Quote:
Originally Posted by tobeamiss
Just a quick question or two...why aren't you welding them? And why would you go through the trouble and expense otherwise? Is it for esthetics?
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Hey! Here are a few reasons for not welding the hat channels and sheet metal:
1. I spoke with an auto body and welding teacher of 20 years and he recommended that I didn't weld anything to do with the hat channels or the sheet metal. He recommended that I use a specific adhesive instead because they use that specific adhesive to piece together most of the pieces of vehicles nowadays because they tested it side by side in crash test against welds and the welds broke but the adhesive held. That's where I got on this idea of using adhesive in the first place. I was just taking his word on it. He swore up and down for the specific application he would use these "brilliant" adhesives. Since then I spoke with 3m and they agreed that it would work great for the sheet metal bonding to the hat channel but they recommended this fairly new structural adhesive for lapping the hat channel. (3m 07333). They said it is designed to withstand significant impacts and is much stronger for the structural integrity of a bus. So we would use both adhesives now with this new info (08116 and 07333)
2. Zero welding experience.
3. No welder.
What do you guys think? 3m did say these adhesives would work great on their own but you can also spot weld the applied areas well curing for extra strength. They did say also that using rivets to clamp everything together while the adhesives cure would be very close to just as strong.
If I were to buy a welder for all of the General bus welds needed, what type of welder would you recommend? What size/type wire of a wire welder? Totally clueless on welding but could learn.
Thank you!