Smoothing out welds?
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From: Las Vegas, NV
Smoothing out welds?
Just wondering if you can smooth out welds for a more attractive look? This would be more for IC piping. Would like to polish my ic piping after I get some of the tubes welded together.
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From: Austin, Republic of Texas
Re: Smoothing out welds? (Rob97'SH)
Grinding out the welds is easy. Just use a disk or a cartridge on a smaller part like a pipe. I sometimes start wtih an expander wheel, then move to a disk or cartridge.
Body guys do it all the time. IC pipes are not really load-bearing to any great extent so don't wory about the structural issues. You can make the welds completely invisible if you are careful. I did an intake mani plenum for a friend a while back and ground, then polished out all the welds. It ended up looking like one smooth piece of metal. You couldn't find any of the welds even if you held the thing in your hands.
Best of luck with your project.
Body guys do it all the time. IC pipes are not really load-bearing to any great extent so don't wory about the structural issues. You can make the welds completely invisible if you are careful. I did an intake mani plenum for a friend a while back and ground, then polished out all the welds. It ended up looking like one smooth piece of metal. You couldn't find any of the welds even if you held the thing in your hands.
Best of luck with your project.
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From: Chicago, Il.
Re: Smoothing out welds? (Rob97'SH)
I have smoothed over tig welds on aluminum/steel by passing over them again after they were welded the first time. Again this was only on intercooler tubing to help with grinding/sanding process to make them less noticeable. Not quite sure how much this affects the strength of the joint. Anyone else?
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From: sheridan, wyoming, usa
If a ground out weld can't handle a max of 25 ******* psi whoever welded it should be castrated and banned from ever welding anything ever again.
grind away. it won't matter on IC piping.
grind away. it won't matter on IC piping.
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From: Lemont, IL, USA
Re: (ManBearPig4silly)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ManBearPig4silly »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If a ground out weld can't handle a max of 25 ******* psi whoever welded it should be castrated and banned from ever welding anything ever again.
grind away. it won't matter on IC piping. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Agreed!
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dfoxengr »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i definitely wouldnt. even the slightest chance of popping a joint under boost is scary. </TD></TR></TABLE>
What's so scary about it? If a MAP sensor car blows a pipe off all that happens is you can't go as fast.
grind away. it won't matter on IC piping. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Agreed!
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dfoxengr »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i definitely wouldnt. even the slightest chance of popping a joint under boost is scary. </TD></TR></TABLE>
What's so scary about it? If a MAP sensor car blows a pipe off all that happens is you can't go as fast.
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Re: (ManBearPig4silly)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ManBearPig4silly »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If a ground out weld can't handle a max of 25 ******* psi whoever welded it should be castrated and banned from ever welding anything ever again.
grind away. it won't matter on IC piping. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Agreed. Especially since you use couplers on IC piping which will allow almost no stress on the joints when the engine rocks or anything of that nature.
grind away. it won't matter on IC piping. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Agreed. Especially since you use couplers on IC piping which will allow almost no stress on the joints when the engine rocks or anything of that nature.
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From: WA
Re: Smoothing out welds? (dfoxengr)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dfoxengr »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i definitely wouldnt. even the slightest chance of popping a joint under boost is scary.
get someone to make the weld look nice then dont worry about it.</TD></TR></TABLE>
LOL, if you dont trust a weld at 25-30psi then those are some asstastic welds in the 1st place.
get someone to make the weld look nice then dont worry about it.</TD></TR></TABLE>
LOL, if you dont trust a weld at 25-30psi then those are some asstastic welds in the 1st place.
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From: WA
Re: Smoothing out welds? (dfoxengr)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dfoxengr »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i overthink things, and i dont trust aluminum fatiguing and cracking at ground welds.</TD></TR></TABLE>
but its not a structural part (charge pipe), and if by some ultra rare case it does break, the worst thing that is going to happen is the motor is going to run rich and poorly
but its not a structural part (charge pipe), and if by some ultra rare case it does break, the worst thing that is going to happen is the motor is going to run rich and poorly
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You will likely still see the joint. The metal in the filler might be slightly different then the base metal and it will show up as a slightly different shade.
Other then that, if you want to polish the welds on IC piping I say go for it. I wouldn't grind a weld on anything that is critical to your survival though.
Other then that, if you want to polish the welds on IC piping I say go for it. I wouldn't grind a weld on anything that is critical to your survival though.
Joined: May 2002
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From: banned NC
Re: (99_GS-T)
its fine that you dnt agree with me, but youre not going to change my opinion so theres no use in arguing. i wouldnt do it because they vibrate and could crack. i dont like to do things twice, and i think well done welds look better anyways, so if it were mine then i wouldnt, but you all can do whatever you want, its really none of my business. just trying to give my input.
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From: Austin, Republic of Texas
Re: (dfoxengr)
To the OP:
Try this -
1) smooth out the welds
2) find some who says they won't hold
3) smack them upside the head with the charge pipe
4) examine the welds for damge
Try this -
1) smooth out the welds
2) find some who says they won't hold
3) smack them upside the head with the charge pipe
4) examine the welds for damge
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From: Calgary, AB, Canada
Re: Smoothing out welds? (dfoxengr)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dfoxengr »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">even the slightest chance of popping a joint under boost is scary.</TD></TR></TABLE>
why does this scare u ? haha
why does this scare u ? haha
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Re: (Top Ramen)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Top Ramen »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">To the OP:
Try this -
1) smooth out the welds
2) find some who says they won't hold
3) smack them upside the head with the charge pipe
4) examine the welds for damge
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Try this -
1) smooth out the welds
2) find some who says they won't hold
3) smack them upside the head with the charge pipe
4) examine the welds for damge
</TD></TR></TABLE>
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