Mig welding Qs

[crazymadbastard]

Hi guys,
I have some questions on mig welding my system up. I have access to a 110v mig welder and I have played with it a bit and feel confident in my welding skills.
I have a fwdperfomance stainless exhaust, I have several SS band clamps and u- clamps.
My worry is what wire to use in the mig, for instance the exhaust is stainless and the old hangers are something else- so can I weld them together using say stainless mig wire and be ok?
Same Q for the 3 inch cat to the 3 to 2.5 in adapter. The cat appears to be low quality steel(catco) and the adapter is cheap lookin steel.
Same question for my maganaflow to the rear turndown.

Would I be better off just trying to braze all this? Or head over to the muffler shop and pray they do a better job that will last?
TIA.

Winston

[swiftman]

You can weld stainless to mild w/ a 110v machine no problem, the only negative part is the weld will rust.

[crazymadbastard]

Thanks, I will get 'er done next week. I will spray some hi-temp spray on the
welds.

[Dez]

Man, i want a welder =(

Someone want to donate one to the poor (Being me) kekeke

Good luck, man.

[xrattiracer]

as stated, it will weld fine but the weld will not be stainless and will rust.
however you can source stainless steel wire for mig welders, but probably not for yours (i am assuming it is no-gas).

[crazymadbastard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrattiracer as stated, it will weld fine but the weld will not be stainless and will rust. however you can source stainless steel wire for mig welders, but probably not for yours (i am assuming it is no-gas).

yeah it is a mig- w gas-

btw anyone use the Harbor Freight one? I was thinking of picking one up for
$200.

[lotashelbys]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dez Man, i want a welder =( Someone want to donate one to the poor (Being me) kekeke Good luck, man.

I got a nice Miller you can use any time O,wait thats a 20+ hour drive for you Guess thats not gonna work muuhahahaha!!


BTW:Crazymadbastard,I would go have it TIG welded the right way. You impurify the stainless once you weld it with standard copper MIG wire

[speedyshelby16]

I got stainless on my charger that I just welded with normal wire. The welds get surface rust but nothing else. As for stainless wire used that before work good to. But I only use the stainless on stainless only since not cheap wire. My exhaust cost me total of 50 bucks for stainless and the 3 inch glasspack took much of that cost. But I get my pipeing for free. Also got 2 inch for intercooler plumbing. I got a 110 mig with gas.

[joker5k1]

Be careful, not only will the weld rust, but I'd keep an eye on the area around the weld as well. Contrary to popular belief, as I'm sure most people know, stainless when touching another non-stainless composit will rust. But I think you should be fine. Just my $.02.

-Joe

[speeduphoria]

someone more experienced than me posted to use 308 wire to weld stainless to non stainless.

[mopar2ya]

Spend the extra $$ and get a gas welder. The flux core is a PITA and isnt as nice. USe a cold zink spray on the weld and they will hold up pretty good, just wire brush them and spray it on.

[oldblue93]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazymadbastard yeah it is a mig- w gas- btw anyone use the Harbor Freight one? I was thinking of picking one up for $200.

I have one of the welders from Harbor Freight...I have never had a problem with, works great!

[bfarroo]

Also most stainless exhaust systems are a 304 stainless which will start rusting in one winter. It will rust much much slower than aluminized steel but it will rust. Look at the stock exhaust on most TD's it IS stainless which is why many TD's still have the factory exhaust. If you have the stainless band clamps why are you going to weld it? I've never used them but have heard that they work very well.

Benji

[PUNKslip]

Just for laughs, when the guy with the really long name said he had a MIG welder, he meant Metal Inert Gas, or GMAW, Gas Metal Arc Welder. If he had a TIG, or Tungsten Inert Gas welder, or GTAW, Gas Tungsten Arc Welder, he would make the best welds, after all, your local nuclear power plant recomends TIG welding on most of thier plumbing. Flux Core Arc Welding, or FCAW is about the same as standard SMAW welding, or stick welding, Shielded Metal Arc Welding.
Hey man, gather up the best of what you can afford and meld it together with whatever you can afford. Then enjoy the hell out of it.

John O.
Blustery Crete, Ne.

[crazymadbastard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bfarroo If you have the stainless band clamps why are you going to weld it? I've never used them but have heard that they work very well. Benji

Welding is cool thats why! I see guys here doing some really neat stuff like headers and intake manifolds.
I want to use the bands for easy disassembly. I need to weld the 2.5 to 3 inch adapter to the exhaust where it meets the downpipe then band clamp it so when I have to install the CAT for emissions it wont be so bad. I also need to weld my old factory hangers onto the new pipes. Anyway, going to see how that goes tonight. Oh yeah, and it is a mig welder (with the gas )that I will be using.
My brother in law has a really nice 200+amp tig welder, but that is overkill for this. He just moved too and does not have it hooked up yet.

thanks for the info, more is welcome btwy.