Need help welding in sunroof panel

[j911brick]

[QUOTE=NY65912;6771070]I've used a shrinking disc with very good results.

[url=http://www.wolfesmetalfabrication.com/sdisc4inch.

How does it work?

[jjeffries]

962, this question is for you: to replace a damaged roof skin, assuming that I am not the butt welding maestro, would it possible and sensible to use panel bond? Meaning, cut out the repair section, set it on the car and mark the patch's outline with a Sharpie. Then set aside the patch panel, and mark out a smaller hole, say, and inch inside the outline already marked. Cut the hole on that inner line, then use a flanging tool to create a downward step for the new patch to sit in, and secure with Panel Bond and flush rivets, fill with duraglass and a little mud? OR, does it really need to be welded? Thanks, John

[Iciclehead]

Originally Posted by jjeffries

962, this question is for you: to replace a damaged roof skin, assuming that I am not the butt welding maestro, would it possible and sensible to use panel bond? Meaning, cut out the repair section, set it on the car and mark the patch's outline with a Sharpie. Then set aside the patch panel, and mark out a smaller hole, say, and inch inside the outline already marked. Cut the hole on that inner line, then use a flanging tool to create a downward step for the new patch to sit in, and secure with Panel Bond and flush rivets, fill with duraglass and a little mud? OR, does it really need to be welded? Thanks, John

I went through that whole mental debate and landed on welding/lead as I fear the idea that there may be a shadow of the glued joint over time (it is very visible of course).

Having said that, from everything I have heard, the adhesives are fantastic and strength ought not to be an issue.

Dennis

[962porsche]

slap files i have but rarely ever use . i don't want to sound uppity but i don't let thing go that bad to really need one ! do they work yes very well ! but because of the amount of metal they move at one time you could just make things 100 times worse . as for srinking disc's they to work but again it's moves alot of metal at one time .

John you can do what your saying ? i do not just things like duraglass on metal i only use it on things like fiborglass . why because it's a fiberglass based product and it does not expand and contract at the same rate metals do . when your using products like panel bond you still should put little spot welds about every foot to a foot an a half around the panel . as for pop rivets i would not use them at all .

[jjeffries]

Thanks 962. I didn't know if you could weld so close to the adhesive. Understood about normal rivets...I was imagining something more high tech, like the ones used in new aluminum cars, but I admit I don't know what I'm talking about. John

[NY65912]

It works on friction. The disc heats a very smmall area, cool it and the spot shrinks.

Go to the site and check out the video. I used it on mmy roof and it worked.

[962porsche]

Originally Posted by NY65912

It works on friction. The disc heats a very smmall area, cool it and the spot shrinks.

Go to the site and check out the video. I used it on mmy roof and it worked.

like i said they will move more metal . if you use a hammer and dolly you and only you control the amount of metal that needs to be moved .
i'm not saying there not good or they don't work ! what i'm saying is they just move more metal !

[j911brick]

So one of the problems I now have is the panel used to be arched to the shape of the roof, but now that I have shrunk all the defects out, what is a good way to get the shape back?

[962porsche]

if i'm getting this right you sronk it so much you now have a flat panel were the sun roof was ?
so you over work the metal ? that is going to be a PITA to reshape it back to the ark of the roof . with out seeing it i really can't tell you just what to do ? if you push up on the center from the inside of the car will it move at all ?

[j911brick]

Originally Posted by 962porsche

if i'm getting this right you sronk it so much you now have a flat panel were the sun roof was ?

Not exactly. It was caved in and I brought it back up to level. Now I have to keep going to make it convex.

[j911brick]

Thought I would give an update. I worked on the roof for a couple hours this week. I'm pretty happy with the progress since I didn't start with ideal conditions. I weld u the seam that I split last week and this time I did one second dabs and immediately cooled with water, then did the same thing in another area; back and forth. Now I'm floating the out the dings and getting the shape to where I want it. I know it won't be perfect (bondo-less), but I want to get it as close as possible. I have some more tools on the way and a busy week but hopefully I can get a couple more hours in.

Here are some pictures I have been taking starting last week. Hopefully I download them in order you you can see how I'm making progress.

[j911brick]

[962porsche]

one thing that most people don't do and really should be done is to remove all the old paint from the panels your working on like in your case the sun roof panel . this does a cupple of things . 1st it will not transfer the heat from the weld into the paint and burn it off holing heat in the painted area . the same applys to when your heat srinking . 2nd is that you when can feel the panel better if there is no paint on it when you run your hand ove rthe top of the panel .

[j911brick]

Originally Posted by 962porsche

one thing that most people don't do and really should be done is to remove all the old paint from the panels your working on like in your case the sun roof panel . this does a cupple of things . 1st it will not transfer the heat from the weld into the paint and burn it off holing heat in the painted area . the same applys to when your heat srinking . 2nd is that you when can feel the panel better if there is no paint on it when you run your hand ove rthe top of the panel .

Your probably right. I was just trying to mitigate any rust issues as much as possible since bare metal will flash rust over night around here.

[962porsche]

it does the same thing in new england . what we do to help it from rusting if it has to sit open for a little time and we can't get a E-primer on it is lay some of the cheap green masking paper over the area . this will soak up any humidity in the air before it gets to the bare metal substraight .