Absolutely shocking fabrication/welding job

Mako

Mako

Club Member
Feb 6, 2011
15,357
14,549
Milton Keynes
Some of you probably know JayEmm. He's got a Rover Metro 100r track car that was bought for him by his friends, but which needed welding. So he took it to a guy that was recommended by a friend.

What follows is some of the worst work I have ever seen, Worse, even, than my own early attempts which I subjected Paul and Tony to on me driveway a few years ago. Behold:

 
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My dad hired a welding machine, to fit new sills to one of his Cortina MK3s so we're talking late '70s. He wasn't confident as it was first attempt so arranged for a friend's daughter's boyfriend (employed welder) to come and assist, car raised inside the then new and bare garage, progress basically went backwards on the Saturday, dad solo finished it to an acceptable MOT pass on the Sunday in time to return the gear.
I bought a really cheap (aldi/lidl) welder probably getting on for ten years ago now, used it once, can't even recall what on, but remember being so pleased with the flow that it didn't even need grinding down.
 
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Good for him! There's no experience like hands-on.

I got an Aldi stick welder in case of any emergencies a couple years ago. Never used it, (Wildcat needed more than I was capable of, and Paul and Tony stepped up like the heroes they are for that girl).

I'm told that the sticks "go off" after a while - I assume through oxidation - but I have practiced with other welders before and reckon I could do it if I absolutely had to. Paul and Tony have been great teachers and the best advice I got was to be consistent and keep a noise like sizzling bacon! I also learned how to do "through welds" which are important for the pinch seams.

And of course, "Filler and paint make me the welder I ain't."

I know it's genuinely a safety thing on the MOT, but come on! I'm driving a car that's a quarter of a century old, based on a platform (CDW-27) that was designed in 1991. If I get T-boned by an Audi SUV, it doesn't matter how solid my car is - I'm dead. That's my risk to take.

Fortunately, the extreme end of "OMG that's crusty" is not something I need to worry about with Sally. Not yet, anyway.
 
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