Are you a welder? MIG vs. TIG

[tnsaleen]

When it comes to exhaust, specifically hot side turbo piping that is mild steel, is there any benefit to TIG welding other than the asthetics of the weld it self?

I know with TIG welding, the heat can be controlled better, but with a good MIG welder and some argon, is there any benefit? I can MIG pretty decent, but don't have access to a TIG welder, and lack the skills to make the weld look good.

 

[travelers]

Mig will do just fine as you said your decent.

 

[utm18]

Tig is the bee knees, mig will work just fine.

 

[utm18]

And it don't have to be pretty, it's gotta hold.
some of the ugliest cars get down the track faster than the pretty ones

 

[tnsaleen]

I know a buddy that TIG's for a living, and I might get him to do the v-bands to prevent warping. I just don't know if it's worth me paying 150-250 dollars to get him to do it all, when I have a MIG readily available.

 

[irishpwr46]

an angle grinder and a polishing wheel can make any weld look good

 

[utm18]

an angle grinder and a polishing wheel can make any weld look good

Lol..... very true

 

[utm18]

If you have a mig do it your self. Get your heat right then button weld around it to prevent warping. Then weld it up.

 

[Eel Mit]

an angle grinder and a polishing wheel can make any weld look good

That makes you a grinder, not a welder.

 

[rcm90]

If you have a mig and know how to use it, that will work just fine. Be sure to properly prepare all joints and have good penetration to help prevent cracking.

I tig everything my little 200 will allow, but I'm OCD about fab work.

 

[eighty6gt]

Mig is easy. You don't have to feed your own filler rod, I'm sure it's faster.

I'm getting a TIG because I don't weld very much and they are more versatile, less stuff to have around for welding aluminum, etc.

 

[tnsaleen]

Thanks for all the input guys. I am going to get a quote from my buddy on what he would charge to TIG it all if I have it all tacked into place and I will go from there

 

[mfergel]

It's my understanding MIG is easier to learn on and works better for thin sheet metal?

 

[CPRsm]

Kit is easiest to learn. A lot of beginners use mig. It's not that the process of a problem as much as the user. Stops and starts are harder to prevent leaks be said of a lack of penetration. Blowing holes or fitting wires into the tubing where later it can break off and hit the turbine. But fuck it. You're doing it yourself. What ever you botch, it's on you to fix it.
But , for 250, you may find your buddy may have been we'll worth his knowledge after you blow thru a few spots or are trying to find leaks a month from now. Depends on your attitude really I always liked doing it myself, fuck the consequences. Then you can stand over it an beat your chest when you're done. Even if it's you by yourself standing there lol

 

[irishpwr46]

That makes you a grinder, not a welder.

I would consider it more of a fabricator myself

 

[tnsaleen]

Kit is easiest to learn. A lot of beginners use mig. It's not that the process of a problem as much as the user. Stops and starts are harder to prevent leaks be said of a lack of penetration. Blowing holes or fitting wires into the tubing where later it can break off and hit the turbine. But fuck it. You're doing it yourself. What ever you botch, it's on you to fix it.
But , for 250, you may find your buddy may have been we'll worth his knowledge after you blow thru a few spots or are trying to find leaks a month from now. Depends on your attitude really I always liked doing it myself, fuck the consequences. Then you can stand over it an beat your chest when you're done. Even if it's you by yourself standing there lol

I would more or less consider myself a perfectionist at the least, so anything botched together would not fly with me. I will likely end up tacking it all together and having it TIG'd.

Regardless of wether or not it can be seen or not, I know it's there and if I put something substandard on my car it would bother the shit out of me.

I also conclude that my pickiness might be the reason my last build took me 7 months, although lack of funds, a shitty job, and crazy ex girlfriend might have contributed to that factor. Here is a picture of it anyways beside w3bb3r04 back when I was still in the SN car game.

 

[Redline727]

OP have you ever stick welded? If you want to do it yourself and can't tig but can use a mig, try stick welding. It will work great on your application and lays a nicer bead compared to mig IMO.

 

[irishpwr46]

stick is a little much for the thin wall tubing he would want to be using

 

[tnsaleen]

Personally I have never seen a stick weld look better than a mig weld unless it is on very thick wall tubing such as pipelines.

 

[Redline727]

Personally I have never seen a stick weld look better than a mig weld unless it is on very thick wall tubing such as pipelines.

Yeah I guess no point in arguing a matter of opinion haha. My brother in law and nephew are both welders/pipe fitters. I have seen them lay some seriously bad ass looking stick welds. But they and I both prefer the way they tig over anything though. Most of the mig welds I have seen came from the people at the fab shop for some of the jobs they were on and to me it just never compared to what I seen them do with stick or tig, regardless of the application.