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VW sympathetic panelbeater/shop
JingJok1 - March 9th, 2006 at 06:43 PM

Anyone know a panel shop or beater on the south side of brissie who doesnt just rely on insurance or prestige work and wont mind tackling a fe w small rust patches and give my beetles rear engine bay panel a pull to straighten and tack on a new rear apron?

Any beaters here want some coinage?

plz post here if you do, would be much obliged.

firefly - March 9th, 2006 at 08:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by JingJok1
Any beaters here want some coinage?


Unfortunately most panel beaters/spray painters are on contracts these days and thus get paid stupid money to do work. Therefore extra moneys on a weekend etc does not seem to inviting now. Unlike the days of old where your could get some awesome stuff done out of hours these days you need to spend some serious dollars to get anything done. OH and I think they have forgot what sandpaper is, either that or they are illergic to it. I do wish you the best to find someone for the job but do not like your chances at finish someone cheap. The other thing I have noticed is that there is two standards of work in the industry. the standard that peope will do for a job and the standard they will do for their own car. it would seem that they diff remarkably towards there own cars only leaving a semi professional job for everyone else.

Have you thought about give it a go yourself. there are plenty of people who do their own jobs and also much knowledge on here as well as many other resourses both on and off teh web.

Cheers
T

VWMA Editor - March 9th, 2006 at 08:37 PM

He's on the Northside, but he's one good panel beater with a passion for VW's.

Brett Brackley 3256 6301. Based at Northgate.

JingJok1 - March 9th, 2006 at 08:59 PM

cheers for that number ed...

firefly, I am okay with the flog and bog but I cant weld for sh%t. I have $$ just not silly cash. I have worked for a few smash shops before but seems most shops these days jUst handle insurance work for funny munny and funny rates. I have cash and want real hrly repairs for real hrly rate.

I have a few buddies in the industry but they are all getting on and dont do weekenders anymore. I just dont fancy putting it on a trailer and towing round for a day just to try to find someone to do it. Nothing major but I cant even get a foot in the door as soon as I say VW beetle they say they dont do resto work.

Im half contemplating hiring a mig as I should really learn to weld but would rather have it done right.

Cheers for the suggestions so far people , anyone else got a sthsider before i go nthside?

helbus - March 9th, 2006 at 09:38 PM

You could buy a reasonable home MIG for $500. Very tempting when it means it is yours for life :)

JingJok1 - March 9th, 2006 at 10:09 PM

yeah. was looking wednesday at supercheap. was about $549 iirc, that and a compressor for $499. I might just have to go that route in the end.

firefly - March 9th, 2006 at 10:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by JingJok1
yeah. was looking wednesday at supercheap. was about $549 iirc, that and a compressor for $499. I might just have to go that route in the end.


My compressor cost me $800 and runs 14CFM. If you are planning to use air tools later on then the higher cfm will help run them properly. Dont get a compressor which will only run a gun. The other thing with you compressor is make sure that the tank is big enough to spray your bonnet without running out of air or the compressor kicking in. this will gaurntee your air supply.

When looking at your welder it is yours for lift as per Peter's concept. it also means you can practice. Get your girlfriend/wife to save your fruit tins etc and practise welding these together end to end. this is a butt weld and thin metal. Fi you have succes with that then cut the top off and try welding the thinner metal to another can. Trick with migs is when welding there are two real techniques to learn "vertical up" and "vertical down". Basically vertical up means you push the molten metal into the area you wish to go (ie weld to the gap without seeing your weld, or vertical down where you drag your weld into the area (ie you see the weld not the gap you wish to fill. The reason you cant see is the fact that the glove or handle coves the weld.... hard to explain. but basically the rule of thumb is that you push the weld into a ghap when using gas mig and pull when using gasless.

If your weld flash is to wide you will find that the touch is too far away and that the welds will look hollow. Fit to close the welds will be a lump and a nice neat flat section.

Hard to explain but well worth looking into. for the extra $400odd you can go to your local tafe and learn how to use the tools correctly. (namely mech eng short course or welding short course.) This means someone can show you and also assist you with your technique. Good luck

Cheers
T

JingJok1 - March 10th, 2006 at 06:55 AM

you think I'd be able to weld okay given my old man is a welder for the last 40yrs, laid pipe in just about every country in the world, banana republics included. We didnt get on too well when I was young so never felt like spending the time with him to be abused while I learnt. Pity.


Sat and thought about it last night and Im off to pick up a MIG this morning. Will nab a compressor in a fortnight when I got a few more shekels spare to get a reasonable one. ( anyone chasing a dual cored AMD CPU? lol )

Ta for the suggestions, kinda helped me make up my mind. Hell if I can get it all together might be a good service for other dubbers or atleast a loan of the gear and so on. Just wish I was in my old shack, had heaps of room in the shed ( room for several combine harvesters ).

Yogie - March 10th, 2006 at 01:39 PM

Polmech in Slacks Creek have done my 68 and are doing my 72 karmann beetle at the moment. Just don't expect it too quickly as they fit it in amongst other jobs but the work is very good. Martin is the owner on 3808 8533.

Yogie

JingJok1 - March 10th, 2006 at 09:35 PM

hey Yogie, a picinic baaaaasket for you my friend. Im in Slacks creek so that is handy as can be. Will call him in the morning.

Bought a tiny mig today for $390. CIG Portaweld 100. Hopefully it will be enough for what I want to do. Might have to use my old 59 as practise, could use the repairs, even if my skills turn out to be shat. :)

Yogie, thanks again mate :tu:

[ Edited on 10-3-2006 by JingJok1 ]

Dasdubber - March 11th, 2006 at 09:51 AM

I learned from trial and error - once you make mistakes, you quickly learn not to make the same mistake again. It does take a lot of practice as I am sure you are aware, and I am still by no means fantastic, but I was able to do all rust repairs to my 63 including a front clip replacement.

It is a skill which I am sure you'll use again and again. You did get a mig with gas right? I used a 130 mig with gas which sufficed for what I needed. If I was to replace it, I'd go 150 or 180 which isn't really needed on car body stuff, but I've found I have used mine for gate posts, engine stands etc which is where the extra power is handy.

Trying to find someone willing to spend time on rust repair and do a good job is tough - at least you know you can take your time to get it right. Just be prepared to pi$$ off your neighbours with all the grinding! I got abused by my mate's neighbour after a solid session of grinding back welds a while back due to the all the noise, so just be considerate :blush:

JingJok1 - March 11th, 2006 at 01:10 PM

nah bought a gasless. doesnt need too much grunt, just panel steel :)

My neighbours need pi$$ing off, I get to put up with their chanting on a regular basis into the late of night so meh, they can have the chant of a beetle repairer back :)

Yogie - March 12th, 2006 at 07:12 PM

No worries JingJok1. He is just off Queens Road so it should be handy.

Yogie