MIG welding tubular manifold

[bigal07]

Is it possible to build a tubular manifold out of stainless and weld it together using a MIG with stainless wire and argon? How would the strength and visual appearance be compared to a TIG weld?

 

[dsmTripp]

Well visually tig would be more aesthetically pleasing but there have been people who have made manifolds using wire fed mig welders... check the fabrication section in the forums here. They have numerous discussions about welding. Here is one link that talks about it. Also read through alot of the welding threads and either ask or send a pm to some of the welding fabricators we got here. Gamble, turbo glen, 99gst_racer to name a few and there are several others. They will be able to answer your questions.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/custom-fabrication/432412-what-you-can-do-flux-welder.html

 

[bigal07]

Yea I looked at that thread a few days ago. Pretty good for using a flux core, I learned on a flux core and would never do that good. But that manifold is all mild steel, i'd like to stay away from mild steel due to appearance, either have to coat it or wrap it or get a nasty rust looking manifold.

Also all the manifolds i've seen on the site have been done using a tig welder so I wanted to know how a mig would work/look

 

[silvreclips]

It will work, compared to a manifold that was done with a tig it wont even compare. But structurally it should be fine. (Assuming whoever is welding it knows what they are doing) You also have to use tri mix gas with SS not pure argon

 

[viperlp01]

Ostar it seems builds there manifolds with it seems a mig welder. They seem to be holding up just fine on the record setting 1g car they have. If you look close at the welds they look a lot like the mig process. I don't know for sure but that's just what it looks like. Don't want to start any issues in advance.

 

[GalantVR41062]

For ss you really need to know your way around a MIG. I would recommend a already made manifold of some nature, there should be one to put a turbo just about anywhere in/on/around a Dsm.

Or if you insist on reinventing the wheel thinking it will save you time money or a headache then mock it up, tack it with a squirt gun and bring it to a welding shop to be TIG welded.

Last option get mild steel tubing, mig weld it then ceramic coat it.

 

[Sirnixalot]

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I made this with a Lincoln Weldpak 125hd using flux core wire. It's not stainless but its got 1500 miles so far

 

[Mr Peepers]

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I think it's been about 2 years so far but it's holding like a champ. Basic 120v MIG with gas

 

[bastarddsm]

I made a turbo header out of a stock n/t header(i thing it was 409 stainless), and some 16ga mild steel u-bends. Seemed to hold up ok. It was wirewelded.

 

[bigal07]

Well I broke down and bought a tig welder last night. Havent done much of it so i'll practice a bunch and get the hang of it. Thanks for all the replies everyone!

 

[Gamble97]

What did you get? Btw it takes a LOT of practice to be able to do something round and do it well with tig.

 

[bigal07]

I got an everlast 185 microtig. I know let the bad reports fly but i read a lot of reviews on it and it should be able to do what I want.

 

[Alpha D]

What ever happend here yo!

 

[pimpy rider]

this is sweet. i dont really like tube manis, i prefer cast style, any kind of steel is more troublesome, thick flanges help, lots of bracing is a good thing
given that, i plan to also mig my own manifold for a rwd 4g63 swap.