[Shop-talk] Welding Q

[Steve Shipley]

At 06:28 PM 5/8/2008 -0700, Mark Miller wrote:
><looking for scrap metal to practice welding on>
>
>I would recommend going to a local junkyard and picking up a body panel or
>two.  Maybe a hood or door?  Cheaper and more eco-friendly than buying fresh
>metal.

Just be aware that junkyard sheet metal can vary in composition.  I have some
vague recollection that the Japanese started using "High strength steel" that
had some specific requirements for welding.

It's to your advantage to practice on something similar to what you'll be
using for the finished product.  The advantage of new material is that
it's much cleaner.  Some of the junk I've attempted to weld was so contaminated
that it was a waste of time.

I don't want to claim any expertise, but the fewer unknowns you're working 
with,
the better off you are.  I suspect that there are variables other than
galvanizing that might interfere with the process.