Welding Sheet Metal Help

[badazz81z28]

Finally the time has come to fix my Camaros inner fender, but going to outsource it being done by a pro. What should I be asking for as to what type is welding? It’s decent thickness sheetmetal, but of course sheet metal.
Any advice, thanks.

 

[70lt1z28]

Either MIG (with gas shield) or TIG. TIG IMO has better control of heat so maybe less chance of warpage, but it will take longer. A really good TIG guy could do it without needing hardly any filler once done.

 

[73Z L92]

Kind of a tough call. A body shop will typically have a mig welder and I would think they would use .23 wire.
A welding shop will have both mig and tig.
Either way a good shop should be able to get the job done.

 

[badazz81z28]

I'll have to start calling around.

 

[carhead22000]

a good body shop has no trouble with MiG. Space out the welds. Go back fill in.just got to use the right gas.Not co2 for good body work.

 

[badazz81z28]

From my experience...I wouldn't trust a body shop. Hoping to find a certified welder.

 

[VandykeT/A]

I would stress the sheet metal part. The company I work for has several certified welders but all they’ve ever welded is 1/4” plate and thicker big difference than sheet metal. Exhaust and body shops usually have your best thin metal welders. A body shop would be more likely to understand warpage.

 

[Scott51]

The two main things to ask for are a full length butt weld, and a repair that will only need a skim of filler. The highest quality/spec sheetmetal repair is a 'file finish' but expect to pay a lot more if you find someone able to do this, and personally I think it's overkill unless you're doing a concourse style resto.

TIG, MIG and Oxy Acetylene are all fine as long as the person using them knows what they're doing, but if anyone tries to talk you into a flanged or stitch welded repair keep looking.

Certified welders are generally focused on integrity of the weld and used to working with thicker steel or non-ferrous metals depending on their cert and chosen field. Better to look for a sheetmetal worker, preferably from a resto or custom shop capable of shaping sheetmetal and correcting distortion/warpage.

 

[firefighter_11]

A good body shop should have no trouble mig welding that for you. Thats where i would start, of course as the son of a retired auto body shop owner not all body shops are the same so ymmv…

 

[70lt1z28]

Might want to go so far as to call a local tool-machine shop for a welding reference. Those guys weld to micron level tolerance (laser weld if required), not that you need this but they can do it. These guys aren't cheap (~150-200 per hour) but if you want the best that's where to go.