etel64 10 Report post Posted January 5, 2014 OK, I have successfully butt welded my floor pans in and am wondering what to coat them with after grinding? do I lay seam sealer over bare metal or should I prime it then seal it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fordrevhead 29 Report post Posted January 5, 2014 Since a butt weld is weaker I assume you did this so that it doesnt show. In that case you probably dont want a seam of sealer there either. So, I would put a couple of good coats of two part epoxy, and then topcoat as you wish. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moodster 55 Report post Posted January 6, 2014 I would definitely use seam sealer at some point... however read the directions on whatever sealer/caulk you decide to use. Most sealers I've used require you to apply them over paint/primer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fordrevhead 29 Report post Posted January 11, 2014 I guess another way to look at it is that seam sealer is for seams. Factory lap joints are bare steel and there are voids that can hold moisture. A proper butt weld has no voids and no bare metal once sprayed with primer sealer and paint. No seam... no seam sealer. You took the extra time for fitting, welding, grinding why slop it up with sealer? A lapp joint would have been stronger, quicker and you could have slathered that with seam sealer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moodster 55 Report post Posted January 13, 2014 I guess another way to look at it is that seam sealer is for seams. Factory lap joints are bare steel and there are voids that can hold moisture. A proper butt weld has no voids and no bare metal once sprayed with primer sealer and paint. No seam... no seam sealer. You took the extra time for fitting, welding, grinding why slop it up with sealer? A lapp joint would have been stronger, quicker and you could have slathered that with seam sealer. You're right... if he really did butt weld the floor pans in then he went through a lot of extra effort and paint will be sufficient. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midlife 814 Report post Posted January 14, 2014 I'll disagree that butt welds are weaker than lap joints. They are probably equally strong, but the lap joints are prone to interior rust and if they are not perfectly flat against one another, there can be weldment issues. I prefer butt welds primarily because you can do it such that only an expert can see the seams. Hiding a lap weld is much harder to do. JMHO. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
etel64 10 Report post Posted January 21, 2014 Well, thanks for all the suggestions folks. I got all this butt welding and plug welding technique down perfectly now after welding 8' worth. After grinding it looks perfect. well almost anyway. hadn't touched a welder in 25 years and took some time to get that feel again.:thumbup1: As far as treating it is concerned I am spraying it with Eastwood rust encapsulator and then on the underside using bed liner. once that's on you wont be able to tell. As far as the inside is concerned, I sprayed it and am coating it with seam sealer. Any input regarding the treating would be helpful. thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
