BODY WORK COMING BACK AFTER 6 MONTHS

Maybe they use it like lead and just sand or file it. Doing the same thing once every minute, 40 hours a week for years can make anyone a super human. In the mid 60s I worked on the engine assembly line. The line usually ran 2 engines a minute, but sometimes it was 3, and then they added a few extra guys. We built 352,390, and 427 at the Dearborn Engine Plant.
 
Still comes down to placement in such a way to hide joints being noticed. Recently bonded a custom steel rear visor to back of el camino roof area. This type of joint is prone to showing from above so set it up to skim area over joint. First did fibertech fiberglass stranded stuff which isn't over impressive & switching to VPA for final skim. May not shadow paint for years but a trip to store last night in evening dew showed a line where it takes on moisture differently.
Doing a roof spline installing with panel adhesive & will round over entire profile with vpa to match factory hood spline. This will put expansion & contraction area in a spot where it won't show. Same as steel ground effects I bonded on approx 10 plus years ago & sprayed with temp rattle can paint that is peeling.. The bond joint being at a contrasting body line & covered over with an upgrade filler hides it.
Did these 3 examples with bonding adhesive & adequate bonding surface area rather than welding to avoid warping.

I've seen factory bronze mig welding seams robotically done with parts clamped in heat sinking jigs. Also always done near & parallel to a rear window or other major body line. Never out in the open of a panel where repairs frequently get done.
 

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I personally butt weld all my patches but have read that using panel bond adhesive when doing lap joints is better than welding them. The thinking goes that there will be no pockets of air (gaps) in the lap joint and hence no movement due to temperature changes.

Anybody have experience with this method?
I tried this method many, many years ago when the 3M 8115 had just come out and was supposed to be stronger than a weld. At the time moving tailgate handles to the inside and filling the hole was all the rage. Most of the time we welded the patch that came with the kit in as a lap weld and every one I saw later had a ghost line visible. Then I did one with 8115 by the book on my own truck and within 3 months it looked horrible. Never tried it again.
 
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