Welding sills

[benoliver999]

I'd be straight down the garage with this one lol, I'm really impressed at the skill people have here

[oilyrag]

Seeing the plastic tank and pipes so close to the repair site reminded me of one of my repairs a few years back. Our washing machine had those blocks of concrete inside to balance it and one of the arms securing it had sheared off. No worries, easy enough to get at from above. All welded up, machine back in place, switch on, water peeing out everywhere! The welding spatter, even though just tiny spots of weld, had eaten pinholes in most of the pipes and plastics - and I ended up paying for a new machine, much to my wife's delight.
A piece of wet carpet across the tank and a fire extinguisher to hand might be a wise precaution, or at least some sausages to cook whilst you wait for the fire brigade to arrive!    Good luck.

[Sol]

Maybe teaching you to suck eggs but with a repair like that I would do the outer sill first so the the 'cosmetic' bit is aligned properly, you can fit the bits that don't need to look good to that if that makes sense?

Thanks for the tips, I’ll keep you posted. 

Some more pics of the inner sill and the proximity of the corrosion to the diesel tank. I’ll tie the fuel lines back and shield the corner of the tank with foil.

Not wanting to sound negative mate and good luck to you, but I think by the time you cut that rot out, you'll be left with a huge area to reproduce. (nowt left but its ears) - if that was mine, it would be sitting in the scrap pile already and I'm not one to run from a repair but rust is my Nemesis.

Hats off to you pal.

[Van Rouge]

I’ve cut the rot out and made up the middle and outer sill ready for welding in today (sausages and fire extinguisher at the ready).

Once they’re finished I’ll tackle the inner channel and sill, which is the challenging part. In for a penny etc……

I had considered scrapping the van but after looking for a replacement van with tailgate instead of doors, I decided to stick with it.

[ffrenchie]

I’ve cut the rot out and made up the middle and outer sill ready for welding in today (sausages and fire extinguisher at the ready).

Once they’re finished I’ll tackle the inner channel and sill, which is the challenging part. In for a penny etc……

I had considered scrapping the van but after looking for a replacement van with tailgate instead of doors, I decided to stick with it.

That looks solid enough. The patch should be seam welded in but the bottom lip can have spot or plug welds to look like original. Worth doing it to keep it on the road a bit longer, second hand vans are not cheap. Rest of the van looks nice.

[RattyCortina]

Looks like an excellent job!

[Sol]

I’ve cut the rot out and made up the middle and outer sill ready for welding in today (sausages and fire extinguisher at the ready).

Once they’re finished I’ll tackle the inner channel and sill, which is the challenging part. In for a penny etc……

I had considered scrapping the van but after looking for a replacement van with tailgate instead of doors, I decided to stick with it.

Here, talk about night and day! 

Now that looks amazing so far, well done mate. Looking forward to seeing the finished work.

[Van Rouge]

Seeing the plastic tank and pipes so close to the repair site reminded me of one of my repairs a few years back. Our washing machine had those blocks of concrete inside to balance it and one of the arms securing it had sheared off. No worries, easy enough to get at from above. All welded up, machine back in place, switch on, water peeing out everywhere! The welding spatter, even though just tiny spots of weld, had eaten pinholes in most of the pipes and plastics - and I ended up paying for a new machine, much to my wife's delight.
A piece of wet carpet across the tank and a fire extinguisher to hand might be a wise precaution, or at least some sausages to cook whilst you wait for the fire brigade to arrive!    Good luck.

Thanks for the tips, I’ll certainly protect everything and have the garden hose handy ?

[oilyrag]

Just remembered ....don't forget to disconnect the battery to protect the electronics/alternator when you do the welding. Cutting out work look spot-on. Good luck with sticking the new bits in place

[Martinez]

Well, having started this thread, I’m back. Mot failed today mainly on inner sills. So the madness begins. The plan is to cut outer sills off, rebuild inner sills, then weld outer sills back on again. After last time I found it easier this way as you can get to weld behind the sill much easier with the out sill removed.
So, where’s the best place to cut the outer sills away ?