Ford Escort MK1 Restoration. Front Bubble Arch. Gasless Mig Wire Experiment.

This time we see how gasless mig wire works out for welding on the front bubble arch
Throughout the project we will build tools to help us along the way, the custom tools we build, we will upload our how-to videos
👉🏻 Subscribe to our channel ✅: / @davesgarageuk
📽️ Check out our recent Videos: / @davesgarageuk
🛠️By the way: Ade (a.k.a Adrian) also has a KZbin channel where him and his wife are converting a minibus to an off-grid camper: / @sammyadeadventures
#FordEscortMK1Restoration #DavesGarage #SammyAdeAdventures

[@davegall3533]

Have used gasless mig for over 20yrs, never had a problem , even used it in my own engineering business and others, never had an issue, from ford pop chassis to carbide insert lathe tools, .. ..crack on Dave

[@rosscato8745]

Another masterclass Dave. For guys with basic tools and limited space you’re an inspiration.

[@hohocc1349]

Dave I suspect you could paint the whole car inside and out with a horsehair brush that was still attached to the horse and you'd make it come out nicely! Another great video, very enjoyable thanks.

[@DavesGarageuk]

Ha ha, thank you 😊

[@mjm7187]

Great tips Dave on the fluxcore wire, you're def saving $ without gas. Really enjoy yours and Fitzee's channel. Let's see if Tony mpoves to the fluxcore option. Cheers

[@cdfloresnunez]

Hello Dave on the strength of your video I am now making the switch to flux core!! As I am so tired of running out of gas at the most inconvenient times! Keep up the great work!

[@DavesGarageuk]

I found it particularly good for fine panel work. The only drawback is that it leaves a grey soot behind, but otherwise, it's very good.

[@LeeRestoration1275]

that is a fantastic job Gave , how this channel dont have 100k plus subs i dont know !!

[@aswclassicsiow8588]

Did the same to my Mexico back in the mid 70s except used gas welding, enjoyed the video

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks

[@lummy321]

God Jesus Christ bless you David... Great work thanks Peace and safety brother 🙏👍

[@notimportant8120]

I love using gasless wire. I have gas too, but the ease of use with flux core I just can’t pass up 😂

[@bensclassicbodywork]

Hi Dave, enjoyed the video, I like the fact you have butt welded the arch on, a proper job in my opinion. I do have a couple suggestions of things that might help you next time. The welding distortion would be much less if you kept it cooler, only one tack between an inch of material at a time. Just keep tacking until it's fully welded and cool with air between sets of tacks, a longer process perhaps but it will save more time in panel beating and filler work before painting. Glad you went round and fixed all the porous holes, far too many for my liking. I appreciate you showing everything and your thoughts, it's good watching, keep it up.

[@DavesGarageuk]

Hi Ben, I've found that cooling the welds with air hardens them too much, by welding 1/2 inch then grinding slows the cooling down, which leaves a softer (less hard) weld which can be planished. It's a little more distortion, but it's easier to bring back.

[@bensclassicbodywork]

@@DavesGarageuk if you are using mild steel mig wire it doesn't have the carbon content to make hardening via air quenching possible. However I'm only suggesting using air when the temp drops below a couple hundred degrees. It would have to be quenched from cherry red to have any effect if it was going to.

[@philtucker1224]

I’m continuing to follow and enjoy this wonderful craftsmanship. (I sold my bubble arch 1600 Escort in 1975 to start my addiction to Capris) - Now I’m really missing it!

[@robertreavley7145]

Av never seen that technique you use on the wing of cut n weld! Very effective! Love the videos bud! ❤❤🎉🎉

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks Robert

[@christee5772]

Amazing work as always. Interesting to know about the flux core, only just getting to grips with welding thin steel with standard mig without introducing something else into the mix though.

[@rickwilliams1505]

Brilliant what a great job you made of that

[@neiljarvis8911]

Dave that was a masterclass, especially considering that was the first of two. I could have happily watched that in real time. Who'd have thought tha gasless flux cored wire would be the answer, every day's a learning day! Begining to look like a very nice car now!

