'66 Sunbeam Minx Project - F20C/6sp/4-link/Discs...

[dammitmitchell]

what grit do you use ont he sander to "finish it off"?
im tired of messing my welds up with the highspeed when i try to "get close" and clean up my edges.. i'd send u pictures.. but i weld liek crap..! it'll hold but it'll be a turd i have to just polish up

[Frizzle Fry]

Number one rule: Clean Clean CLEAN! Always wirewheel (or whatever you can reach it with) clean your metal before welding. I use as hot a setting as possible without burning holes so that the bead will be as flat as possible.

Butt welding sheet can be tricky. For 18ga and thinner I use 0.024" wire. The thinner wire seems to be more sensitive to wire speed. Too slow and it will ball up on the wire - too fast and it will pile up like bird turds on your work. I like to go along and tack the entire edge straight so I end up with tacs about every inch or so. During this process I am lining up the edges as I go by using a jewelers (tiny) flathead and/or hammer/dolly. Then I connect between the tacs with a pulsed pattern zap-move-zap-move... with each tac right next to the previous and only about 0.5 sec wait time between them. Even then I get some not-so-pretty results on sheet sometimes. Tipping away from the weld (dragging) seems to help.

Next I grind with a standard grinding disc on the 4.5" angle grinder down to a few thou above the surface. Then I hit it with a flap disc to take it down flat with the surface. I'll go back and zap any pits as needed and finish them the same way. My last step is to hit it with the DA. I use anything from 60-120, heavier being preferred, but generally whatever happens to be on the DA

[dammitmitchell]

sweet! im unfortunatley using flux core...
i could easily be eeping up (nto with you ut my own expectations) with gas.. BUT.. this is TX.. and there's wind.. so no gas.. dang..

thanks for the inputs i have wht i need to know to do better now!
maby even alot less turd polishin!

[OLDIRON69]

When I use my MIG outside I have no issues. I run my gas about 15 psi. I'm in TX as well.

Sorry for the Hijack...

[Frizzle Fry]

I did a lot of flux core on sheet before I added the bottle. 0.030" flux core on the lowest voltage setting and the tac-tac-tac technique works.

[dammitmitchell]

sweet!
ok.. ive spent since i last posted it the shop "playing" with my second fender "elongation"
it came out WAY b etter then the first.. half the wire used, half (at least) of grinding.. and the DA really smooths it out nice..
minimal dolly work compared to the other
and a SKIM coat of bondo to hide any mistakes..

thank you for the info..! u rock!

(and im in abilene when you use gas outside the wind is ALWAYS blowing.. so you use a ton of gas)

[Frizzle Fry]

Good to hear. Glad I could help.

[Tagg33]

Subscribed***
A year ago I was obsessing about '67 Volvo 122's and I wanted a cool powertrain. Had many thoughts like; Busa motorcycle, DC electric or a turbo'd ecotec. I know big differences there but when you're dreamin why not.
Your build is amazing to see and it makes me happy that I never attempted it with my lack of skills. Keep up the great work, I'm looking forward to it.

[Twisted Minis]

This is such an awesome project. I think it deserves some tube control arms though.

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by Tagg33

Subscribed***
A year ago I was obsessing about '67 Volvo 122's and I wanted a cool powertrain. Had many thoughts like; Busa motorcycle, DC electric or a turbo'd ecotec. I know big differences there but when you're dreamin why not.
Your build is amazing to see and it makes me happy that I never attempted it with my lack of skills. Keep up the great work, I'm looking forward to it.

Those classic Volvos can be really cool. A dare-to-be-different powertain would be a must. The V8 from the new Volvo SUV's would be cool. I considered the V6 from the Caddy CTS and new base Camaro. I think I'll be pretty happy with this bullet. If not, there's always the big hair dryer option...

Originally Posted by Twisted Minis

This is such an awesome project. I think it deserves some tube control arms though.

Yes it does! And it will be getting them when I get my new JD2 Model 32 I'd love to have you make them if you were closer, but this way I get the experience and new tools!

[Jvsapp]

awesome work FF. damn that's alot of room for a little cutting.

[Frizzle Fry]

Well, it's a little misleading if you just look at the pics (not saying you did but I'll explain anyway...). The "before" pic was roughly at ride height. The "after" was stuffed all the way up-in-dere.

[digger61]

Hi Frizzle, what a great little project, I had the van version of this a while back and put a pinto/auto in it. Not as much work as you have done and I must say yours has less rust!!

I'll keep watching this one!

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by digger61

Hi Frizzle, what a great little project, I had the van version of this a while back and put a pinto/auto in it. Not as much work as you have done and I must say yours has less rust!!

