Very nice weld Jon! Looks very professional.
-- -Josh 2000 Dakota CC 3.9L<jon@dakota-truck.net> wrote in message news:b3iu0t$lt2$1@bent.twistedbits.net... > > rashort <rashort@swbell.net> wrote: > > : Most shops use oxy/acetlyene for exhaust, because it's easier to control > : burnthrough and it's also easier to bend the rod and fit the torch into > : tight places. Cheaper too. I've used a mig to weld many exhausts, but > : you have to run the bead in strips. It's next to impossible to weld > : continuously around a 360 degree pipe with a mig, which leaves more > : possibilities for leaks, but as I said, it CAN be done. It just won't be > : pretty. Most shops that I know of use migs to tack pieces, then they go > : back and weld them oxy/acetylene. > > > That's true - a disadvantage of MIG when welding exhausts is the > general lack of clearance, and also the fact that most MIGs generally > don't weld very well upside down. However, I have also seen the results > of shops which weld up the exhaust with oxy/acetylene when its still on > the car - the previous owner of my Cuda had this done and it was a real > hack job. There are probably people who are good enough to get away with > it, but IMHO, the exhaust really should be dropped down away from the > vehicle to weld it up. > > When I am welding up an exhaust, I put the pieces in position on > the vehicle and hold them in place with a few tack welds, then I > unbolt them and let them swing down or just remove it from the vehicle > altogether to fully weld it up. > > I developed a technique for MIG welding exhaust pipes which works > very well for me - instead of laying down a bead which will probably > look messy and/or burn through, I "stitch" it together with a series > of what are more or less spot welds. I start at one point, and keep > going around the circumference of the pipe, overlapping each spot weld > by about half a weld's width. It is strong, creates a good seal, > is much harder to burn through, and looks decent. Here's an example > from when I was doing an exhaust for my '96 Dakota last year: > > http://www.jonsteiger.com/www/misc/dakmuffler/IMAG0003.JPG > > Another tip: after the exhaust is welded up, I like to hit the weld > with a wire brush or wheel, then top it off with some high temp exhaust > system paint (1400-1500 degree). That should help to keep rust at > bay since the heat from the welding will burn away the aluminized coating > and the pipe (and weld) will start to flash rust almost immediately > unless protected from the elements. > > > As far as my welder goes, I use a Hobart IronMan 250 which is a 220V > welder with a built in cart and bottle stand. > (http://www.hobartwelders.com/products/IronMan250.html) > > Its a nice versatile unit which can use standard or flux core wire, > can weld stainless with stainless wire, and with the addition of a $250 > spool gun, can also weld aluminum. A bit overkill if all you will be > doing is exhaust tubing though. > > -- > > -Jon- > > .---- Jon Steiger ------ jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com ------. > | I'm the: AOPA, DoD, EAA, NMA, NRA, SPA, USUA. Rec & UL Pilot - SEL | > | 70 Cuda, 90 Dak 'vert, 92 Ram 4x4, 96 Dak, 96 Intruder 1400, 96 FireFly | > `------------------------------------------ http://www.jonsteiger.com ----'
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Feb 06 2004 - 11:45:53 EST