[@DavesGarageuk]

Real time world have been about 5hrs 🤣🤣😉

[@sunshinechild-sv9kc]

very good job

[@spencereagle1118]

Great episode, Dave, I really enjoyed it.

[@sidpf1972]

Love the work so far ❤

[@derekjeffrey5443]

Good job on the bubble arches :

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks Derek 👍

[@opelmonzagse]

Nice job Dave, look forward to the other side :)

[@billywhizz98]

You have done a fantastic job of that bubble arch when it’s sprayed up it will look like it’s been factory pressed in one piece you’ve welding skills are perfect

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks William 👍

[@leer798]

Tip top work as usual Dave :)

[@tonynightingale4400]

Excellent workmanship and results, gas is better but you work with what you have 😅😅😅😅

[@robinstewart4729]

great job dave

[@michaelsimmons5710]

I've been using flux core for the past couple of years out of necessity more than anything as Im doing a resto on the driveway,so if I used gas one bit of wind & I'd loose the shielding gas,great work Dave really enjoy watching.

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thank you

[@MASI_forging]

Another great video 🙂🙂

[@paulpaintshop103]

I use an air saw with a 32 saw blade for the cut/butt part, it's cleaner and more accurate and leaves the correct welding gap

[@davecooke914]

Great job Dave love working with matal av restored few cars in past keep up great work 👍

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks, will do!

[@paulblack2402]

Nice work ,well done.

[@philrogers2406]

Thanks for the video Dave. .

[@philrogers2406]

Tidy work mate

[@sjgcustom]

Great work & video as always Dave, think I will get involved in this 👍🏻

[@nicknick3607]

Superb

[@fastboy8315]

nice work

[@nealthomas5943]

Cracking job Dave as always impressed with the flux core 👍👌

[@DavesGarageuk]

Hi Neal, thanks

[@andycook5607]

Perfect workmanship as always dave cant wait to see it in paint and at the shows mate something to be proud of there and your videos give us all more confidence for our project fords

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thank you Andy 😊

[@derekjeffrey5443]

Yea ive had a few mk2 escorts : & 1 mk 1 escort : just a handy Tip put a piece of plastic bag over the top of ya silicone sealant before u screw th nozzle on : it will keep it fresh

[@stevehalverson4315]

😂😂@lights up lights down😂😂 you do the work you do with the escort and your buzzing over pop up lights 😆 good man !!!

[@DavesGarageuk]

🤣🤣 love pop up lights

[@stevehalverson4315]

@@DavesGarageuk it was the chuckle that done it for me 😂 😂 nice one fella sitting waiting for next video 👍🏻👌🏻

[@_Brad_D]

Great work Dave - was good to chat with you at Singleton. Keep up the good work

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks pal, yes, it was great to meet a few subscribers 😀

[@marty3469]

You did a good job on the arch using flux core, i might get a spool and try it out. Never thought to use it 25yrs of fabrication work on cars. Side note, you don't need to shroud to shield gas no more, maybe try without it, I've heard you can see the welding better . 👍

[@DavesGarageuk]

Someone else said that, It didn't even occur to me to take it off 🤣

[@Tommyp65]

The car is coming along really nice. Ive been watching since the beginning of your video series and your efforts are turning out great. Great job dave. 👌👌

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thank you Thomas 😊

[@randyderksen4358]

I like gasless aswell because I can use it outside even if it's a bit breezy. So if you want to have some air movement, even in the shop say a small fan for fumes, it's a good way to go.

[@mariomelo6516]

Video TOP

[@jimmyk9523]

Restored two Fiestas using flux core, working outside in the wind blows gas away anyway.

[@DavesGarageuk]

I found that working on the Manta

[@williamcottam3719]

Hi Dave just fond your channel great to watch first time i have seen that gasless welding looks great and a lot easier to grind back not easy to do what you did great skill will be following you to the end of your project good luck keep em coming.

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks William, welcome to the channel.

