Brazing cargo bed and other body parts

[John S-B]

I need to make some repairs to the bed, and the fenders and doors have some bad spots as well. I have an Oxy/Acetylene setup, so I was thinking of cutting out some of the bad spots and brazing in new pieces. I know it would be nice to have a MIG or TIG, but the best I would be able to swing is a Lincoln buzz box. The kids will be in college soon, and I got girls so I can't just stick 'em in the military. The big repairs are some of the stakes pockets that have cancer, I'd like to cut them out and put in new pieces. If I can get that accomplished, I think the rest would cake. Have any of you guys done any brazing on the bed or body, and how did it hold up?

 

[m16ty]

I wouldn't braze it. I'd gas weld it with your oxy/acetylene setup. You can weld thin stuff as good as a mig, just slower and requires more skill. Get you some welding tips, an old coat hanger, some scrap steel, and get to practicing.

 

[firefox]

Some tips:
TIPS FOR WELDING SHEET METAL ON CARS
Bruce

 

[Rustygears]

Is acetylene available? I've been hearing it's impossible to get and you have to switch your regulators and tips to propane to gas weld anymore. The only source for the raw material for acetylene in the USA blew up and there was no intention to replace it.

 

[scoutmanadam]

down at are local oxarc they have 100's of acetylene tanks, and no real price change in the last two years. they have never said anything about a shortage of any kind to me

 

[truck1]

Don't use coathangers.Use mild steel 1/8 or 16th " rod.It is cheap and the correct filler material.Use wet rags around the repair area to minimize warpage, and adjust your heat at the tip to create the right flow of rod and material.When I started in the Body and fender trade 40 years ago, that was all we had.No mig,or tig.Use a small tip on your torch.Practice first on scrap.Good luck.You can do it!

 

[Keith_J]

Yes, brazing is a good method of repair. Ordinary phosphorous bronze with good flux (Anti-Borax, for example), make sure the metal is clean and shiny where you want the brazing and fit is tight. Braze doesn't fill well so joints like butt joints like to spring out of position with heat, have clamps everywhere. Don't be afraid to tack weld either, just small dots help a lot.

I taught myself as a teen, getting a Victor 100 cutting/welding setup. Brazed a lot of stuff that is still around today, 25 years later. Now I'm running TIG as the argon is far cheaper and much faster.

Yes, calcium carbide is in short supply. This is how acetylene is made, water dripping on calcium carbide makes acetylene gas. Calcium carbide is made in an electric arc furnace from lime and coal coke. Since these plants are aging, many tougher environmental laws have forced closure. It is a niche market yet the powers that be force closure.

You could switch to propane for brazing. It isn't as hot as acetylene so welding is slower but oxygen-propane is fine for brazing.

 

[F18hornetM]

Kieth_J mentioned about tacking, Thats all we ever did was tack in repair panels.
Although dependng on where your welding, the body on these trucks is alot heavier than a car, We would tack the new piece spaced all the way around cooling with a wet rag. On those stake pockets, you may not have to cool much. They seem pretty heavy and are short in length around the bottom.
I just put a couple patches on our M35, on the fender. tacked with a mig, which makes it fast, grind down and then a thin layer of body filler. Sorry didnt take a pic with it cut out. Also up on the cowl, looks like the mirror had got hit, pushed in cowl, and they filled completley with filler, 1/2" thick at least. i ground it all out, pulled metal back out, and filled lightly.
Also on the torch, look on line and find the pressure settings for your tip size. They are important. If you cant find them let me know, i can look in a book I have, haven't gas welded anything in years and have forgot the pressure settings. Tig and Mig have spoiled me.
There's a ton of different ways to make the repairs, experiment and find whats best for you.
good luck

 

[F18hornetM]

torch tip size should be about 00, 0, or 1 welding tip, depending on the brand of torch. and for all these the pressure settings on the regulator should be around Oxy 3-5 psi, and Acty 3-5 psi. Seems no 2 regulators are exactly the same, so as somebody mentioned above, practice on scrap piece..

 

[robert c neth]

brazing works fine .if you use a flux coated rod make sure you clean the welded areas good before paint or white stuff will ooze out from under the paint good luck

 

[A/C Cages]

Just dont TIG weld your mechanics last 2 Bud Light beer cans together right before quiting time. lol
Ive never seen someone pout so much when he didnt get his beer. lol
So I stabbed holes in the bottom and poured them into a glass so he would stop pouting.

But that is proof, you can weld anything no matter how thin it is. If I can weld full beer cans together without exploding them, then you can weld a bed frame together.
Brazing is good, but not for high vibration areas like truck beds.

 

[F18hornetM]

Just dont TIG weld your mechanics last 2 Bud Light beer cans together right before quiting time. lol
Ive never seen someone pout so much when he didnt get his beer. lol
So I stabbed holes in the bottom and poured them into a glass so he would stop pouting.

But that is proof, you can weld anything no matter how thin it is. If I can weld full beer cans together without exploding them, then you can weld a bed frame together.
Brazing is good, but not for high vibration areas like truck beds.

Thats pretty impressive, i'd like to see it. Of course the ends are thicker, than the sides, but have heard of people tig'n the sides together too. I never tried it, besides I dont like hot beer!!!

 

[John S-B]

Is acetylene available? I've been hearing it's impossible to get and you have to switch your regulators and tips to propane to gas weld anymore. The only source for the raw material for acetylene in the USA blew up and there was no intention to replace it.

I'd actually like to get a Petrogen torch, it uses gasoline and oxygen. We have them on our heavy rescues. It makes it much easier to refill and will cut way thicker stuff than Acetylene. A lot safer and cheaper too.