New toy....but need advice

Picked this Mig up but never welded before. Been reading and looking at stuff on the internet for basic things and I have a grasp on how it suppose to work. Have to replace a few rusted panels and weld up the holes the previous PO's had everywhere. Any advice I can get would help before I ruin stuff. I have a tailgate from a Explorer I can practice on before I try something on the van.

Using a welder for sheetmetal is different than welding plate steel. Basically it is used as a spot welder. Sheet metal is too thin to run a continious bead on it. Even if you could weld a bead it would build up too much heat and warp. A shielding gas is a must for welding sheet metal. Flux core wire is not good for this. Usually a smaller gauge wire is recommended. .023 or .030 The two panels that are to be welded together should have a small 1/16th gap between them to allow for expansion. Some place for the metal to go when it heats up. You will want to place a weld about one inch apart. Allow that to cool then add another bead and let that cool. Keep doing this until the gap is filled. Careful grinding the welds as that can overheat and warp as well. It takes a lot of practice to get the hang of it. Keep trying and you will get it.

Hope this helps.

Duane in Tennessee.

I been running mig since they first came out, bet I ran a thousand miles of wire by now! lol Have a look at some manufacturer sites like this one. They have great info, tips and videos etc.

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/improving-your-skills/mig/

kgdb

Dual Mig.... Nice!!!

Thanks for the advice guys. It came with 4 different spools of wire and a bunch of tips, just need to get the gas filled . The PO was using it without gas so I guess the wire on it now in flux core, but will check it before I use it.

What should I use to grind the welds down? I have a round air sander and a electric grinder as well. The videos are a big help, there are a lot of them on you tube. Once I get the wire feed speed right we'll soon and I'll see what I can do.

When I get to the bad spots I'll post some pictures. Not sure how to attack these areas. Might be more that I can handle.

Its kinda like playing a harmonica,tips & advice are great,but ya gotta jump in & learn your 'feel'.It would be great if you knew somebody in sheet metal,duct,or fab shop to get some scraps.I know for sure they have bins full.Or better yet a body shop for a junk fender or hood.The thinner ,the better.Do NOT get any galvanized.Its poisonous.Better to learn on bs material than to blow a hole on a good panel.
As far as grinding,I've used a 90* angle grinder w/pad like this on small spots.Just a hit & miss to prevent heat build up.

I can play the harmonica a little so we'll see if your theory works. I plan to practice to get the hang of it before I try anything on the van. I have some metal I cut off a 65 while it was in the junk yard so it should be enough for what I need.

Would not be a bad idea to hand around a body shop or even take a welding class at a local JC. I took a welding class and I learned alot so....