It was one of those good day/bad day..days. I got the patch welded in to cover the old gas inlet but, found out about what so many talk about...warpage. The metal sucked in about a foot up and a foot wide (kinda an oval shape towards the patch) above the patch and a small area (about 4" X 4") below....it sux. I tried to weld a nail right above the area and pull it back but, snot gonna work. I can't get to the back side to hammer on the panel and relieve the stress because of the double wall. It's not that deep, maybe an 1/8 of an inch at it's worst. Guess I'l have to use a little filler :whine:

I was able to work on the other side and get all of the hole that the previous owner had drilled. Still a little hammering to do but, getting closer.

Tried a little Zero Rust today, seemed to work good. I'll scuff and spray another coat next weekend. It needs to be thinned to spray and I didn't have any thinner so, I brushed it on.

Do you own a stud gun? They weld a small nail to the metal for pulling. You can find good decent ones on ebay for around 140 bucks, look up HS4500. Thats a good budget built unit.
They should help you pull that metal back out, you will need some light hammering around the area to help relieve the stress as you pull it out.

Also if you make small tack welds instead of doing complete beads that will cut your wrapage.
DO one tack weld then make another on the opposite side of the patch. Allow it to cool naturally before starting a new weld. If you cool with water or air you are ONLY making the skrinkage worse, allow that weld to cool down by itself. If you cant hold on hand over the weld then its too hot to make another tack weld.
When you get to the point where your tacks will be running into each other, first take your grinder and grind down the existing tack weld that will get welded into. Doing so allows the new tack weld to melt into the old tack and the base metal easier and faster.

They should help you pull that metal back out, you will need some light hammering around the area to help relieve the stress as you pull it out.
I welded a nailed and was able to pull it out but, it went back (like i figured it would). Without being able to get a dolly on the back side of the metal will light hammering make a difference?

Also if you make small tack welds instead of doing complete beads that will cut your wrapage.
I did but, I must not have let it cool enough before hitting it again. Patience, patience, patience....

How much are you welding when you weld that nail on?
When you weld you are shrinking metal. Granted those stud guns STILL weld pins to the panel but I can only guess its less heat and more confind in a small area. I would assume that welding a nail to the panel introduces even more heat and warpage.

If you can get something to stick to that low spot and apply some light tension on that spot and then lightly tap around and in that area with a hammer or slapper it will bring some not all but some of that metal back up.
The hammering vibrates the metal molecules, this helps the metal go back into shape.

Not much welding. Just a couple of quick tacks. That's why the photo showed an area cleaned to the metal above the patch.

I'll tack another one back on and give it a shot! :metal:

Thanks,
Jon