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stainless welding question....

ryoken

ryoken

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can I get away with welding stainless exhaust with my 75/25 bottle on my mig? or do i have to get a tri-mix bottle in addition to the spool of stainless? i'll do it if it's really beneficial, just curious how critical it is... I'm guessing there's a fair difference being one is mostly argon, and the other mostly helium....
 
I am far from an certified welder.
But i have had good luck without the helium.
Since the steel in an exaust system is likely to be ferritic, you might want to pick up a small bottle of Argon/CO2 in a 95/5 mix.

You want to control the carbon that gets deposited.
The high level of Argon will also reduce the amount of heat that gets transferred which is a good thing welding thin things.

Helium will cause it to get hotter.

Also, remember that you need to purge the tube with the mix so you don't have a problem with the inside of the weld.
You can block the pipe with some paper if you can get inside, to reduce the amount of gas used to purge it.

Now, let the "certs" join in and show me how much I don't know....
 
Using my tig I use straight argon to weld stainless. When with mig though, I have always used the tri-mix. From my understanding when mig welding stainless you need the extra heat and penetration the helium gives in order to get a good weld.

Now you can weld stainless with regular steel welding wire and mix but it wont be as strong or as nice a looking weld as with the correct wire and gas. For exhaust I think you would be ok to try the wire and gas you currently have.

Myself I prefer to tig weld stainless, but not everyone has a tig welder or knows how to tig.
 
well, yeah, thats the issue, i don't TIG...

I should say, that was something of a loaded question.... not only am i possibly doing my exhaust, but the ulterior motive is I would like to start doing some minor marine repairs when they come up at work... just "in a pinch" type stuff... instead of driving the part out to my welder bud, the time, etc....

I know the right way would be go TIG, but I don't plan to move into a TIG machine for quite some time.... I would like to, it's just not in the cards for awhile.... think I'll pick up a small bottle when I get a spool of wire...

tank ya sir!
 
I agree about the Helium, but he is going to be welding fairly thin stuff, so I figured he would be better off without it.

And yeah, TIG rules. Gonna get me one one of these days. I was able to borrow one at a shop I was consulting for, but that jobs gone.
 
thats why I mention the other motive, some of the marine repairs can be fairly thick... even bowrails are a fair amount thicker than exhaust..


thanks for the input... maybe next year i'll go for a TIG machine...
 
Good info!

I was gonna make an exhaust/welding post today too!

I did a number on my Y-pipe yesterday backing off a rock. Twisted it up pretty good and now its leaking out of the pass side collector.

Was considering trying to make my own high clearance behind the T-case crossover pipe, but have no idea what kind of tubing to get so I can weld it with my Mig.

I'm still using flux core though
 
Well like I said Tig is preferred but not mandatory weld stainless, even aluminum. Just have to get the right wire and gas mix and you're good to go.

When you do if ever get a Tig, I highly recommend an inverter stlye of machine. They're small, quite, and low power usage. I have a miller dynasty 200 DX, very nice machine :saweet:. Did cost $3700 bucks with all the extras though :eek1:. But well worth it.
 
alot of the pipe i see listed is aluminized... i really wanna go stainless if i can.... i usually farm my exhaust stuff out... but i'm considering doing this one myself..
 
Aluminized is very common for exhaust, it's easily welded with regular steel welding wire and gas. Flux-core is ok and good in a pinch, but I try to avoid using it if I have the choice to. It will weld exhaust pipe though.
 
Last summer I did a stainless "cat back" using 3" mandrel bent tube from summit. I asked your question to my welder/gas supplier. His answer was to go ahead and do it. There will be some discoloration that will buff out if you want a show car finish but strength will not be compromised. For me, one year later of daily street driving and all is well.
 
dirtygoat said:
I've always used a coat hanger and a torch...


Putting on my suit as I type...:D
Click to expand...
Coathanger and torch is fine, but I prefer a 200 watt bulb in series with a wall outlet for my coathanger welding.
 
I just welded a stainless push bar on a steel bumper I made for my truck using 75/25 and it turned out great. I was told by a " old school " welder that this application is fine. I picked the truck up by the pushbar and nothing fell apart.
:D
 
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I never said you couldn't weld stainless with a "normal" steel setup, just not the best way to do it. The grade of stainless has a lot to do with it also.

Like a lot of things there is the wrong way and ok way and a right way. I try to do it right the first time :D.
 
KirsL said:
I never said you couldn't weld stainless with a "normal" steel setup, just not the best way to do it. The grade of stainless has a lot to do with it also.

Like a lot of things there is the wrong way and ok way and a right way. I try to do it right the first time :D.
Click to expand...


Ding ding... I'm no pro welder but I do work in the metal industry. Once you get into 316 were the Nickel and Chrome content get up there you need the right stuff to get the job done. I may be wrong but I think most stainless exhausts are 409 or 410 stainless which are still about 90% iron thus providing a good amount of Iron to bond to.
 
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