[@jamesward5721]

I did tell ye all. :-) Gasless flux-core rocks for bodywork. I use nothing else & I do work for mainly "Owners Club" members who really know their onions. Key is to use 0.6mm wire and run it at 6.6V. That's the absolute sweet-spot where it leaves gas-shielded for dead. :-)

[@DavesGarageuk]

It was a good tip James, thanks for sharing it, sorry I forgot your name, I'm like a goldfish 🐠

[@jamesward5721]

I'm gonna tell ye all something else that absolutely rocks too - again, I use it daily - Hammer grease. Hammer grease is odd stuff - it's black grease & it kills rust dead. Dead. Whenever you do an arch or suchlike, forget about painting the inside before you weld - that's kidding yourself as the welding will burn the paint off & it WILL start rusting again. . Don't paint it - weld it unpainted, then coat the inside using a paintbrush & Hammer Grease. Bang - rust free insides, pretty much forever. I have found NOTHING else that even comes close. It works brilliant. It also works brilliant on 1001 other hard to protect hidden sections & cavaties - I mix it 1/3 with ATF & 1/3 with thinners & use a cavity tube to spray stuff I can't get at - I drill a hole if there isn't one already. Mix it up using an electric kitchen whisk - you will never have a rusty cavity again. :-)

[@jamesward5721]

@@DavesGarageuk For the laughs - I was doing a super-complex repair to a 60k car today, nobody else would touch it - I have a 100 quid welder I kinda dismissed as a "POS" & chucked on a shelf - for the giggles I decided to see can you weld bodywork on a 60k car using flux-core & a 100 quid welder... :-) Theoretically, most would say "Not a Chance!".. :-) Lol... Well i welded every mm of that body-repair using it. I spent 20 minutes first, dialling it in on a piece of scrap steel, till it ran the wire absolutely smoothly the way I like, then I welded ahead on the car. No 5K Tig machine would produce better results. Nope. Not gonna. It welded it absolutely perfectly, so much so I'm gonna keep on using it. It -excitingly - goes down to 4V - my other machine is max-lowwed out at 6.6 if you dick with the menus.. At 4V, with 0.6mm wire, I can weld coke-can thickness, joking aside. Bin off that gas-shroud - it leaves the wire easier to see - a huge advantage. I have that exact welder you are running btw- I don't like it or how it welds, I find it too vague & the welds produced too porous. It lives on a shelf & I am annoyed I wasted my money on it as it was not cheap. 100% seriously. There are far, far superior machines out there for absolute peanuts. That machine bugs me just seeing it. Not a good platform IMO.

[@leerevell5998]

So what's 🤔 hammer grease,? And what's this welder you got that can go down soo low great job Dave I'm impressed 🙋

[@leerevell5998]

O.6 glassless wire? 6.6 volts really what's the welder your using ,🤔

[@robpassfield1035]

I have been using fluxcore for mobile jobs, it is excellent, it burns hotter than gas & find Butt joints need better fit up to prevent burn through.

[@derekjeffrey5443]

Hi mate : am luvin the mk 1 escort : ya makin a sound job of the arches

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks

[@stu2427]

Looking the business so glad you painting it properly after all the work you put into it. And my favorite wheels to. Still think you should of done it lime green. But going be a beauty and the prices on them werth a good bit 👍

[@DavesGarageuk]

Lime green! Bit too loud for me 😊😊

[@martinbuckenham3651]

Great video Dave, Ive been using flux core for about five years with great results and Im amazed its frowned upon so much by so called "experts"!! Please post a link to the tech screws you use, I can see they work well and Ive never used them! Thanks!!

[@DavesGarageuk]

Hi Martin, something like www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284175182357?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=96WEBoEmTUy&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=v5ZLVAlZQYe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[@croonersteve]

A twin cam anti roll bar and an anti dive kit will put the front wheel in the right place Dave . As standard escorts don’t turn in to great . They self center better with a twink roll bar too

[@DavesGarageuk]

Good to know, there's a twink anti-roll bar on fleabay too.... 🤔

[@natbravata5859]

Good job! You make it look less daunting. You will find you will have to cut the front bottom edges of the arches when the car is fully laden and you try to turn the wheels.

