You have been lied to! 

Man, this channel is going to be one of the most popular metal fabrication spots on RU-vid some day. I'm really glad Karl Fisher mentioned you on his channel as someone he follows. I can sure see why he reccomended you; Stellar content!

I STARTED DOING THAT IN THE GOOD OLD GAS WELDING DAYS. IT WORKED THEN AND IT WORKS EVEN BETTER NOW. I JUST COULD NOT EXPLANE IT LIKE YOU DID. WELL DONE SON !

Best & most logical/practical explanation of the atomic structural reactions of metallic alloys when heat is applied.

Love the content. You are spot on about TIG welding. Hard to beat a Miller syncrowave TIG welder. I use the same welder at work but I use the TIG button on the torch handle instead of a foot pedal. I feel more stable with both feet on the floor and still have all the control at my finger tip. Great point that nobody sees a pretty weld once it is finished out. Your heat control is great, It is easy to set the heat but you have to be able to keep a consistent speed. Your fit up skills are obvious seeing such a consistent heat zone. All the pieces coming together, quality parts, fit up, weld preparation, excellent finished panel. Frank

Another awesome and informative video. Thanks for putting these out.

I recently started using this technique and it works. I've done the tack method for years and this process is really the way to go. Thanks for making these videos Mike.

Started out welding sheet metal 50 years ago. Man, I wish I had seen this back then. These days I'm a CWI. Your right, It's all about consistent heat input. Wish I could have seen the back side, but it looks really good. Thanks for the post, subscribed.

I like how you explained everything in detail step by step 👍

This made sense to me, I used to tig weld a lot of stainless stuff and always had better results with long welds then doing the short weld method jumping around thing, but never thought of it this way.

Great episode! Video content and production is A+. A follow-up of grind, massage and finish would be great. It is obvious that you have spent years dedicated to your craft. Thank you so much for sharing your hard earned wisdom.

Oh, the video editing was good. You got to the point fast enough to keep people engaged AND you didn’t cut out needed content. IMHO.

Nice work.

Mike your awsome ,there was hardly amy warping what so ever ,guess im saving for a tig welder now lol thanks for the great video

To anyone welding. Wear gloves on both hands. Mike I ask you to weld like you did for one inch with no glove on your feed hand. After that smell your feed hand and you will smell burnt skin. Yes it does take some time to get used to feeding wire with a glove on and more when using small wire I used to weld every day and on average eighteen gauge steel,stainless and aluminum tubing. Protect yourself.

Best explanation of weld/warp I've ever heard. Thank you !

I've felt that flux core is a great option for sheet metal work as the shielding is there even when tacking. It has it's quirks, you should only pull or go perpendicular to the work, pushing causes the flux to contaminate the weld. With flux core you can weld outside in the wind as well if necessary.

well presented information Mike, where I struggle is at the final finish stage. The line between hammering the metal enough to be straight or stretching it too much for me is difficult to gauge. the other one I have trouble with is when the panel is 90% there but full of dimples baffles me too. its as if metal has hardened and won't flatten out for me, the result is I hit it too hard and stretch it into an "oil can" effect and end up back where I started. once again well done, good presentation

Thanks Mike! This is great information.

4:18 Lower amps is likely a longer period of time where heat is applied as well- which actually is more heat travel and more heat deformation in my somewhat little experience.

that was quite the skill shot. you could take it a lot easier if you sandwiched both sides of the weld zone with heatsink bars, and avoid hammering, grind to flush.

Awesome video, thanks for what you do

Setting the machine on low amps is a fool's errand. Its like trying to solder with a cold iron, you just end up parking on the part/panel and dumping excessive heat into it. I mostly work with sheet 5052, but the idea is the same for all tig. Set max amps well above what is needed so you can dump current for initial puddle formation then modulate with the pedal

Good explanation

I agree with your method. When I was a sheet metal model maker apprentice back in the 1970's, that is how we were taught. I have arc, mig and tig welders in my shop today, and I rarely roll out my mig welder.I just don't care for it. The control on the tig process is so good you can control warpage much more than mig. This was a really good video, thank you.

What your talking about is really an old school method of hammer welding which we used to do with the oxy welder. Its just that the tig while operating similar to an oxy it produces less heat and thus warpage. The reason hammer welding isnt done with a mig welder is because a mig weld is fairly high tensile which resists flattening from a hammer and dolly and an oxy weld and a tig weld are softer welds and thus more malleable and more suited to hammer welding. The difference between tig and oxy hammer welding is you can only do an inch is so at a time with oxy. Tig is clearly much better because welding it all in one go is a time saver.

Thank you for this video. I too prefer TIG welding sheet metal. I spent hours chasing the warpage. Learned of this technique from Christian Sosa, I have since become a true believer. Thanks again!

Wow great video, I really appreciate you doing these. I try to do good work , but I was at a shop that was more about the fastest one is the best. So I got scolded while the cave and pave guys got the atta boy and Pat on the back. I quit because of those reasons. I still want to get into quality work . So your videos are very helpful and inspiring thank you

After seeing this video, I need to practice and work on learning to tig weld. Superb detail, explanation of the method behind the theory behind the and video!

