Five Signs You Should Use Spot Welding While Restoring a Car

Posted on: 1 December 2017

If you are restoring an old car, you may need to do some welding to hold new pieces onto old frames. Wondering if spot welding works for your purposes? Here are some signs that you may want to use spot welding.

1. You Don't Want to Use Adhesives or Rivets 

In some cases, you may just want to use super strong adhesives or rivets, but if neither of those connection methods work for your situation, it may be time to try spot welding. You don't have to worry about the adhesives not adhering properly, and you don't have to worry about the rivets making too large of a hole in the metal or loosening over time. A spot weld creates a more permanent connection.

2. You Have Two Complete Pieces of Metal

With spot welding, there is no rod. You aren't feeding anything into the weld. Rather, you can simply heating up the two pieces of metal in a small area so that they melt or weld together. In order for spot welding to work, you can't start with corroded metal. You need two fully intact pieces of metal.

3. You Don't Want the Appearance of a Seam

As explained above, when you do a spot weld, the weld is just on a small spot. On an aesthetic level, that can often look nicer than having an entire seam. If that's the look you want, you may want to consider spot welding.

4. You Want a Temporary Hold to Guide a Seam

A spot weld is permanent, but it can also be strengthened. For instance, you may want to use a spot weld to hold two pieces of your car's body together. Then, you may want to add a seam to that area. Combining multiple welding practices like this can help you get the sturdy connection you need.

5. You Don't Want the Pieces to Warp

With spot welding, it's a bit easier to control the heat than it is for other types of welds. Because the weld is fixated on such a small area of the entire piece, you don't have to worry as much about warping the whole piece of metal. If you want to be on the safe side and protect your metal, this may be the right option for your situation.

Rather than doing the work yourself, you may want to hire a welder. They can let you know if spot welding or another option is best for your situation.

Share