Welder Setup

Here is the rig I'm using. I don't have an offical welding cart, so everything goes up on a rolling stainless steel table I got at auction a few years ago. It works.

Ugly Hole

This is a corner of the boot that typically rusts through. Water is trapped in the outside corner and has nowhere to go but through the metal. It's an odd shape, which makes cutting a patch for it difficult.

Tree Rings

Jarrad made the comment that there were so many layers of paint on the MkIII (and it is the panels from that car that I'm using to patch the MkI), that grinding it down is kind of like counting rings on a tree.

Patch In

Thankfully, I was able to get the patch cut and fit in place with minimal gap. Not bad, considering...

Welded

I've welded it in, and now realize that in addition to having the welder set up properly, you really need to do a good job of cleaning the metal to which you are welding. The rust acts as an insulative layer, and really plays havoc with the bead. Lots of splutter, not a lot of sticking. I'll have to grind down the buildup, and re-weld the holes. The final product should be just fine, though.