Iltis rear quarter panel restoration question

Stuart Fedak · #1 05-09-12, 03:39

Text removed as content is no longer current.

Alex Blair (RIP) · #2 05-09-12, 21:21

Stu..
Aircraft are welded aluminum skins using butt welds all the time..using a heli-arc (Helium) arc welder with a foot pedal power control.(Better stability)

Quote:

Heliarc® welding is a form of welding introduced and perfected in the 1940s. The reason the welding process is referred to as Heliarc® welding is because the welding process requires the presence of two substances. These substances are helium, an inert gas that is used for the shielding of the weld, and an arc that is generated through the implementation of a tungsten electrode. The electrode receives a constant power signal from the welding machine.

The process by which gas was used along with an electrical current to create an arc across two materials was first introduced in the 1930s. Though primitive, gas welding proved to be an effective means of fusing two metal items together. It created a much stronger bond than most fastening or connecting methods of the time.

The process of Heliarc® welding is also widely referred to as TIG welding, for tungsten inert gas, or as GTAW, for gas tungsten arc welding. The original process had its problems, but over the course of time became perfected as the primary means of joining metals. Today, Heliarc® welding is the most common method of welding used when the materials being fused together are hardened ones, such as stainless steel.

The use of helium gas in Heliarc® welding is done to shield the weld area. This is necessary to keep both the electrode and the arc compressed into one direct point of contact. This creates an intense heat.

In some cases, a filler material is used to fill open spaces between the materials being welded together. Heliarc® welding equipment has, however, come a long way since its inception and because of the advancements that have been made it doesn’t often require any form of filler. As a result, the process in which TIG welding is carried out is a more slow and precise process than most other forms of welding. The technique behind the process takes much longer for some welders to learn.

The versatility of the Heliarc® welding process is one of the biggest contributors in the popularity of that specific welding process. The quality and durability of the weld compared to others is another. Since Heliarc® welding fuses two materials together without the use of a filler material in most cases, the bond between the two materials joined through this welding method is stronger than the bond that most other welds can produce.

Once you have learned to Heli arc..you won't go back..
I started welding that way back in the early '60's, on scrap aluminum in the metal shop in the RCAF on the hanger line when I had a few hours off I would go play with the aircraft welding machines..
You could butt weld two pieces of aircraft aluminum skin butt welded and it looked like one piece..
Strong like Bull..

Hanno Spoelstra · #3 05-09-12, 23:17

Stuart,

Neat job!

Try a polyurethane (PU) sealant from an automotive paint shop.

HTH
Hanno

Alex Blair (RIP) · #4 06-09-12, 01:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart Fedak

Alex,
Thanks for the information on aluminium welding. That is on my to-do-list. I do have a Millermatic welder that can be set up for aluminium, but I just have not had the time to do that. I did two evenings of aluminium welding as part of my 10 week MIG welding course at Algonquin College. All I know is you really need to clean the aluminium well, and use lots of wire.....

The Bombardier Iltis is all mild steel. I have been able to do butt welding with the mild steel, now I just want to protect the back surface, and to cover the overlaping joint areas that are spot welded. I was thinking of using that black automotive adhesive that they use for sealing up in trunks and other body parts. It seems to remain somewhat flexible and can be painted over.

Any other thoughts of suitable materials?

Stu,,..
TIG welding is not MIG welding..and is used for Aluminum..stainless steel ..mild steel..and even titanium..

I'll start again..

Quote:

*snip*

Please re read what I have posted ..you can weld mild steel and make it as clean a joint as a licked lip..
Good luck.
Go to a good machine shop and ask to see some one TIG welding..you will be impressed

WE used to play around welding mild steel shim stock..butt welds..takes some practice but really nice when you get on it.
Good luck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TIQY...feature=fvwrel

Robin Craig · #5 06-09-12, 01:58

As a welder and fabricator by trade I would stand by the use of MIG for what Stuart has done. It is ideal for the enthusiast as Stuart has proven.

Alex, your barking up the wrong tree.

MIG enables smaller welds and less heat in the joints, multiple tack welds is essentially what you do or if you drill one piece and lay it on top the other piece and do a weld through the hole and seal it you are mimicing a spot weld in effect, although a spot weld is done by a pair of copper tongs clamping the two materials and passing a current through them and the work pieces.

TIG welding is far hotter and not worth the enthusiast playing with on jobs like this. It puts a ton of distortion into the panels.

Heliarc is a term from the stone ages and those in the trade call it TIG nowadays.

R

Bob Carriere · #6 06-09-12, 03:02

Stuart

Look up Eastwood supplier for possible coating.....

.....or visit a professional body paint shop or a supplier...... ask them how they would do it ......... if you make your enquiry short and sweet some of them are very helpful.

Some of the polyurethane coatings will stick to anythng and act as a binder coat for the cover up OD you would use........

I like your approach to do it right....even if it may not be readily visible when standing next to it.

Bob

Casey B · #7 09-09-12, 22:37

Aluminum works well for the filling of holes as a backing plate...is lighter and waaaay cheaper than brass or copper but does heat up quickly so a pail of water handy helps. I have done similar to the holes the Army filled with Bondo. A few patches later and other than a part of the original CFR number missing you can't tell. Looks good Good luck with the restoration.