I watch so many videos, and you are spot own 🤓👍💯

Excellent stuff, always learn something new from your videos!

Another great video ... learned a lot ... love the projects ...

Nice VIDEO Nice WORK. Back in the day, I saw heatsink puddey. I don't see anyone using it now. Is it still around? Will that help? #STAYSAFE #PHILLYPHILLY 🇺🇸

Just as you indicated here, I was taught to TIG panels, close fit-up, tack every inch or so. then continues TIG weld the seam. Always works, just need to develop the skills.

Mike, looks like you’re not classically trained ahahah. Good job with the video, and showing how it’s done in real life. Keep up with the videos I enjoy watching them and it’s getting good info out there to those looking to learn, to many of these BS dudes out there.

Mike hands down this is the best no nonsense video on welding sheet! I always did it jumping around till I caught some of your stuff on Instagram and started running it continuous with .030 rod. DAY and NIGHT difference. Thank you for all you share on here. Your straight to it approach and your commitment to giving all the details make every one of your videos worth well beyond the time spent watching them.

You are a great teacher. Thank You for sharing your knowledge it’s really appreciated.

All I gave is a mig. But have seen the guys who do fine body work use tig.

Cool info, will be sticking with mig. Not purchasing a whole new setup and learning curve for a gew extra minutes grinding. Cool video though.

A fine video. Must say..16 guage is beefy. 20 , not that's an art

Mike - very well done, and well explained!

Ive always heard you say this and I’ve seen it first hand on low crown panels especially. You can visibly see the inconsistent distortion from starting/stoping in the middle of the panel. You’ll see a very consistent slightly raised area from the weld then a little pucker right where the start or stop occurred.

Mike great video as usual . Question you used 030 wire on this project , can 023 wire be used or that’s to thin ? Thanks

👍👍😎👍👍 - smoooooth

Wish You could have shone us a close up of the actual weld puddle and arc Length.

Great TIG video on a topic that might not be covered like this. I was wondering if you used a button to trigger a 2T setting that went right up to 60A or a pedal (that I didn't see) ? Thanks!

This is a really, really good explanation of what you're doing. It all makes logical sense, and you can't argue with the results.

❤️👍🤍👍💙👍

If you advise one continuous weld, then why did you do tack welds 1" apart across the whole seam? Why not just do 4-6 tacks?

Work smarter not harder😅👍.

Great educational content. Your teaching is very well done and your editing is very professional. I see a lot of other channels referencing your quality of work and content. Keep up the great content.

Great video Mike, thank you for sharing. The mental model I have of how heat causes shrinkage (aka warping) is that the localized heat causes the area to expand, pressing against the cooler surround metal. The shrinkage is then an effect not unlike what happens when you shrink metal with mechanical methods like jaw Shrinker or thumbnail dies. I don’t know if that is scientifically correct, but it seems to be a useful mental model for me, and your explanation of why you weld continuously fits nicely with it. Each short, isolated stitch weld is actually set up to maximize the shrinkage because it’s localized heat surrounded on all sides by cooler metal. Does that track with your thinking?

I like how he gets straight to the point and gets right into it.

Great stuff! Did you hammer/ dolly the tacks after the whole piece was tacked or as you were tacking. Thanks for sharing

fuck stacking dimes... ima start rowing nickels

Going to have to try this out. Also the videos and editing is coming along leaps and bounds! Keep it up!

100% agree ! Been doing it that way since way back when using oxy acetylene for welding

Yes, but u forget the power of a chinese welder and pigeon shyt😂.... Warping os the least of my worries 😅

Great video and thanks for sharing

The root of the shrinkage, correct me if I am wrong, is that we get most metal in its rolled state. Clean sheet is cold rolled. So there are stresses in it. Once it’s heated, as you say, we allow the molecules to go back to their annealed state, which as you say is more compact. Hammering expands it or creates a push v a pull. Right? So it offsets the pull of the weld. Welds of course lay in hot and expanded. When they cool they shrink, of course. That can be used to pull things in too. I’m not as good as you are by any means! I have had some luck with ideas like you are putin’ down. Right on! Thanks for confirming!

How you can weld like that with no glove is beyond me... even doing short welds for a few hours i get sunburns.

Great info Mike, keep them coming.

What about doing a patch for a 4x4 hole??

Hey Mike nice work as always going to have to try that. I am surprised that there aren't a lot of no way comments for the one pass.

Sounds great. Now all I have to do is to learn to tig.

Another great lesson, thank you Mike.

That was some serious detail. Thanks

Great instruction. Yes, “row of nickels” is not the “perfect” weld. Technically, it’s better without any ripple.

this was great information, 180 degrees from what I would have done in the past... but makes perfect sense......I know I will be doing this in the future.......thank you so much.... Paul in Orlando

We all agree BUT most of us viewers are not coachbuilding new panels on a bench. We’re on our backs doing rust repair with poor access, poor tools and poor skills! Throw us a bone, here, we already feel plenty of shame!

