mentioned tin foil.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B20vtec86crx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i weld the cage in with most of the interior still in the car .. if you leave the footing on the main hoop last this way you can move the cage around to get complete weld around .after you get the front bars and rear bars welded to the main hoop then set everything in place and weld in all your footings /plates..
hope that help good luck ..
http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/Rollcage</TD></TR></TABLE>

thanks for the tip, i really like your 86 CRX, keep up the good work.

 

sometime you have to leave the interior in or they won't go back after the cage is weld.

 

you can just use some sort of heavy duty cloth drops,like even a car cover if again soaked lightly in water should be ok,i remeber once i was trying to teach my self to weld and used was in a set of loose shoes,i had one of those little spit fires roll all around under my foot.burnt the crap outa me.

 

I have built over 75 cages in the past 3 years with headliner and most of the side panels in the cars. Try putting that back in the car when the cage is built correctly and has a tight fit. Does not go back in. That is why you leave the interior in the car.

When welding the rear supports to the top of the main hoop, use a 12"x12" acrylic plastic or a piece of polycarbonate (lexan). It is easy to form around the contours. Metal shields transfer heat to the headliner. Some cars require the removel of the dash to get the carpet out. If that is the case, roll carpet up to the center, and cover with appropriate protection.

If you run into a problem, step back, look at what you are doing, something will come to mind. If it works, do it!

 

I just finished a 95 hatch .And I put the tubes that go forward through the vent holes in the dash.And its a 12 point with all the stock interior in .
But I didn't do it with it in.That's not real smart.
Anyway the way I keep the cage all the way up against the headliner .And still weld all the way around it is.Where ever the 6 main plates for the main hoops .I cut a hole the same size as the tube.
And tack the tube in the hole.Then when Its all tacked .I cut the tacks on the floor and drop the cage down through the holes and weld the top.Then lift it up and put the plates in and weld it up.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RMF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">.Where ever the 6 main plates for the main hoops .I cut a hole the same size as the tube.
And tack the tube in the hole.Then when Its all tacked .I cut the tacks on the floor and drop the cage down through the holes and weld the top.Then lift it up and put the plates in and weld it up.</TD></TR></TABLE>

huh . good idea.. i usualy leave the 6 plates last so i can wiggle the cage around to weld the top .

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RMF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I just finished a 95 hatch .And I put the tubes that go forward through the vent holes in the dash.And its a 12 point with all the stock interior in .
But I didn't do it with it in.That's not real smart.
Anyway the way I keep the cage all the way up against the headliner .And still weld all the way around it is.Where ever the 6 main plates for the main hoops .I cut a hole the same size as the tube.
And tack the tube in the hole.Then when Its all tacked .I cut the tacks on the floor and drop the cage down through the holes and weld the top.Then lift it up and put the plates in and weld it up.</TD></TR></TABLE>

maybe im not reading this right..let me see..are u saying once u realize right where u are going to mount the plates u drill a hole through them and the floor (the size of the tube) so the cage can slide down through there when u want to weld at the top of the main loop?..sorry if im slow

 

No ,I don't put a hole in the plates .I put a hole in the floor of the car.Then after I'm done I lift the cage up and slide the plates in between the cage and the hole.

 

ok cool, understood now.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PHOBIA &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you can just use some sort of heavy duty cloth drops,like even a car cover if again soaked lightly in water should be ok,i remeber once i was trying to teach my self to weld and used was in a set of loose shoes,i had one of those little spit fires roll all around under my foot.burnt the crap outa me.</TD></TR></TABLE>

yes, this has happened to be before when my pant legs weren't covering my heel.
my father works for honda of america, and he told me the best thing to do when that happens, is just to not move and grit your teeth. moving (trying to get your foot out) only makes it burn a larger area.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by the kid 86 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">does anyone have any tips on how to do this? usually when i'm welding something small right next to something i dont want to get burnt i just soak down an old rag with water to shield from sparks and ****... but thats not going to work very well inside of the interior of my civic...

please throw some ideas at me!</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think the best thing is to take that to a pro. Welding over the top of the cage attachments is as important as the rest of the weld. If the Cage is for looks then just get a bolt in, if it is for safety then take it to a pro.