How thick should the metal on body repairs be?

[TerryG]

I am going to try and not wuss out and call someone to do my welding for me this time. As the hole I have found is pretty easy to get to from the top and is nice and flat. Looking at what steel is available, B&Q sell 1.0mm and 0.6mm sheets. The question is, which should I use?

[JPB]

Measure the gauge of the original panel accurately and buy the same, that's the safest way and the easiest to weld neatly.

B&Q may have a match, but as the choice seems to be limited, you'd find it better buying from your local steel stockholder.

[megadethmaniac]

2nd on a local stockholder if its not much metal you want you may just get the bit for free. I got a load of bits and made a donation to the beer / biccy fund.

[mr rusty]

B&Q may do it in mm but the rest of the civilised world uses gauge size (see mr internet). What is it you're fixing, floorpan, chassis, stress bearing bit? 18, 20, or 22 gauge are the most general used these days and available as sheets of varying size over the counter at any panel'n'paint emporium.....If you were still down South I'd say pop along to Lea Bridge road and visit A&M, but most towns have a similar trade place, tell 'em what you're fixing and they'll sort out what you need, for less than what big Q will charge you too!

[Luxobarge]

As above, as a general rule I try and use the closest I can to the existing original guage - if it's super-thin, then very often old washing machine cases etc. can be used - I also had a stock of dexion shelving which did stirling service patching some equally thin bodywork, but usually you'll need it a bit thicker than that.

Also another vote for using a local supplier the ones I've used have always been pretty helpful and it's good quality stuff.

Cheers!

[tractorman]

I have to admit that 1mm would be the preferred option if I had to buy from the expensive place and would be fine for a wing or door. We used a lot of 0.9 for toolboxes and barbecues (Y11 coursework) and the steel stockholders sell it in metric sizes (area and thickness) - and the sheets we bought were cheaper than the DIY store and a lot larger (2mx1m). You had to be quick when welding it though - it felt very thin after working with tractors' sheet metal! I think I've run out of my stock of 0.9 now - it's three years since I left the school and longer since I "threw out" the previous year's abandoned projects/coursework

My usual source for cheap sheet is my central heating engineering friend, who often has old panels from boilers. Failing that, the local garage usually has a sheet or two (of various thicknesses) and will sell some small bits if I ask nicely (at mates' rates and sometimes FOC). I used the roof from my old Mini for a lot of repairs - it was nice thick stuff (a pity the rest of the car's metal wasn't as strong!) but I suspect it's harder to cut chunks out of cars in scrapyards these days.

[TerryG]

Thanks for the advice guys. I have posted a thread in members cars with some pics of the problem. It is much worse than I thought, fortunately a friend has offered to come over and give me a hand one evening. He is going to bring some "scrap" steel from work so I can have a go before buying a sheet and letting myself lose on the car. Fingers crossed I don't set fire to it, blow big holes, or any of the other things that could potentially happen first time at welding :S