I'll keep watching this one!

Thanks Digger. You had a Husky?

Not much progress, though the parts piles and tool arsenal are growing. I have had a few house projects sucking up my shop time.

Here's the latest progress. Got the inner fender welded up and partially blended:

[Jvsapp]

looking good FF...

[NONHOG]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

Those classic Volvos can be really cool. A dare-to-be-different powertain would be a must.

They're o.k. saw this at XXX in Issaquah had a Jag rear and a factory blown v6 from a Gran Prix, turned into a 2 dr. almost a mix of your Tahoe and the Minx.

Now back to the Minx !

[LOW DOUGH]

Originally Posted by NONHOG

They're o.k. saw this at XXX in Issaquah had a Jag rear and a factory blown v6 from a Gran Prix, turned into a 2 dr. almost a mix of your Tahoe and the Minx.

Now back to the Minx !

The show was called XXX??? Was there anything else to look at other than cars and trucks?

[Frizzle Fry]

I've been smoothing out the welds on the inner fender mod. It's a tight area that is only reachable via air tools or hand tools. That, and the fact that I just got a blasting cabinet was the motivation behind this purchase:

INTN3138.flv video by e78999 - Photobucket

[GRIMSS]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

I've been smoothing out the welds on the inner fender mod. It's a tight area that is only reachable via air tools or hand tools. That, and the fact that I just got a blasting cabinet was the motivation behind this purchase:
INTN3138.flv video by e78999 - Photobucket

Nice purchase and very cool vid. What did you use to make the vid?

[Jvsapp]

love the time lapse. seen the tiny compressor leave and the larger one find a new home i wanted to do that with my garage too... maybe with the next project. setup a web cam so people can watch my plumbers crack

BTW blast cabinet? large one? or benchtop? looks like a benchtop one if that's the one in the corner of the timelaps.

i should put up pics of mine it's 2x6x3 and that's just the blast cabinet part. not the collection part.

looks like that IRS you sold was put toward the compressor?

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by GRIMSS

Nice purchase and very cool vid. What did you use to make the vid?

Thanks. I went with the IR copressor because I want it to be the last one I purchase. Our Nikon P80 has a time lapse mode. One frame per 30 sec is what I used. You'll be seeing more of those

Originally Posted by Jvsapp

love the time lapse. seen the tiny compressor leave and the larger one find a new home i wanted to do that with my garage too... maybe with the next project. setup a web cam so people can watch my plumbers crack

BTW blast cabinet? large one? or benchtop? looks like a benchtop one if that's the one in the corner of the timelaps.

i should put up pics of mine it's 2x6x3 and that's just the blast cabinet part. not the collection part.

2x3x6 must be nice! Mine is a floor unit. 33"x24"xNot sure on height :P just using sand so far. Need to get some good media. Any suggestions?

[Jvsapp]

my cabinet i built it. it's big enough to hold a rear end. started off as wood sides on a metal frame, but now i'm changing the door to a steel welded frame with aluminum skin. made the glass a standard size so i can just go get a replacement from big ORANGE for $6 when it gets too pitted up. i use a siphon feed gun with the intake hose on the bottom of the hopper. i'll get some better pics for you, but here's a ford air cleaner for a friend i was blasting to powdercoat for him


as for media it all depends on what you are blasting and what you plan on doing with it. for steel with heavy rust, i use aluminum oxide. steel with light rust garnet. aluminum with a rough texture garnet. aluminum that i want a nice sheen to, glass bead. aluminum or other soft metal just cleaning, baking soda. i've even used baking soda to "frost" plastic like plexiglass.


i've used starblast to take off rust too it's good, but doesn't last. breaks down fast. green diamond was awesome, but it contains silica. walnut shells are good for stripping paint, but STING LIKE HELL when they hit your skin... it all depends on what you want. but garnet is a good all around media. lasts pretty long too. dusts a little. glass bead doesnt' dust hardly any. if you are planning to powdercoat anything then garnet would be a must. glass bead will "peen" the finish. smooth it out too much and not have any bite. if you plan to do cermaic coating on steel, you would need aluminum oxide. don't use it on aluminum or any other soft metal. it will pitt it.

been blasting for a hobby for almost 8 yrs now so i have a little experience

[122 Vega]

Sanderson Safety Supply in SW Portland has media "sampler packs" with several different grits or types. They have pretty good prices too.

Britt

[dammitmitchell]

#3 should be good for your useage....
and it's only about 13 bucks for 100lb bags.....

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by dammitmitchell

#3 should be good for your useage....
and it's only about 13 bucks for 100lb bags.....

Sorry, what's #3?