I hope to learn to weld tonight.

"Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig" (AndySheehan-StreetsideStig) 03/14/2016 at 14:12 • Filed to: None

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Well, at least get started with it. My friend, who doesn’t know how to weld, either, just bought a welder (I’m not sure if it’s mig or tig), and he wants to try it out. I have a crappy, rusty, holey DC Sports header and Sankei exhaust I pulled out of the junk yard. It’s worth a shot. Any advice?

crowmolly > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 03/14/2016 at 14:15

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If it’s a good quality welder it will not be too bad. If it’s a cheap unit you will be fighting your equipment.

TIG is harder to do than MIG.

Doing anything rusted through can be a crap shoot. You have to get your settings *just* so, and be careful for blow through.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 03/14/2016 at 14:20

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Filling holes in exhaust pipe? *shudder* have fun with that. If it’s just holes then you don’t really have to worry as much about weld penetration and strength so you can set the power a bit lower to avoid blowing through, but actually butt-joining exhaust pipes is one of the biggest pains in the ass EVER in the welding world. At least, from what little I’ve encountered.

maxabillion > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 03/14/2016 at 14:21

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Headers can be thin. Thin is hard to weld. Practice on 1/4" thick and get progressively thinner.

Gone > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 03/14/2016 at 14:23

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FYI Welding thin wall tubing as a beginner may be rage inducing. It blows through very easily. Scrap plate makes it much easier to learn with. Also, lap welding, so you’re not trying to fill gaps and whatnot. Also, I also hope it’s a decent welder, otherwise that will also be rage inducing.

Please use a really good helmet. Your eyes will thank you.

Mattbob > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 03/14/2016 at 14:25

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as long as you are going into it knowing you will probably just end up with a hunk of unusable metal, the experience will be more than worth it.

Wacko > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 03/14/2016 at 14:25

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get scraps and practice,

Thinking your welder is a MIG(wire fed from a roll) and If you don’t have gas bottles your wire will be a flux core. Flux is needed when no gas is used.

you have to adjust the speed of the feed and amperage depending on the gauge of metal that you are welding.

grind all the rust away where you want to weld.

a auto darkening mask is almost a must, and allows you to have both hands free.

I thought myself with a cheap mig flux core welder.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) is dead, long live Bman76 M. Arch > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 03/14/2016 at 14:35

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I learned earlier this year, it’s not terribly hard. Try to get your parts as clean as possible or else it’ll be a mess.

Frank Grimes > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 03/14/2016 at 19:34

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practice a lot before blowing holes in your header. get comfortable before welding and make sure you steady your hands and really important to be able to see what you are doing so get an auto dark helmet!

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 03/14/2016 at 22:23

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A guy named ChuckE2009 on YouTube has some good tutorial/learning videos. I’d maybe give a few a quick watch before proceeding.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 03/14/2016 at 23:37

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start on scrap crap

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 03/15/2016 at 10:12

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How did it go?

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 03/15/2016 at 10:32

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Due to a miscommunication, my friend with the welder didn’t come over last night. We’re shooting for tomorrow night or sometime next week. But I did take the opportunity to clean up the system, specifically the areas that will need to be welded. I wirewheeled and sanded out as much rust as I could, and found a few more little holes in the process. I don’t think I’ll get it done before I leave for my road trip this weekend, but that’s okay. It will be a good learning experience, and the whole system cost me about $40, so I have no complaints.