Elbows won't be here for a week or two so I don't have any cool turbo pictures. These headers feel like they'll need to be braced but I'm otherwise happy with my $150 purchase. Anxious to see if they'll need modified or not
What's the rust situation looking like?My V bands are all stainless, welded to mild steel. No issues yet, been through a dozen or so heat cycles, if not more.
Haven't noticed any yet, but the car really hasn't been exposed to a whole lot of moisture either. Regardless, it's all getting ceramic coated soon so rust really wont be an issue.What's the rust situation looking like?
This will be stainless to stainless. I imagine the weld might rust but I'm 50/50 between painting and/or wrapping the hotside anyways.
My downpipes will be mild at least.
When you can't get an idea out of your head but you don't have any parts for a few more days, you use dimensionally accurate cardboard cutouts.
Still not 100% that it'll work but if I can find the right oddball radiator I think I can do the center outlet like I want to.
My attempt at welding thin-ish SS coldside piping wasn't very successful. My Chicago welder just doesn't have the heat controls to dial it down properly. Not to mention the awful spatter. Not even going to attempt to do the headers with it.
Which has me leaning more and more towards finally biting the bullet on a setup like @hoopty5.0's and not farming out all this relatively easy fab work.
How cheaply can I realistically be into an AC/DC TIG setup ready to use? welder, bottle and some supplies. I own grinders and brushes and a really small assortment of tig consumables already.
When you can't get an idea out of your head but you don't have any parts for a few more days, you use dimensionally accurate cardboard cutouts.
Still not 100% that it'll work but if I can find the right oddball radiator I think I can do the center outlet like I want to.
My attempt at welding thin-ish SS coldside piping wasn't very successful. My Chicago welder just doesn't have the heat controls to dial it down properly. Not to mention the awful spatter. Not even going to attempt to do the headers with it.
Which has me leaning more and more towards finally biting the bullet on a setup like @hoopty5.0's and not farming out all this relatively easy fab work.
How cheaply can I realistically be into an AC/DC TIG setup ready to use? welder, bottle and some supplies. I own grinders and brushes and a really small assortment of tig consumables already.
I was thinking his did AC but I guess you're right. I also had it in my head it was closer to $700. My whole turbo kit is stainless and I rarely ever deal with aluminum otherwise so that would be a fine route to take. I hate the idea of paying someone to do a bunch of work I could do myself.If you want AC TIG to weld aluminum you need a high frequency unit, and that doesn't exist near the word "cheaply". If you want Just DC, meaning you can TIG stainless and carbon steel, that can literally be done for a few hundred bucks. Collin's rig is small and extremely simple, but the whole thing was under 300 IIRC... and it works great.
A buddy of mine makes a full tube front end that weighs 17lbs.Maybe something like this or am I completely missing where you are trying to go?
If you are going to get a Tig rig,might as well go all in. Welding aluminum is a pretty fun experience any you would use that function/skill way more than you think
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Have you welded aluminum with one of those lotos rigs? I ask because I haven't. I know it takes a lot of juice..
I didn't like aluminum TIG very much. But more practice would have gone a long way. The AC current was frustrating lol. Now oxyfuel welding aluminum is about the most temperamental damn welding I've ever done.
Also I can't afford to go "all in". Unless I'm ready to sleep out in the garage.
Couch, tv, fridge, bathroom...actually not much of a punishment?
They let me stick weld with Jet Rod at work every so often and if you want to really give yourself a false sense of skill that's the way to go. You could weld a brick to a tree stump with that stuff. No cleaning, no real prep. Looks like a stack of nickels.I hated aluminum at first lol now it isn't so bad, working on my stainless skillz now.. For $700 bucks it would be nice to have the option for aluminum. But I totally get it not being in the budget,I still sneak all my stuff into work for welding lol
I hated aluminum at first lol now it isn't so bad, working on my stainless skillz now.. For $700 bucks it would be nice to have the option for aluminum. But I totally get it not being in the budget,I still sneak all my stuff into work for welding lol