Going to be using a lincoln 140 mig. I presume I use the setting for sheet metal? Any tips for welding the plates into the body of the car? I don't want to f this up....

 

Keep the majority of the heat on the cage plate and flow down onto the chassis sheet metal. Make sure the metal is really really clean (clean off any undercoating on the bottom of the car). I can't tell you exactly what heat setting to use, as I don't have a Lincoln 140. You should get some scraps and do some trial and error.

 

is it a digital read out?

 

No, but the welder a cheat sheet on it that tells you what to set it per the gauge of the material you're welding. I presume with two different gauges I should go with the thinner one but I've been wrong before...

 

usually, the recommended settings on the machine are guide lines. you might wanna practice first with some scrap and adjust your settings for the sweet spot...e.g., when welding it will sound like continuous bacon frying with min. splatter. also, as Jaker stated, prep the metal well, sometimes the undercoating can ignite!

 

yes use the setting more as a guide, set it fot the thicker material and as said above stay on the thicker material and roll it into the sheet metal.

 

Wear pants and underwear

 

Start the machine off with the recommended setting for the thicker metal. As stated you want to concentrate the heat on the thicker plate. It may help you to make loops. Slow a bit when you are on the thicker metal and then quickly roll over to the thin sheet-metal. Try do do this a few times to get the hang of it if you can find any scrap. Keep water handy as the undercoating is flammable and smells something awful so dont breath it in.

 

Thanks for the advise Bob but I prefer the feeling of freedom welding naked from the waist down affords.

 

yeah, I use an Miller Autoset 140 and to do .120 cage baseplates I crank it up all the way and concentrate heat on the base plate. Trigger Pulse it with the bead on the baseplate, when it forms up with the chassis let off and move, repeat x 100000000000 times