I need to add a little bit of metal to my door to get the gap evened out. I am not really sure how to go about it. I have seen on the "TV Shows" where they weld some kind of metal (round stock?) to the edge and grind it and then I have seen others where they MIG/TIG right on the edge of the door and the sculpt it with a grinder.

Can someone explain it?

Thanks

Bob

Well you pretty much explained it yourself. Both those options will work. A third option, but less durable and easier at the same time, would be to use fiberglass or a kitti hair type of plastic.

You can also weld in a 'coat hanger'.

Your local home improvement stores will have thin metal rods, get one a little thicker than the door edge so that you can grind it down to match the thickness of the door. Weld it along the edge, bending it to the curve and body lines as you go. That's how I was told to do it and it sounds right, but I'm not there yet.

So do you tack the piece into place? or do you run a bead down the entire length? Weld from the backside? Sorry for all of the questions, but I have never seen it done or had it explained in detail.

Bob

I would remove all of the paint on the edge of the door and a little bit back on both the front surface (outside of the door skin) and on the backside surface (where the door skin is wrapped back over the inner structure) and then get a solid core wire that is a tad thicker than the thickness of the edge of the door or panel you are working on.

I would then prep the rod by sanding it down so when you weld any contaminants on the rod are removed. I would then start by placing the rod on the edge of the door to where it is evenly centered on the edge of the door or panel and tack it in place. I would then bend the rod to fit tight against the edge a little bit down from where the first tack weld is at and tack it again. I would continue on until the rod is bent to fit the edge of the door or panel and then completely tacked on (a weld for maybe a 1/4" and then a 1"-2" space and then another 1/4" tack weld and so on). I would then double check to make sure it is in the right spot by closing the door or trunk lid or hanging the fender to check the work done so far. If it's good to go, continued welding it to the edge of the door or panel but limit how much heat is getting built up so as not to warp the edge and make more work later.
Once it is fully welded take a 4" diameter or so grinder and knock down the welds and the rod to where it is flush on top of the door skin and on the backside.
Now you can close the door and see how the gap is closed up but the gap may or may not be 100% even to the other panel edge. If it's right, prime the area and go onto the next area on the car to work on.
If it's not right then you have to trim down those tight spots and since the rod thickness is fairly thin just like the original door edge was you can probably take a 3" sander with maybe a 50-80 grit wheel on it to take out those tight spots while continually checking your work so as not to go too far.

Since the edge of the door is rounded and the metal rod is circular you will be welding in the very center of where the two meet. I really think a person needs to weld both sides to where once the welds are ground down hardly any filler will be required. If it was only welded on the front the rod addition may be visible from the backside when the door is opened.
I guess the easiest way to describe it is to invision butt welding two thick panels together. You would V both of the edges and then start welding right where the points of the V's touch each other. With the rod on the edge of the door the door would be on panel and the rod would be the other. You want to weld in the recess where the tow touch each other.

Depending on how anal a person wants to be on the gaps you may need to add a little more to a low spot to bring the gap tighter and if the rod is already on the edge and another rod will not fit then slowly add some tack welds on that low spot to build up that area and then dress it with a grinder and sanding discs.

Jim

Jim, that was a really good explanation, I haven't got to that part of mine yet, when I do, that is exactly the way I will do it.

Rob

Thanks Guys!!

Bob

I always keep a good supply of various TIG Rod sizes around - it works great for this type of work.

Very nice explanation Jim! Thanks! I knew what to do because I've read about it so many times, but haven't done it yet so couldn't really explain it in detail like you did.

Glad I could help. Like a lot of other things, sometimes it's easier to actually show a person how something is done instead of describing it.
I know I have taken a lot of photo's since I got my digital camera and you might want to document your work. Pictures are worth a thousand words sometimes.

Jim