Topic: Question about welding

[Powderman]

Just Google "muffler repair kit" and get you a $6 kit to fix the holes and be done with it.

[mycoal]

I think I'll buy this stuff for $10 and cut some patches out of an old exhaust I have laying around: http://www.amazon.com/Dynomax-35958-Hardware-Muffler-Cement/dp/B000CQHVLI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

Maybe buy the harbor freight welder and practice on some scrap then patch my exhaust up correctly once (if) that patch blows out. I think I just really want to repair these pipes and play with a welder at the same time. I'll be patient for the sake of my pipes. Thanks for the advice, guys.

[Don R]

 Just do it. Weld a tack on the corners then tack the middle, then half way between them , continue until the tacks all line up in a row. If it burns through make a bigger patch and try again.

[2wheels]

I have a welder, also i know nothing about using it.
I have used flux core, and made a mess.
I have been told i need shielding gas and it would be easier.  It's on my wish list.

[754]

I used to get stuff done by several very good tigwelders
Myself i only had a LingCod BuZZboX... And when i was using it frequently... Yes dohc I could stick weld .060 steel think its 16 ga... By a. Method i figured out. Thimk it worked similar to a vibrating tattoo gun rod holder like Eastwood sold..
 But i still would not recommend anyone new to welding trying to get up to speed to weld a muffler without months of practice.,

 I actual had about a 2 weeks of theory in welding in trade school we learned the basics and were able to weld cast iron with oxy acet, and flux and cast rod.

 What i did buy last year was a Miller 135 mig.. Dual voltage.. Have not used it yet..
 What one of the tig guys said to me was it will be far better to use on 220 volt and have higher duty cycle.. And I do not plan on using fluxcore, so I need to get the bottle .

[Lostboy Steve]

For anyone who doesn't know, in street racing culture there is something called a "Lincoln locker". Basically you open up the diff cover and weld the spider gears together. I've seen this done with flux cored wire and an entry level Lincoln welder and have it hold indefinitely.

They've been doing this in all kinds of racing since before you were a twinkle in the universe.

Yes, I know, but not everyone on here is familiar with it.

[Lostboy Steve]

I think I'll buy this stuff for $10 and cut some patches out of an old exhaust I have laying around: http://www.amazon.com/Dynomax-35958-Hardware-Muffler-Cement/dp/B000CQHVLI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

Maybe buy the harbor freight welder and practice on some scrap then patch my exhaust up correctly once (if) that patch blows out. I think I just really want to repair these pipes and play with a welder at the same time. I'll be patient for the sake of my pipes. Thanks for the advice, guys.

Do yourself a favor. Dont use that. I'm in the automotive exhaust industry and people who use that #$%* are literally referred to as MASONS. That #$%* hardens, cracks, and then flakes off.  It is a complete waste of time, money and energy. There has never been a time I have ever not been able to close a leak with a weld and had to resort to that garbage.

[mystic_1]

Yeah, muffler cement isn't the answer here, thats more intended to seal joints between tubes, where one end is flared to slip over the other.  It has no real structural strength and doesn't bond well in surface applications.

I'd try JB Weld before I even considered that stuff.  But, I wouldn't use JB Weld either!

By all means buy the welder and get to playing, it sounds like you really want to anyhow!  Just practice a lot on various materials first, as suggested by others above.  Leave the mufflers alone for the time being, there's no really effective alternative.  After you've laid some beads you'll be better able to judge whether you can repair your mufflers, and picking up a new skill (and tool) is rarely a bad investment.

mystic_1

[754]

Solder is good for 700 deg wont burn holes thru stuff.

[mycoal]

I thought these pipes got up to 1000+ degrees tho. I think I'm just gunna squeeze my little baby nuts together and buy the welder. It's only $100 and I have a rotten exhaust in my back yard I can practice on. Will let you guys know if I ruined my exhaust next month and wasted my money, or if I overcame the adversity and did the impossible.

[754]

Nowhere near 1000 degrees I am betting

[calj737]

Nowhere near 1000 degrees I am betting

Fixed that for you. The tailpipe is probably in the 350-450 range at worst. The header may well get above 500.

[Lostboy Steve]

Solder is good for 700 deg wont burn holes thru stuff.

Could always braze them with bronze rods too. I've had success using that on a dirt-bike snail-tube.

[mycoal]

These are rated for 730 degrees and can be melted with a propane torch  http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-low-temperature-aluminum-welding-rods-44810.html the holes are on the sides closet to the tires.

[buffalogt750]

These are rated for 730 degrees and can be melted with a propane torch  http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-low-temperature-aluminum-welding-rods-44810.html the holes are on the sides closet to the tires.

Just a wild guess that those aluminum welding rods are for welding aluminum. I have a 20 year old Crafstman 120 volt mig welder that uses either flux core wire or solid wire with sheilding gas. It has 4 heat settings and adjustable wire speed. I used gas at first but I do so little welding that the gas bottle certification was expired by the time I used all the gas so more money to swap it out. I now use flux core wire and it works pretty good but using gas is cleaner and easier. These are before and after pics of a luggage rack  from a CB750 that I recently modified to fit my Bandit 1200 using flux core wire. I would get the welder if I were you and have fun with it and practice a lot before you get after your exhaust pipes.

[Restoration Fan]

These are before and after pics of a luggage rack  from a CB750 that I recently modified to fit my Bandit 1200 using flux core wire.

Really nice job on that luggage rack.  Not obtrusive but very sturdy looking.  Well done.

[buffalogt750]

Thanks. No one really makes a decent size rack for the Bandits so I had to come up with something.  It replaced my CB550 as a commuter bike. Here's pics of both bikes. The Bandit is a great bike, just doesn't have the character of my old 550.

[grcamna2]

I like the CB550 to load luggage on considering how nice and flat the 'platform' is from the seat all the way back into the luggage rack.
I'd like to know how 'mycoal' does w/ his new mig welder using it on very thin old muffler steel.I had just a few welders over the years agree to repair an oem muffler(my preferred muffler even w/ a little hole)and it turned out well when then used the 'slow tacking' w/ low heat method.. or what ever that is.
The majority of welders won't touch that kind of muffler repair but that shouldn't stop us from still doing it

[Lostboy Steve]

First, that rack looks great. Very nice job on that. Second, mycoal do you have an oxy acetylene torch? The brazing rods (which you can get at home depot or lowes) are probably your best bet if you do.

[grcamna2]

First, that rack looks great. Very nice job on that. Second, mycoal do you have an oxy acetylene torch? The brazing rods (which you can get at home depot or lowes) are probably your best bet if you do.

+1  I do that myself now even though it isn't as 'pretty' as someone w/ yrs. of experience.I cut a small bit of sheet metal and form it to fit and then grind off the area on the muffler that needs repair and then w/ a small tip on my torch I fix it.

[neal]

Learn to weld

[DaveBarbier]

If you can't be handsome, be handy. Motto I live by.

[Wingnut74]

continuous,  like a dope

sorry?

was responding to post above about whether I did continuous or pulse - meant to quote it.

[Lostboy Steve]

continuous,  like a dope

sorry?

was responding to post above about whether I did continuous or pulse - meant to quote it.

Lol no worries.


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[grcamna2]

Have you ever tig welded?  a cracked crankcase ? I have a set of cases where there is a long crack in one half but not broken-out and have been very well cleaned and now I'm looking around for someone to Tig it.
I was thinking of going to a Voc-Tech High school and seeing if the instructor might be interested in making a class project of it..