Welding Custom Exhaust

[SomethingElse]

I got 2 welders for x-mas:D . A flux welder and an arc welder. from what I gather a flux welder is not really optimal for doing exhaust work because its used for thicker metals. Im still not sure on the arc welder:confused: I tried to do some research but I cant always understand the lingo. The biggest cost$$ for me and cars is exhaust work so I need to elimate that because I dont believe in stock exhaust. I know some people on here have experience with welding there own exhaust and of course other things. Taking a class would be helpful but not required because I dont need to know who invented welding and blah blah blah to become a good welder who can create works of art. Any advice/experience would be helpful

[It's Just Eric]

Go to a class. There is alot of technical terms that really, REALLY help to know. With your "Flux welder", I'm going to assume that it is actually a MIG welder with flux cored wire. If that's the case, switch it over to a 75%Argon 25% co2 shielding gas setup and run straight wire. You'll only need like .030 diamiter wire at most for exhaust work. If the flux core wire was of a diffrent diameter, then youll need to switch over contact tips and possibly conduits.

Now with arc welding....Good luck. Arc welding is much more dificult than MIG welding. I would pick up alot of scrap metal and play around. Try diffrent welding rods (Both makeup and diameter) Arc welding is typically the best to learn about welding with first, because it IS more difficult than MIG welding. And ontop of that, there's no way to cheat a good bead with arc welding. It'll teach you alot about welding tecqnique, and when you go to use the MIG machine, you'll be laying MUCH stronger beads than if you just decided to wing it.

I personally wouldnt reccomend arc welding the exhaust though. Start and stops are more difficult, and it is a hell of alot easier to burn through with an arc welder. If you DO decide to arc the exhaust....Try 1/16th 7018 at 30 amps, dc- or ac. Pull the weld so you're less likely to burn through


Welding is an aquired skill, there really is no "Just make it hold", especially when exhaust is involved. Any pinholes or weakspots in your weld will likely become leaks

[SVXRide]

Just to add to Eric's great response:cool: ...the absolute best type of welding for exhaust systems is TIG welding, especially as you get closer to the engine. Custom exhaust manifolds, turbo systems, etc. are always TIG welded.
-Bill

[TomsSVX]

Bill, tig welding is just another form of arc welding... Just that there is no stick involved... Knowing what machines you have is very important here. If you have a flux core welder, is it able to be adapted to use sheilding gasses? Is the arc welder also a tig welder??

Tom

[SVXRide]

Bill, tig welding is just another form of arc welding... Just that there is no stick involved... Knowing what machines you have is very important here. If you have a flux core welder, is it able to be adapted to use sheilding gasses? Is the arc welder also a tig welder??

Tom

Tom,
yeah, guess I should have mentioned that:o
-Bill

[SomethingElse]

Its a flux wire welder and an arc welder. neither one is adaptable for gas. im taking them back for a 230 volt dual mig welder that works with or without gas.
Im not really going to have time or money for a class. maybe ill get the welding for dummies book. Is aluminum anymore difficult to weld? Im having a heck of a time getting my STI engine mounts to line up with my SVX brackets and destroyed a set already.

[HighwayUFO]

Aluminum is a wicked metal to try to weld. Most people work up to Aluminum from Stainless Steel. Make sure that you are more than proficient with 095 steel tubing(used for roll cages and such) before you step up to Stainless.

Stainless isn't a walk in the park either. Basically put, the smartest kid with Downs Syndrome that has a little or no welding experience can make two peices of metal one, but it will not look good at all. Stainless requires a lot more skill to weld. Aluminum is a totally different monster than Stainless.

[Beav]

Welding exhaust with a mig welder is a point & click operation. After a foot or two you'll get the hang of it.

I'm just curious as to what you'll be bending the pipe with, that takes more skill and equipment than mig welding. Hacking up some pre-bent pieces is just that - hacking.

