Hi From Darlington

[Chambers]

Not quite my first post but never to late to say hi.

Im hoping to learn to basic weld to repair some holes in my 76 Spitfire.

I think I may have just picked up the bargain of the century, a Clarke 160TE (minus one wheel) all fully working for £50!! What do you guys think?

Im currently looking into the gas and where to get it from etc as I have been advised off disposable bottles?

Now for the possibly stupid question. Im going to practice a fair bit before I jump on the car but Im wondering what do I rest the practice pieces of steel on? I know that may sound stupid but if I put it on a metal bench whats to stop it welding to it?

 

[cumbriasteve]

Hi and yes sounds a great bargain.
The steel will only weld where the arc is unless you go right through with penetration and that may cause it to stick to the bench a little but should not 'weld' as such.

 

[troppo]

G`day Chambers
Welcome to the madhouse. You dont need to worry about your work-pierce fusing to the bench, It will generally only weld only at the point of wire contact, you might get a little bit of stick if you get some sparking between the metal benchtop and your workpiece. If you want to learn to weld i would recommend (if you can afford it) doing a course, it will give you a better chance of getting a decent standard of weld quicker. I cant help with the bottles as there are different conditions here in Aus.
Cheers
Troppo

 

[Chambers]

Dont think there will be any chance of going on a course due to I dont have the time to commit tbh. Hopefully with all the knowledge on here and my brother is a welder, I should hopefully get somewhere average!

 

[brightspark]

Not quite my first post but never to late to say hi.

Im hoping to learn to basic weld to repair some holes in my 76 Spitfire.

I think I may have just picked up the bargain of the century, a Clarke 160TE (minus one wheel) all fully working for £50!! What do you guys think?

Im currently looking into the gas and where to get it from etc as I have been advised off disposable bottles?

Now for the possibly stupid question. Im going to practice a fair bit before I jump on the car but Im wondering what do I rest the practice pieces of steel on? I know that may sound stupid but if I put it on a metal bench whats to stop it welding to it?

type in hobbyweld for gas in google theres an agent in skelton check out there prices or adams gas nearest york

 

[Wedg1e]

I'm over Stockton way, if you can lay your hands on a pub-size CO2 bottle there is a local supplier who will fill it for you, cash-in-hand, ooer, shtum missus

Spitfire eh: I had a '69 Mk3 when I was 18, used to get pulled by Plod almost daily, guess they were just jealous
Used to put 50p fuel in and drive around all night, that's how long ago it was...
Mine had a '74 1500 engine plus overdrive; wish I still had that to sell, I bet they're like mermaids' thongs.

 

[Chambers]

They arent as rare as you may think I guess but they are great to drive when you see everone else in the summer and you are tootling along in your classic with the top down!

 

[stuvy]

welcome to the forum chambers.

My friend had a spitfire a few years back, he went travelled to oz for a year and left the car at his sisters came home and was desperate to drive it until the rear suspension mount snapped and he through himself off the road and rumptered his splein!!! shame as it was a nice car before that

 

[Wedg1e]

They arent as rare as you may think I guess but they are great to drive when you see everone else in the summer and you are tootling along in your classic with the top down!

Ah, I was meaning the overdrive was rare

One of the guys at work has a Spitfire awaiting resto in his garage... well I say Spitfire, it's a pile of rust with a Spitfire badge. He decided he'd bitten off more than he could chew so he went out and bought... a Datsun 280Z! Yeah, 'cos there are absolutely sheds full of spares for those...

I drive a TVR for fun, at least I don't have to worry about the bodyshell rusting