After alot of tryign diffent techniques and differnt types of filler rod I am finally happy with the outcome, but it doesnt matter if I am happy, it only matters if my customer is happy so please critique these welds to let me know if I made another step in the right direction.


Pictures were taken outside without flash.
Sorry Pictures are so big.
-James

 

I dont know about anyone else on here..but i give em an A
Looks good dude!

 

Thats a great lookin mani...

 

looks awesome man.

there are a few spots where it looks like the weld is still seperate from the mani. idk if maybe a touch more heat or not would fix that but they do llook great

 

I can assure you that they are not, I very religiously inspect each manifold for that exact problem. It must just be the lighting that is making it look like that because I can 100% gaurantee you they are not.
-James

 

Looks good to me. I just started a TIG class on Tuesday night and I'm going back there at 6 tonight for some more. I think we're just laying stringer beads on plate tonight, but you gotta start somewhere.

 

im no welder, but to me your welds look amazing. great work!

 

i think its really only the front part of the wastegate tube. but it probably is just shadowing.

im just paranoid of mani leaks cuz i've dealt with so many problems with mine(not a manifold of yours)

 

pinhole on #3 runner; thats my critique

 

What filler? Tungsten? etc?

 

not pinhole, is a little fisheyed because i let off the pedal too fast but no actuall hole.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by civicross &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What filler? Tungsten? etc?</TD></TR></TABLE>
3/32nd 2% thoricated tungstend
pure argon 25 cfh
3/32nd mystery filler rod (sorry I wont let you know what it is because it has taken me 2 years to find one that puts out the consistency and look I have always wanted but it does cost $50 a lb)
miller syncrowave 180sd
pipe to pipe 150 amps
pipe to flange 180 amps
#8 gas lens on 17 series torch

 

note
the coolest part about this new filler rod is that the welds will never change color while the manifold will turn purple/blue the welds will remain the golden color, they are also extremely hard

 

So how did you determine that this mystery filler is the right filler to use? Just because it looks good doesn't mean it has the right properties. Fill us in on why it's right. The welds look good, but are they strong? I can weld something with silicone bronze filler and make it look great, but if it's not the right filler for the application then what good are you doing yourself.

 

I can assure you I have done much testing with the filler and it is much stronger than 308l rod. I have welded a test piece of schedule 40 with 1/16" land so it only got 1/2 penetration and put it in my 20ton hydraulic press, the piece got smashed to hell and back and was bent up like a pretzel but the weld never even cracked. After seeing this I am pretty sure it can handel the weight of a turbo on it....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BmCRace.com &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I can assure you I have done much testing with the filler and it is much stronger than 308l rod. I have welded a test piece of schedule 40 with 1/16" land so it only got 1/2 penetration and put it in my 20ton hydraulic press, the piece got smashed to hell and back and was bent up like a pretzel but the weld never even cracked. After seeing this I am pretty sure it can handel the weight of a turbo on it....</TD></TR></TABLE>

You are ignoring heat in your test.... You should look into having a discussion with a metallurgy major or a metallurgist. I'm sure they could spend time discussing why 308 rod is just fine for what you are doing. Also I'm pretty sure you are nuts for using filler rod that is $50 a lb when you could end up with the same quality with $9 a lb rod, especially when you are talking about a log manifold that can only retail for a max of $300. Its whatever floats your boat but those welds dont look any better or worse than the ones i've seen with regular old 308L rod.

 

it only takes 4 filler rods to weld up the entire log manifold.
when i get aprox 30 rods per lb it is easly justified as that is only $7.50 per manifold in filler material, I am more than willing to put that much money in for piece of mind and something that people should like.
Also the filler rod I am using now is extremely simular to what they use to make the Old Kart turbo manifolds out of, where they were using 20 gauge instead of thick schedule 40 so I am pretty sure if that thin stuff can handle it then it will do just as good on the tick material.

-James

 

ps. to anybody that has ever welded with the stuff before you would know what I am using because it is very unique look after welding, just look very closely at the welds and the secret will be revealed.
-James

 

 

The puddles really remind me of silly bronze but it's the wrong color. Were you having problems with the 308?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BmCRace.com &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
3/32nd 2% thoricated tungstend
pure argon 25 cfh
3/32nd mystery filler rod (sorry I wont let you know what it is because it has taken me 2 years to find one that puts out the consistency and look I have always wanted but it does cost $50 a lb)
miller syncrowave 180sd
pipe to pipe 150 amps
pipe to flange 180 amps
#8 gas lens on 17 series torch
</TD></TR></TABLE>


I'm going to say it's nickel filler rod

 

it is a differnt filler rod all together

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dragline &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


I'm going to say it's nickel filler rod</TD></TR></TABLE>

Close, it has an very high content of nickel in it

 

So what is better about it?

 

looks like a good business ad