[TomsSVX]

pre-bent is the way to go imho... The flux welder should be ok for welding the exhaust but the welds will be far from pretty... Might I ask what machine you are looking at buying?? I just picked up a lincoln mig a couple months ago... standard 115v supply and it is the tits for what I want to do... I would have loved a 220 machine but the landlord would not allow me to run a source out there. Eitherway, just let us know what machine you want to get because the better the machine, the better the weld. Not to mention a better machine makes it much easier too

Tom

[It's Just Eric]

To add to Bill...Yeah, of course, TIG welding is the most prefered method of welding damn near anything. To add to what tom said:Bill, tig welding is just another form of arc welding... Just that there is no stick involved.
More specificly...Tig welding uses a non consumable electrode and a manually fed filler wire. I also may add that a Tig welding machine is far more complex than an arc welder. There are not only adjustments for polarityand amperage amperage (As with the arc welder) but also controlls to controll the electric arc itself. All kinds of electrical wavelenghts and requencies can be adjusted for alternating current. Many of theese adjustments are used for making the arc more precise, easier to start, or easier to sustain.
Also, a Tig machine may include a remote mounted pedal to manually controll the amperage, and even a water cooled torch for some of the more heavy duty machines. A tig torch has interchangable nozzles to direct the flow of shielding gas, and the non consumable electrode...made of tungsten...happens to come in sevral varieties to ensure a proper arc for certian currents and applications

That being said, a TIG welder is the way to go for welding aluminum. You can't weld aluminum with an arc welder...the arc just wont sustain itself. Certian MIG welders have the proper wavelenghths to weld aluminum...but the welds are not only ugly, they are weak too.

[SomethingElse]

Ive been watching pipe benders on ebay, im probably going to get a pnumatic one first just untill i feel comfortable with the whole welding process and i can tackle other peoples cars besides my own. and space in the garage is always an issue. Ive also seen prebent pieces on there but they dont seem very economical. Ive got a circuit breaker box in my garage so 230/220 seems the way to go. Dont laugh at the welder its only my first one:o http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=6271

If im getting this right gas makes a nicer weld and its easier, but isnt required. If gas isnt used is it still called mig welding, or just plain arc?

[TomsSVX]

I love Harbor Freight... but not for their welders. Please do yourself a favor and look away from them. Their claims and prices are always great but the quality is far off. Try checking out a Licoln welder, you can find them at most Home Depot's. They are relatively inexpensive and they are good machines... Miller is also a good company.

Tom

[SomethingElse]

Tom you would get this one over the harbor frieght one?

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@1983408654.1167262658@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccfaddjkfefedlcgelceffdfgidgnj.0&MID=9876

how could it be better?

[SVXRide]

Try checking out a Licoln welder, you can find them at most Home Depot's. They are relatively inexpensive and they are good machines... Miller is also a good company.

Tom


My machinist/welder's shop is almost 100% Miller equipped. Ebay can be a good place to look for used equipment - just make sure you can actually talk to the current owner to get a feel for how the equipment has been used and why it's being sold.
-Bill

[TomsSVX]

Miller machines tend to be very pricey. I recomended the lincoln welder because they are less of a commercial machine and more of a home machinist machine. If you have every heard of Hobart welders, it is the same thing as a Lincoln with a different color. Good machines and serve their purpose

Tom

P.S. the link doesn't show me a welder?

[SomethingElse]

stupid home depot website...it was a link to a lincoln welder, no gas. I really dont have the extra cash to throw around right now im saving up for DJSIVA's laguna blue. Ill just stick with one of the ones I got originally untill i feel comfortable with welding..the ones on ebay hold there value fairly well. after I get a helmet ill start practicing and burning down my garage. Thanks for your input guys. im sure ill be asking more ?? after i burn holes through a few pipes.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44567

[Beav]

When I was selling tools 6-9 years ago all the 'economical' MIG welders' core parts were manufactured in Italy. Didn't matter if the final product came from an American, Japanese or Korean company. That might make a difference in your decision on how much to lay out $$$-wise.

The 'flux' in flux-core wire provides the shielding gas when welding. Not much flux there so the shielding isn't as great as when a bottle is used. In regards to welding exhaust pipe flux-core will do o.k. strength-wise but it won't be as pretty as a bottle job. We always refer to a flux-core job as 'pigeon-poop' because of it's usual appearance.

[It's Just Eric]

Pigeon poop!! Oh man, It's so true....

Oh, the first harbor freight welder you showed....Something that may come in handy when selecting a welder to buy. Duty cycle, which has nothing to do with your bowl movements, is the amount of time out of a 10 minute period that a machine can run at the listed amperage. 15% at 110 would basicly mean that with the machine set at 110 amps it will run for 1 1/2 minutes before needing to cool down for the remainder of the 10 minutes.

I could prettymuch write a book on usefull stuff....but seems theese guys have it MORE than covered already. http://www.khake.com/page89.html