I used a "backing plate" at the seam, so I could do all the welding from the back and discovered I was out of gas and stopped for the day. THANKS everyone for your help, paticularly, well everyone, I couldnt done this without the soaking wet towel idea, just a little nervous about getting juiced...

not bad not bad at all. I looks pretty good. Makes sure to keep posting pictures. Looks great!

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'78 300D 85,000 original miles drive her daily

I wish I could weld. How does one learn?

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Jackson

1984 300d 223k
1994 Jeep Cherokee 2.5L 88k

"She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've added some special modifications myself." -- Han Solo

"Would it help if I got out and pushed?" -- Princess Leia

well I learned at work (much better pay than normal factory work) but I know that the career center in our area offers classes as does the welding supply house.

Or you could simply but a small welder and "learn" but I don't recommend this. I know places that sell welders will often offer classes for free if you intend to buy one. Or maybe a fellow forum member would be willing to teach you?

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'78 300D 85,000 original miles drive her daily

trying to learn on a 110v model is miserable. I learned on a new miller 175 amp 220v model, and I feel I can weld about anything now. then I had to use my bosses 110v 90amp model to weld a bunch of 3/16" plate steel with about a 125 feet of cord. worst welding and SLOW SLOW SLOW. I never knew how good my welder was until I had to use that POS!
John

I second that

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'78 300D 85,000 original miles drive her daily

Are you all talking about stick welding/ arc welding? Is that what you are doing to your car carrameow? Is that what a beginner should start with? What about MIG? Or all the other alternatives (TIG, torch, ... just some others that I have heard of). I'd like to be able to weld aluminum, but I thought you cant do that with arc welding.

Does anyone in Chicago know how to weld .... ?

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Jackson

1984 300d 223k
1994 Jeep Cherokee 2.5L 88k

"She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've added some special modifications myself." -- Han Solo

"Would it help if I got out and pushed?" -- Princess Leia

I'm guessing he is talking about mig (considering all of the wire size talk). You can mig aluminum and tig aluminum, although aluminum is one of the harder metals to weld. It's such a good conductor of heat that it has a tendancy to just melt away once you get a good pool going. Don't get me wrong any welder worth his craft can weld aluminum no problem but steel is just easier. People often learn on stick or mig first these days because they are the most common types (and much cheaper than tig).

Don't have any experience with gas welding with a torch sorry.

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'78 300D 85,000 original miles drive her daily

Hey I'm the student not the teacher--everyone above told me what to do---THANKS DEFER and RS988 and EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

arc(stick) welding is one of the harder ones to learn. i first learned to stick weld and then i bought a mig welder(wire feed). i have since bought a stick welder and i find i enjoy welding much more with it. you can weld sheet metal and even aluminum with a stick welder, it just takes LOTS OF PRACTICE. carrameow is using a mig welder. a mig is both easy and hard to start out with. its easy because you dont have to maintain a specific gap,you dont need to change rods and the electrode(wire) isnt live untill the trigger is pressed. mig welding can be hard to achive strong welds when starting out due to the fact that you can hardly see the tip. the solution is to look at it from the side.

no matter what kind of welder you have you will have a hard time with aluminum no matter what because as you heat it the color doesnt change(unlike steel)

technically the best type of welding to learn first is oxyacetaline. (im sure leathermang will agree) it will teach alot. odd thing is, i still have yet to oxyacetaline weld. i hope to have a setup soon.

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it