Thread: Boxing a Frame

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Originally posted by FMXhellraiser
They say TIG welders are better than mig because TIG is hotter and it takes longer for the weld to cool and they say that since it takes longer then of course weld is stronger than a MIG welder where the weld isnt' as hot and cools faster so TIG welding takes longer to cool. I don't remember exactly how to explain it but you get the point I am trying to get across I am sure.

Actually FMX the advantage of a TIG is the pinpoint control of heat to the workpiece so there is a narrower heat zone. (Less distortion).
Also, there is no slag
No Sparks
No Splatter on the surrounding workpiece
very little noise
No smoke or fumes so it's safer health wise and no smoke makes it easier to see the weld puddle so you have better penetration control.

Disadvantage is you have to to run the filler rod with one hand .... the torch with the other ..... and control the amperage with a foot control.
Don't touch the tungsten electrode to the filler rod or the workpiece or you will contaminate it. Then you have to stop and grind a new point on the electrode. Been there a few times.
The workpiece , electrode and filler rod need to be clean of all contaminates.
It's a slower process than stick or mig.

but the end result is great, once you get the hang of it.

Yeah I don't know much at all about TIG welding but wan't to learn pretty bad. I haven't been welding as much lately since I ran out of things to weld, I have only been welding a few things for some people at my church and my dad's friends but I am getting much better at the MIG. In about 2 days of welding I improved a TON, more than I expected.

I am not a welder by any stretch of the imagination, but will attest to the added strength of a boxed frame. The frame on my car was boxed in, but it was done with a Lincoln arc welder about 25 years ago.

I have my car setting up on jack stands, and last week I was polishing things on the engine, and bumped the jack stand under the right front. It moved a couple inches, and the right side never drooped. I can bump the jack stand pretty good, and totally take it out. I'm sure the crossmembers add alot of rigidity, but I was amazed to see that the car did not flex or twist at all. It sat there like the jack stand was under it, but I could move the jack stand freely.

Good luck. I wish I could offer a little more technical info, but it seems you got some pretty good responses!

Greg

Welcome to the boards by the way there too blueovalfanatic.

Thanks, FMX. This is a nice site, and I plan to visit often! Seems to be a bunch of friendly people here.

Greg

To answer your questions....
SURE THING!
A mig will work fine to box your frame.
Some basic fab work will need to be done...
Here is a site to show you what I did to box the back half of my frame...

http://community.webshots.com/album/42686829suXirA

Couple things to remember.
A) Remove your p/u box. You will need the elbow room.
B) Remove the gas tank and fuel lines. You don't want to need the F.D.
C) Remove the brake lines.
D) Make sure you drill big holes with a hole saw that allow you access to any frame holes that take bolts or stids..Like your snubbers.
E) After grinding and fitting your boxing plates, slide them in past the frame rail edges so you can weld on the inside edge of the frame rails.

You can do it!
Jeff

Thanks deepinhock. I guess I didn't really need this info now but still good to know since I am not getting that truck anymore and the 48 Coupe I am getting from a friend already has a 79 Z28 front end and boxed in frame and has all the clips on it already. Only thing to really do to it is take the paint they put on there so it didn't rust, off and then powder coat it and start working from there.
I bought a few books like So-Cal Speed Shops "How to Build Hot Rod Chassis" and "Hot Rodders Bible" and Tex Smiths "How to Chop Tops". These books have a quite a bit of info in them and I only started reading the hot rodders bible and have learned a bit already from reading only 40 pages and just flipping through the other two books reading a little out of sections on that too. Has anyone else got this so cal chassis book? If so then how did you like it? I haven't even started it but plan on it tonight at about 12 oclock when I am about half way through this hot rod bible.
I wish I wanted to read like this in school, heh.

Now don't take thi the wrong way, but......

You are not ever going to build up a car reading magazines and books.

You get ideas from reading, but you need to put those ideas into action......

Work hard, save your bucks, and spend them wisely.

Dive into it and get building.

Jeff

Originally posted by FMXhellraiser
Thanks deepinhock. I guess I didn't really need this info now but still good to know since I am not getting that truck anymore and the 48 Coupe I am getting from a friend already has a 79 Z28 front end and boxed in frame and has all the clips on it already. Only thing to really do to it is take the paint they put on there so it didn't rust, off and then powder coat it and start working from there.
I bought a few books like So-Cal Speed Shops "How to Build Hot Rod Chassis" and "Hot Rodders Bible" and Tex Smiths "How to Chop Tops". These books have a quite a bit of info in them and I only started reading the hot rodders bible and have learned a bit already from reading only 40 pages and just flipping through the other two books reading a little out of sections on that too. Has anyone else got this so cal chassis book? If so then how did you like it? I haven't even started it but plan on it tonight at about 12 oclock when I am about half way through this hot rod bible.
I wish I wanted to read like this in school, heh.

Lol. I know that already, I have experienced that in auto tech class for 2 years. We read out of the books on how to do something and I get the knowledge on the steps of what to do then when I get out there to do it, of course it's a bit harder and I really learn how to do it then. I know what you mean but the books do help by giving me knowledge on how to approach a certain situation. Thanks for the info though man, I appreciate it.