New to Body Work

[BruceW]

Hi -

Bruce from Long Island, New York.

I have started a "restoration" of a 1969 BMW 1600-2. One of my first projects is welding up some rust holes. The car is already a bit of a Frankencar, so I am not going for pure restoration, just a good runner. I am here to look to tips and tricks for welding, but mostly for panel forming.

I am working out of a cramped one car garage, so space is at a premium for tools and workbenches.

After I learn to weld, I'll be making a rolling tool cart/workbench/metal forming station so that I can make the patch panels I need.

I swear sometimes it is like I take three steps backwards to make one step forward.

Bruce.

[David Gardiner]

Welcome to the forum Bruce,

David

[Doug M]

Welcome to the forum Bruce.

You might male work benches fold down off the walls or pulley down from the ceiling to make the cramped space more friendly. We've all worked in that garage at one time or another mine was in eastern Oregon where yours is New York same garage. I feel for you.

I lots of times find I've got to make a tool to make the tool I'll use to do the real project. That's OK. remember the better you get "IT" done this time the better you'll feel about looking at it later. Looking at "IT" and saying "Wow, I can do SOOOO much better now but that was the very best I could do then" you can be proud of "IT" and leave "IT" there. But if you look at "IT" later and say "That really is schlock" you'll cut it out maybe 3-4 times.

Do what you can be proud of now, later when you can do better you can still be proud of "IT" (though you could cut it out and do it over if you like).

[weldtoride]

Originally Posted by BruceW

.....After I learn to weld, I'll be making a rolling tool cart/workbench/metal forming station so that I can make the patch panels I need.

I swear sometimes it is like I take three steps backwards to make one step forward.

Bruce.

Welcome to the forum, Bruce.

Learning to weld by making some shop equipment is a great idea, not a step backwards. Welding thin sheet metal as you will do for your rust repairs is a higher level skill as thin metal is much more difficult to weld for beginners. So your cart and your welding experience building it both will help you in your repairs.

I, too, have been there in the one car garage, mine was really more of a shed, had a gravel floor even. Couldn't easily walk around a full size car if it was in there. I worked on VWs and motorcycles at the time, mostly because of interest, but partly because of space.

[Peter Tommasini]

Hi Bruce welcome to the forum
Peter