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks Nat, yeah I had to do that on the pop

[@llmikeyj1]

That's very informative, thanks. I've tried gas-less mig on butt sheet metal repairs with my Clarke 150, but I found it a horrendous experience burning through everywhere even on 0.6 wire. But I can see now that may be because I can't go any lower on the power settings than 1 MINIMUM anyway on this welder. I had tried to compensate by turning up the wire speed but found I had to move so fast as to be uncontrolled.

[@DavesGarageuk]

I did have to turn mine right down to about a third of what I'd normally be at. So you're probably right in thinking you just can't turns yours down low enough. On reflection, the first time I tried flux cored was with a transformer welder, so was put off by it.

[@alanchurchill7305]

Excellent video again dave,and so neat hardly any distortion,i used gasless on my sierra,the only difference i can see is that using gas helps the weld to flow and you can get a good run ,but well impressed with what you have done, another bit of the jigsaw completed.

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks Alan, hope you enjoyed your holiday?

[@alanchurchill7305]

@@DavesGarageuk morning Dave,yes it was lovely thanks, stunning views everywhere,your car is beginning to take shape nicely,you will have to pop up and see mine when you have time,

[@marciabaldwin2506]

Brilliant work great video Dave now days with gas being expensive fluxcore is the way forward keep up the amazing work love the channel ❤

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks Marcia, yep, it's more than doubled in price.

[@chucky2316]

Doesn't flux core get hotter and leave loads of mess

[@DavesGarageuk]

@K that's what I always thought, but no, it's nice to work with. Does leave a powdery stuff behind, but that just wipes off.

[@user-xc2tg5ud3y]

Alright Boyo, - used do that stuff in Powys ( Ford ) welshpool / oswetry - 1983 to 88. Then went painter only. + 5 yrs.ect .change to ( mig/ tig ). Nice young , but hard now mate ? Your doing proud for mk1 + 2 . Escorts.

[@DavesGarageuk]

Yep, gets a bit more difficult as we get older

[@richardthepainter]

Nice work as normal dave 👌 great video If you do decide to paint the escort yourself or getting someone to do it for you i can probably help with that either way

[@DavesGarageuk]

Ah, thank you, very good of you to offer help 👍

[@bantampop3532]

👏👏

[@robertamor3203]

hi dave great vidio i am surprized with flux core i have always thought it was poor man welding i noticed that you had left on your gas sheild on the gun you might see a bit clearly with it off and i cound see your floor you must have had a tidy up great to watch you work

[@DavesGarageuk]

Ha ha, yes the brush has been in action. Interesting, I didn't even think to remove the shield 🤔

[@hanshoogendyk2203]

At 71 I learned at 17 not to practice welding on a project car, other wise once you get better at it you will remember how bad your start was and go back and do it again. So practice practice practice untill you don't get better, then get to the car, no one ever enjoyed doing a job twice

[@DavesGarageuk]

Where's the fun in that 🤣

[@philipbunker146]

Same welder as mine!

[@DavesGarageuk]

Fantastic bit of kit,I love it.

[@jameshendrix8217]

I had no luck welding thin sheet metal with my old transformer style lincoln using flux. Maybe because you're using a IGBT machine you get better welds?

[@DavesGarageuk]

I think you're right, a few others have mentioned this also, I don’t think transformer welders can be turned low enough.

[@-Astro--]

nailed it again Dave. Surprised you cant buy whole bubble arch wings🤔 still great progress

[@DavesGarageuk]

You can, but they're very very very expensive

[@-Astro--]

ah yeah can imagine mega bucks for what they are

[@paulpaintshop103]

​@@DavesGarageuk where did you get the arches from Dave?

[@DavesGarageuk]

@@paulpaintshop103 express panels

[@paulpaintshop103]

@@DavesGarageuk Cheers Dave 👍

[@leerevell5998]

Fab job dave seems looking at the grinding parts it didn't take you as long so there maybe softer welds the the gass ones ive never welded with flux core but looking at your fantastic results im going to have a try how thick was the wing and where you get the torch on ya helmet please. Great. Stuff 🙋

[@DavesGarageuk]

Hi Lee, the bubble was a decent thickness, at least 1mm, the wing was thinner .8mm ish. The head light is just a head torch I've bolted on, it helps a lot.

