14 Days of Camper Work!!!

[bmouthboyo]

Hi Guys,

You have probably seen me around the forums asking a silly amount of question regarding the work I need doing on my 1983 Autosleeper Trooper. Well the time has come...

I have 2 weeks off now, no kids, an understanding gf and my new welding gear.

[bmouthboyo]

Day 1:

So today was my first day welding after practising on and off over the past few weeks. I have a snap on MIG 130 Turbo with Argoshield Light following advice from MIG Welding forum.

First job is to tackle the 2 rear window frames that have a lot of rot:











Had a bit of trouble with lack of penetration on the first strip but got better as went along. The corners were not too bad to shape at all with the angle grinder. I used a crushed copper pipe behind the thin edges but even then blew a few small holes. Rather than risk making them larger I will fill them I think, structurally its sound enough.

Overall a good first day, although the job never moves as fast as you would like.

BMB

[trentjim]

good on ya for having a go!
looks like a decent enough start, not that i'm qualified to comment.
good luck for tomorrow...

[boatbuilder]

Overall a good first day, although the job never moves as fast as you would like.

This is how it goes I'm afraid, good work takes time. Get stuck in, your 14 days will fly past!
If there is an area that you really can't stop blowing holes through, thats usually a sign that it needs cutting out and replacing. Are you planning to take off the side cover rail? Looks a bit rusty under it...
I suggest you turn your mobile phone off in case anyone phones you and (knowing you have time off) asks you to do something for them, hence taking you away from the van and eroding your van time! (this always happens to me!)

[Dazco]

Looking good. Dont use filler for filling holes it will only open up again.

[Peter-T]

Looking forward to seeing this progress!!

[bmouthboyo]

Day 2:

"bar-steward"!!!!



Some nugget from the flats I live in parked behind my van assuming I was not going to use it or something

[bmouthboyo]

Day 3:
Delivery first thing courtesy of Schofields:



This is my work bench and welding setup btw:




Started off by finishing the OS rear window, filling in the 2 holes from yesterday. Ended up having to put a new piece in as it just did not want to build up with weld. Not perfect but should do the job:






Then I took the louvre window out, cleaned up and the corner was fine. So vactan'd and primed.

Had a look at the worse NS rear window, cleaned it back but not too sure what to do with this at the moment as the rust is pretty extensive:





So I moved on to removing the OS rear arch ready for the tall panel and cut the rotten section out from the outer sill.





Ordered some spot weld drill bits so hopefully they come tomorrow or I have to wait till Tuesday with bank holiday .

Thought I would offer the window with old rubber up to see if the slight warping would effect it. Wish I hadn't now...

When I measured and cut the sections I was obviously replacing the size of the rotten frame, and looking into the rubbers I should have seen that there is about 2-3 mm of rust all the way around, so 6mm added to the small gap of about 5mm that
was already there and I am left with this:





It sits solid enough but I guess I am going to have to redo half of the frame to make it fit. Gutted.

1 step forward, 2 steps back

[trentjim]

<holmer simpson>
DOH!
</holmer simpson>

[Doogs]

Looks like your doing a good job so far tho

[Peter-T]

Good effort man! Keep it up!

[bmouthboyo]

Thanks for the encouragment guys, steep learning curve as i have never done anything like this before.

[sarran1955]

Hello,

How have you got your mig welder settings

Sorry I've not seen what gas you are using.

For tacking I would suggest a high setting, the idea being to get a small weld that is strong, allowing you to beat and planish without the weld breaking.

Then I would try your welding plant at a really low setting. Use an off cut that really represents what you are going to weld for thickness and surface condition..

Mig/Mag welding has different welding zones or regimes (in French) according to the voltage setting, (the power switches on the front). You use a high setting at short bursts to tack, on a little plant highest power so you will have to turn up the wire speed so that , you are looking for a clean 'burst' with no 'stuttering' your welding plant should be running at at least 24 volts, (for the technical...pinched droplet regime). Then when you have dressed the panels, remember no gaps, then use the lower regime ( short circuit regime) at say 16 volts, say 4/10 on the volts, so that you will have a 'soft' weld, for joining up between tacks.

It gets easier after the first 35 years...

Cordialement,



PS, I found this recently:

http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/u ... e=register" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bmouthboyo]

Day 4:

Bit of an admin day really as wasn't feeling too well.

Went to B and Q and bought some straight bar and angle bar, then off to wilko for some cheap roller trays.

[bmouthboyo]

Day 5:

Sun was shinning so no excuses.

First I removed the rest of the Outer Sill following advice from MM. Glad I did as I can sort out the small bit of rust that was behind the fridge:





Think I will remove that runner that looks like AS have given a nice beating . I don't need it and will make repairing the floor section a lot more accessible.

The Inner Sill is in great nick thankfully:



With only a small area on the lower fixing point needing attention:



Next was removing the old arch panels lip from the C pillar. Bit of a pig to get to and the more expensive drapper spot weld drill bits were useless:


So just drilled through both:



I need to cut this flange off but only have a small angle grinder so not sure how best to get in there yet. For another day. Most of the old lip is cut out just the last top bit once I decide where the top of the new tall panel will end.

Removed the old arch from the Inner arch I will secure new panel too. In good nick luckily so hopefully no work needed here and I can tack a lip to the panel and then the underside of this:



This will need some attention as well as the snorkel box:



Good day in all