Mandrel Bends and Welding Question

[blueman803]

Is this considered a mandrel bender?
http://www.blindchickenracing.com/Tools/Tube Bender/Readers Benders/readers_benders.htm

When doing exhaust welding is it acceptable to use gas welding? The pipes would be removed from the car. I am just curious if this kind of welding causes too much warping or if the welds would be too brittle.

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

Yea that is a mandrel bender and I always weld with gas/wire. Once and a while I will do some stick welding on roll cage's but other than that I like wire the best. If you know what you are doing you won't warp the metal at all. No matter how thin it is.

 

[blueman803]

So you use the oxygen acetylene flame welding all the time? Or are you saying you use argon gas and wire in a mig welder?

 

[steve]

Yea that is a mandrel bender

No, a mandrel bender uses special dies inside the tubing to keep the diameter constant as the tubing is bent. That's just a homebrew bender.

Steve

 

[larsenracing]

No, a mandrel bender uses special dies inside the tubing to keep the diameter constant as the tubing is bent. That's just a homebrew bender.

steve is right that isn't a mandrel bender but anyway mig welding is great for exhaust and tig is great for intercooler piping and many other applications that you want a sweet small weld on but it takes tallent.

 

[blueman803]

I am taking a welding class this semester and have been able to play with mig, tig, stick, and gas welding. I liked gas welding the most because it was relatively easy to do, didn't have to be near an outlet, and seemed like a more controlled process than stick or mig. I researched prices and it is apparently a lot cheaper to pick up a gas welder. So that is where my question is coming from. Would a gas welder be fine for body work, exhaust, intercooler, etc? Or does the heat from the torch make the metal too brittle?

 

[SethA]

Gas welding works good for welding carbon steel exhaust and intercooler piping. Body work is better left to MIG or TIG. Intercoolers and intake/exhaust manifolds are best done with TIG.

My advice to you is to save up for a small 120V wire feed welder. It is a good idea to buy one that is capable of running solid wire with gas instead of just flux core. With that little welder and a chop saw you can make a lot of good stuff. In addition to the stuff you can do with a torch you can weld stainless, and do body work.

Seth