Full body restoration...

[VileZambonie]

I have a "nice" dead Esab sitting in my garage.  My Miller is sweet, very versatile too. Can weld aluminum, copper, light sheet metal, thick steel. No bird nesting in the feeder assembly like the Lincoln's are notorious for. Easy to service, parts readily available, lot's of accessories available. I'd recommend the Millermatic 141 for all things automotive

[Rattler12]

Not to derail the thread but since you mentioned "birdnesting" with Lincolns.........I have a 255 which never has that problem with 035 wire but will absolutely not feed .023 so is useless for body work. I bought a Lincoln 140 just for that purpose and every once in a while it does the birdnesting with .023. I've adjusted till I'm blue in the face. To your knowledge is there a cure ? othern junking it for a Miller that is...

[philo_beddoe]

I'll look at those Miller's. After i get a book on how to weld. Lol

[brewster]

When you get your welder, buy some metal and just practice for about an hour, it will train your muscles, I'm taking welding class at my high school right now and the majority of the class is just laying beads
Endless beads like this ^

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[VileZambonie]

Although fairly straight, for carbon steel those welds will not be strong. You need to weld with your wrist, not your elbow. Think of the torch tip like that of a pencil or a crayon and that you are coloring in the void, use your wrist. Turn the heat up and turn the wire speed up on those welds. That's what I would want to see with a silicon bronze weld there.

Rattler, did you turn the drive roller around? It's designed to clamp on the .023"-.025" only on the opposing side.

[brewster]

What is carbon steel

I know what you mean by weld with your wrist not your elbow, I discovered I had to do that when I tried to weld a lap joint, welding with my wrist made me able to  weld a lap joint, idk why

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[Rattler12]

Although fairly straight, for carbon steel those welds will not be strong. You need to weld with your wrist, not your elbow. Think of the torch tip like that of a pencil or a crayon and that you are coloring in the void, use your wrist. Turn the heat up and turn the wire speed up on those welds. That's what I would want to see with a silicon bronze weld there.

Rattler, did you turn the drive roller around? It's designed to clamp on the .023"-.025" only on the opposing side.

Yessir I did

[haroldwca]

All a flux core welder is good for is the scrap metal pile!

I must disagree.  I've learned how to weld using a flux core welder.  Window channels, cab corners, forming my own patches, and all of it still exists. I've learned how to weld and now I have acquired a Lincoln MIG welder.  I'll learn to use it and I hope to find the welder's paradise that is promised by adding inert gas.  Yes, I've had to deal with splatter and the like, but a sanding disc or grinder removes that.  I'm fully willing to believe that, as an experienced welder one would never go back to flux core; but as a novice I never would have spent the money on a good MIG.  In fact, at the time of my life when I began using this flux core welder, I didn't have the money to spend on a MIG. Fortunately, I didn't have to.  A flux core welder is a useful beginner's option.  Once you're confident that welding is a skill you can continue to develop, then a MIG is the next obvious step.

[haroldwca]

Philo, if you are looking to paint your truck inexpensively, you might look into making a spray booth out of 2-inch PVC and painters plastic.  I built a "spray cube" in my garage, but if you have a stable place outside and compatible weather (no rain or wind) it can also be done outside.  Using it keeps contaminants to a minimum.  That said, there is no substitute for experience. 

As has been said many times, preparation is key, but so is the willingness to do the hard work and wet-sand and buff a "finished" product. Experienced painters may be able to lay a seriously smooth final coat, but for most of us DIYers, a full evenly coated surface needs to be wet-sanded before buffing to give it an acceptable "street shine".  I painted the cab of my 85.  After a few uncertain moments I was able to give it a new lease on life.  (Still waiting to have the time to do the bed; life gets complicated.) 

Once I shot the paint, I was disappointed to see a huge amount of orange peel.  I didn't know how bad it could look until I saw it in my own project.  But I bit the bullet and grabbed my sanding block, some sandpaper and a small bucket of water.  MANY man-hours later, I was rewarded with what I deemed very acceptable results (remember, it was my first paint job).

[philo_beddoe]

I'm going to have to have the body work done. But will probably paint myself. I will be getting a good sprayer and using a tarp type shelter. No dust no wind or bugs.

Weird though, if it comes out great, then great. But if not, i'll be fine with that. As long as it doesnt look hidious. I'm more towards a mechanicly perfectly smooth running truck and complete absense of corrosion and rust than a shiny smooth paint job.

Ever see a preservation on a classic vehicle vs. a restoration? A preservation is an old looking vehicle thats perfect. I would love that.

Here is a 69 f-100 that has been preserved. Clear coat over original paint.

[philo_beddoe]

Getting full body restoration done. 10k. All planned out.

[zieg85]

Good for you!!!

[harcorshe]

Very interested to see the results!

[philo_beddoe]

Here's the deal, since i cant afford 10 bucks. Up the road from me is a ice house business, but the owner has an awesome new body shop, which is something he does on the side, high end stuff. Anyway, i came up with a plan. I asked if i could get the bodywork and paint done. BUUUUTTT,,"how about if i work for free at the ice house until paid off?" He said we could work something out. Looks like i'll be working saturdays in 2017. Cant wait to post results. He said we could paint it the original color if i want, 1977 seamist green.

[LTZ C20]

What did you just get yourself into lol...