How To Remove Recent Welding

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Drg racr

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What's the best way to remove a recently welded panel without destroying the metal underneath? I had my trans tunnel welded in yesterday, but he didn't measure correctly and it's way off. He used flux core wire and welded a solid bead all around the edges.
I have a feeling I'll have to cut everything out and lose more original metal.
 
Grind the welds, assuming you have a compressor and air tools, and then chisel whatever is left.
 
Grinder and some steady hands, alternate areas to minimize warp age and you might be able to salvage it
 
Sigh...

I guess your welder never heard of, "Measure twice, cut once". :(
 
Drg racr said:
He used flux core wire and welded a solid bead all around the edges.
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I can't even imagine how he pulled that off. Cut the whole thing out and start over. Either he traveled so fast that it's a paint job weld, or your floor is heat soaked and warped to hell.
 
I was trying to save some money, hiring a friend of a friend of a friend. Live and learn. Good thing I have a spare trans tunnel, huh? The torsion bar crossmember he didn't do too bad on, so I think that can be saved.
 
Carefully with a cutoff wheel. Usually though the weld consumes some distance so when you cut the piece off it will be smaller than what you started with. If it was overlapped I would cut to the inside of the weld.
 
Drg racr said:
without destroying the metal underneath?
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Wait, huh? He overlapped your floor pan and ran a bead? There's 3 ways this should've gone down, and that ain't one of them.

1. Fit it properly and butt weld.
2. Flange, bead or spot, then seam seal.
3. Overlap, spot, then seam seal.

Have someone competent check that trans cross member. That is one of the most important structural members of the whole car.
 
GeorgeH said:
Carefully with a cutoff wheel. Usually though the weld consumes some distance so when you cut the piece off it will be smaller than what you started with. If it was overlapped I would cut to the inside of the weld.
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I agree with the above. Very gently with the cutoff wheel.

When i put mine in I screwed it in place with a healthy bead of silicone. Works like a champ and when I take the trans out it is SO much easier. I just pop the cover off and I have a clear shot at the shifter bolts, rods, etc. It rules!
 
With a grinder. Is this a trick question?
 
Drg racr said:
Yep, he overlapped.
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Go around the inside edge of the weld with a cutoff wheel carefully cutting the top layer off. Work it with a hand chisel/hammer if you have to to get it to pop loose. Once you get it loose you can clean up the welds and reposition the panel. 1 /8 sheet metal screws will hold the panel better than cleko's ever will. Tack weld around the perimeter first. If not, you can chase distortion to the edge of the panel.
 
Reminds me of 1975. Dad just had a local muffler shop weld new bumper mounts on our 30 model A. He was pissed because they were crooked or in the wrong place. 7 year old me thought...... and said to dad "well just take it back and have them unweld it". LOL. Not that simple!
 
Never before have I heard the terms "flux core" and "solid bead" in reference to one another.
 
famous bob said:
I did mine !
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So the real question is, how bad is the distortion from the floor pan being butt welded? All that heat had to go somewhere and why not silicon braze the sections together to hold down the heat? Silicon bronzenbraze is certainly strong enough.
 
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