In training to weld it was shown we have filler on hand but progress fusing the sheet edges together with filler only to add material reducing flame effect on the parent metal. I accept your style as a better method, just the way you tell & show ! Being a mere human myself, I try to use a backing strip of panel steel; as a heat sink to compensate for my fallible application.

Nice video. I run into problems when it's impossible to have access for planishing. I sure would like to have access to a power hammer. That tool is about the same size as my shop. LOL. Best wishes.

Thank you very much for sharing your experience and skills. Very insightful. Are you an engineer?

Banging good comments from all .

Agreed! TIG is far superior to MIG in almost all situations BUT, it take a lot more skill in both the fit up and the actual welding.

I like your no bs approach and your work is proof of your technique. Did you leave any gap between the panels? And do you also weld on a frame with the same continuous technique? Thank you

I like your process, it just makes sense. Would not an a chunk of aluminum used as a heat sink on the underside of the weld path also help deter the warping?? Just a thought.

I agree with your technique , you have a good understanding of the forces at play. One of the techniques I like to use when welding flat panels with the TIG welder is hammer welding. It used to be fairly common back when we torch welded everything. Not sure if you're familiar with it but it's where you weld for an inch or two, then iron it out while it's still very hot, red hot if you can, then repeat the process down the panel. It takes practice to be really good at it but when you're done all the stresses are out and the welds are flat. It takes a small amount of clean up after that. I got my first TIG welder over 40 years ago and realized quickly how nice it was to weld sheet metal.

Looks good I think I will leave my cheeky comments out. 😁🇬🇸👍

TV Guy says: I'm a blowhard who tells everyone how to do production, but you did ask... Invest in a wireless mic and lower your voice You are shouting to get to the camera mic a bit and it will be a big improvement in the enjoyment factor. Lightings very good. Sound in general is decent for an echoey shop area (no HVAC or tools humming or worse). Content excellent. "Acting" good. Yup. Maybe some quick branding Title opening (but cute and quick and out). But, don't forget to wear sunscreen. And buy a mic (people 40+ get that joke. Find one and ask them, kids!). Good stuff.

Great content, your comment on fit up being so important was spot on. Being the tool whore that I am I always enjoy seeing the right machine for the job, unfortunately I just dont do enough shaping to justify it.

Would all this still apply if (say) you install a quarter panel patch where you only have access to one side for subsequent metal finishing (I.e.: can’t access the back side for a dolly or hammer). In your example you knew you’d be able to put it on the power hammer.

Great video! A lot of logic, well edited, well done, your a great Craftsman, your Craftsmanship is outstanding!! You got me hooked line and sinker!!

I am looking forward to applying this technique when I go todo sheet metal work on my 51ford.

Yup, I do the same thing with 16ga trailer fenders on mig but once you start you gotta drop the hammer keep truckin until the end, i still get alittle rush trying to out pace the burn through 😂, great content and like everyone said straight and to the point 👍🏼

Hi thank you for the video it was very helpful. One thing I am curious to see as I am new to Tig ,is what the back of a weld like this should look like . Thank you

Thanks, good information! just need to practice.

Love your work. My question is how do deal with burn-troughs.Do you fix them before or after the full weld?

Did you say 17 gauge? Wow that is thick and heavy. Have you ever tried butt welding late model 22 ga, zinc coated auto body sheet metal? I have, it’s almost impossible without extreme warpage and pinholes. I’ve discovered that Panel Bond Adhesive using a contoured-matching backer strip gives NO warpage, no pinholes and a much stronger bond. Tried to destroy sample pieces in vise by twisting and bending it. Was bulletproof and also stiffens the entire panel and also deadens sound. And the panels are watertight.

Mike great video! Your right I was taught the old way of stacking tacks and small sections with a mig. I bought a tig and will try this method. Thanks!

Very helpful and interesting video thanks Mike.

Preach brother! I tell so many people to quit mig welding sheet metal on restoration work. Tig is the only way. I try to do everything tig at my shop from chassis to body work.

knowledge is king - thanks for sharing mind blowing but , will give it a try

nice work dude, i am very impressed with your skill and knowledge

Thanks, I really appreciate the info, I am trying to improve all the time and your videos really help

Thank you for taking the time to share your viewpoint. Much appreciated!

Make it Customs told me about your channel. 😀

Its also quicker to weld all at once you can space them out can but you have to planish them in between which is just a pain and time consuming and you still get little waves anyway

Great info Mike and thanks for sharing! I wish I could run a bead that long but with arthritis in my hands I can't feed the filler so I do shorter runs. Have you ever used a .040 tungsten and .023 mig wire for sheet metal ?

Such a great video, super informative

Curious about two things: do you ever use pulse when welding seams? Do you find it unnecessary or does it produce different results than you prefer? Second thing: have you tried using silicon bronze filler instead to further reduce the warpage? Again, maybe it doesn’t matter because there will be warpage to an extent but it should produce less warpage.