[@antmk2dreaming614]

am well impressed with your work. are you going to the classic ford show on sunday?

[@DavesGarageuk]

No mate, other plans, our 27th wedding anniversary yesterday, so doing that 😊😉

[@antmk2dreaming614]

@@DavesGarageuk congratulations. i am dragging the mrs there on sunday, she will be bored within 10mins lol

[@user-dm1px6km9w]

Another great video Dave although I'm wondering why you didn't cut the original arch of with your plasma? Keep up the great work 🙂

[@DavesGarageuk]

Hi Tim. The plasma cutter would have made a mess of the inner wing.

[@derekjeffrey5443]

Why not put a skim of fibreglass on the inside of the wings before you fit thm bak on : it will seal the cut&butt & make it stronger

[@DavesGarageuk]

I will do that when I'm ready for Bodywork. Thanks for the suggestion 😊😊

[@superloopy24v]

I wondered if you might reduce the few porous bits in the weld that needed going over again if the cut in the 'cut and butt' could be thinner, maybe with a Dremel type cutting disc which I imagine may be thinner than the thinnest disc for your grinder.

[@DavesGarageuk]

Good idea, I am thinking that the jig saw may be better, would be about half the gap still, dremel would be food, but the discs don't last very long and are relatively expensive

[@superloopy24v]

@@DavesGarageuk Sounds like a good idea, didn't realise your jigsaw could reduce the cut width, and yes the knock off dremel discs I have for the tool I can attach to the drive of my grinder do get used up quickly.

[@derekjeffrey5443]

Why not put a skim of fibreglass filler on the inside of the arches before you put thm bk on : it will make the cut&butt stonger & seal it azwl

[@DIYCampervansAndVariety]

Hi Dave brilliant video as usual, i would be interested to know if the flux cored wire goes through the standard .6mm drive wheel and .6mm nozzle,thanks for sharing .

[@DavesGarageuk]

Had to change to .8 tip and swap the roller around to .8

[@DIYCampervansAndVariety]

@@DavesGarageuk thanks for your quick reply Dave,i will certainly be giving the flux cored wire a try,much appreciated 👍

[@phillishaver]

Hi dave. Love the videos. Can I ask what size fluxcore wire you used?

[@DavesGarageuk]

0.8mm mate

[@donwest5387]

I wouldn't be establishing wheel well height without drivetrain establishing ride height

[@DavesGarageuk]

The height is set by the swage lines on the bubble panel, I will be lowering the suspension once the engine & box are in.

[@Metal_shaper_tom]

hello dave .good job! if you every want any help or advice when it comes to welding feel free to ask,id be happy to show you how to tig and even have a few videos on my channel on welding panels in. if you ever want to do a video in the future together get in touch .tom

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks Tom, that's a fab idea 💡

[@lackodhr.5303]

🤗👍👌

[@jamesward5721]

Another "Pro" tip is bin off whatever junk you use for "grinding" & start using Pferd grinding discs & 3M Cubitron 20mm belt sander belts - they are 100% faster & better than anything else available. Once you try them the first time, you will never regard anything else as "proper". Both are fairly eye-watering on price - but they are worth every penny. First time you use a 3M cubitron belt in an air-belt-sander, you will wonder is this even possible?? How does it work so fast?? Try. Report back.

[@janeblogs324]

Just don't breathe them in...

[@retiredtruckersgarage.7606]

i used both for years now,but its the first time that i have seen 0.6 gasless wire let alone a 5kg roll,please can you let me know where you got it from bud,great video dave.i see you atracted a nissan driver on your cruise,my sons just bought a 350z its a great drive.

[@DavesGarageuk]

Hi pal, it is .8 wire, ebay as usual www.ebay.co.uk/itm/404232387660?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=0muczyqsqla&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=v5ZLVAlZQYe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[@DavesGarageuk]

The Nissan was being driven by my Nephew Ray, he's just sold it as it happens, was a real machine, I had a go in it, gave it back before I stuck it in a hedge, it just begged to be pushed harder....

