[na2ub]

Bill, I did not switch to solid wire. That was a last resort as it would cost me 100s of $$ to do so. The spot welding worked nicely and, as I said, added metal rather than removing it. The metal is really thin though, 22 gauge, so my results are a big messy bead of lumps. (Or lump of beads?) As long as I can coat it and protect if from future rust, I am good to go. I wanted to grind it down, even though this is on the inner rocker, so I could see how well the patch is working. I still need to do one move inner rocker patch, then I will need to patch the actual piece of door sill that I cut out. That piece will need grinding, priming and a spot of color match (rattle can). In a few years I will attempt an overall repaint, so the paint does not need to be perfect now, just the body work.

Airfinn, that is good to know. I am dying to switch to a proper MIG gas setup as soon as I have the extra dough. I suppose an Argon CO2 mix is the way to go. I though all gas setups would reduce splatter, though. Anyway, as an amateur welder, anything that makes welding easier is good.

What's the best way to protect the backside of my patches from future rust, if you cannot reach them / coat them after welding them in. I coated my first patch with a cold galvanizing zinc (95%) before welding it in. Today, I picked up a can of 3M Weld-through primer, but now I am wondering if that will be any better. I guess it will be the same, but help conduct current during the weld, for a better weld. I would love to have a proper "body shultz?" gun, but again, $$$.

I guess the consensus is to get a 4" grinder for grinding down final welds. I am really not familiar, so, can I get one that is air or electric? What type of pads or wheels do I need to grind down the welds?

Doug