18ga sheet metal too thin??

[gthompson97]

Alright so here's my story....

i'm planning on shaving my door handles and my gas tank door and then putting on a billet aluminum door. I know 18ga is pretty good for shaving the handles but to install the aluminum door, I have to bolt it down to the sheet metal. I have to weld screws on the inside and then put the bolts on from the outside. What I want to know is, is 18ga to thin for the gas door? Should I be using a little heavier stuff like 16ga?

[mike@af]

I think I would go up to 16 gage even though its a little harder to work with welded in bungs for the bolts to attach to, like nuts.

[gthompson97]

that's sort of what i was thinking too. it's an almost flat surface so it shouldn't be hard to fab up. but still stick with the 18ga for the shaved handles right?

[mike@af]

Originally Posted by gthompson97

that's sort of what i was thinking too. it's an almost flat surface so it shouldn't be hard to fab up. but still stick with the 18ga for the shaved handles right?

Yea 18Ga will be fine for the handles. The reason I say 16 for the gas door is because its going to have a force on it, and also needs to be bolted to. But since there are no forces really exerted on the door handles (once they are shaved) its fine.

Just remember to keep your tack welds 1" apart all the way around. Let it cool, then repeat. Keep letting it cool and repeating until you have a full bead around so it doesnt warp.

[gthompson97]

Yeah, I want to use as little filler as needed for the handles. Thanks for your help.

[TheSilentChamber]

I'd space your tacks more than 1" appart, I ussually do atleast 2", upto 5-6" depending on how much area I have to work with.

[mike@af]

Originally Posted by TheSilentChamber

I'd space your tacks more than 1" appart, I ussually do atleast 2", upto 5-6" depending on how much area I have to work with.

Welding 16 Gage with MIG I've spaced tacks 1 inch apart doing a cross pattern with no warping.

[TheSilentChamber]

Yeah but you can weld better than most, Just the other day I seen someone shaving a door handle that used about 12gauge and still managed to warp it.

[mike@af]

Originally Posted by TheSilentChamber

Just the other day I seen someone shaving a door handle that used about 12gauge and still managed to warp it.

[CBFryman]

Posts: 204,451

damn...

sorry, im a post whore