[@retiredtruckersgarage.7606]

@@DavesGarageuk just ordered a new 5kg .8 gasless,it does actually produce strong welds,but I would like to try.6.

[@davidtreharne8782]

Hi Dave would you use that flux core wire on structure parts off the car as in chassis rear bubbles? just asking if it is as strong as using argon gas

[@DavesGarageuk]

I don't think I'd trust it on anything structural, maybe a test in order🤔

[@georgeclements2742]

Like retired truckers garage I would be interested to know the type of flux cored wire you were using. Unlike some I have seen there seems to have been almost no flux residue to clean off. The wheel arch looks good already and I'm sure that it will look even better with a light application of filler to blend it in. Regards.

[@DavesGarageuk]

Hi George, try this link. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/404232387660?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=0muczyqsqla&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=v5ZLVAlZQYe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[@georgeclements2742]

@@DavesGarageuk Thanks Dave. On the page there were some cheaper offers that looked to be the same so I'm having a punt on one of those. Free delivery, and given the carriage cost on 5kg I don't know how they can do it, but fingers crossed it might be o.k.

[@kentenbrown8660]

how old is this ford i like what you are do i am old to see them in the day

[@DavesGarageuk]

Nearly as old as I am 🤣

[@derekjeffrey5443]

Ar you gona solder th seams were they meet the wing ???

[@DavesGarageuk]

Not sure what I'm going to do there yet, cross that bridge when we get to it.

[@derekjeffrey5443]

And the gravitex over the fibreglass : no 1 will see it

[@derekjeffrey5443]

Wot engine you puttin in mate ???

[@DavesGarageuk]

ST170 on twin webers 😊

[@derekjeffrey5443]

Ya mk 1 will be mint wen its dun : will you send pics wen its finished ??

[@derekjeffrey5443]

Wen iz the mk 1 gettin painted ??? Wot colour you doin it

[@DavesGarageuk]

It'll be Ermine White, when? Who knows? 🤣

[@derekjeffrey5443]

Nice

[@derekjeffrey5443]

Thrs a nicer one than ermine white : its called classic van white : thts wot i dun mine

[@russcooke5671]

@@derekjeffrey5443 diamond white is a good colour as well.

[@derekjeffrey5443]

@@russcooke5671 aye true av used diamond wht before

[@coerteilander2614]

ever heard of cliko,s ???

[@DavesGarageuk]

I have, I've got some, don't get on with them for some reason

[@humourless682]

Flux core welding is intended for very rough production work, and DIY type stuff like repairing garden gates. It's CRAZY to use this process on any sort of vehicle repair/restoration work. The quality of the welds is most often pretty poor, with lots of porosity, which means corrosion at some stage is almost inevitable. This sort of work requires a good quality transformer MIG with pulse, using argon/Co2 gas, .8mm wire, and in the case of bubble arches, maybe 3-4 hours spent on panel beating, to ensure the best possible fit. Videos showing how to bodge are very common on here, and to be honest cant really see they are of any help at all, to anyone wanting to carry out similar work?

[@DavesGarageuk]

I'm not pretending to be a professional here, just a guy in his garage enjoying what he does.

[@humourless682]

@@DavesGarageuk If you can get hold of a used BOC Tradesmig, you would find welding much easier, and get better results. Leading is a very good idea, if you are fitting bubble arches, and you only need to do the actual weld joint area, and final finish with body filler. Paint spraying is relatively easy, but you need a reasonable size compressor, and get hold of something like a Devilbiss FLG spray gun.

[@janeblogs324]

Already knew you were talking out your ass, but as soon as you said transformer MIG it was set in stone

[@marianneschmitz189]

Ďeutsch

[@georgeross9834]

Music is terrible what a pity

[@DavesGarageuk]

I have stopped adding music to my recent Videos

[@eddiest111]

that’s amazing, i’ve never seen bubble arches put on before, what a great job you did, cut and but done so well done. the more i got into it the better it got. brilliant. 🫸🏻🫷🏻

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thank you 😊

[@micktuck5377]

Amazing results with that flux core saves on gas! Great work as always Dave. Best channel on here mate keep it up please

[@DavesGarageuk]

Thanks Mick, very kind