MIG Welding Stainless Steel Exhaust – Welding Tips and Tricks
You all know that you can weld different metals in different welding methods; stainless steel welding is one. MIG welding stainless steel exhaust is a criterion you may work on; do you know how to do it?
Many people try to weld stainless steel without training and face many unpredictable incidents and accidents. It is necessary to know how to weld stainless steel to make it ready for your purpose.
Let’s know how you can weld stainless steel pipe exhaust, the best equipment for that, and suitable stainless steel for welding.
Table of Contents
How to Weld Stainless Steel Exhaust
Follow some tips and steps to weld stainless steel exhaust properly; let me start with the small tips:
- Don’t use carbon if you’re MIG welding your stainless steel; you may use a similar metal for welding.
- You should keep magnets near you if you start to weld from the header.
- You should use 400 series sheets of steel because most stainless exhausts are made of 304 stainless.
Now, follow the simple steps of welding exhaust stainless steel; don’t miss any part.
- Clean the inner parts with a wire brush or a straight grinder; moreover, you should clean the outer parts using a rolling abrasive.
- Purge the inside and ensure that you’re putting the vent holes at the top so that the Argon gas can fill the welder.
- Use the necessary amount of Argon gas with the necessary pressure and set the appropriate amperage.
- Get the best electrode for you, and a stainless steel rod with a narrow diameter.
Remember, TIG welding is the best for exhaust welding, but it’s not an easy task. If you’re new in exhaust welding, you may start working with mufflers and exhaust pipes. As a beginner, you should know how to weld exhaust, especially stainless steel.
How to Weld Exhaust with TIG Welding
If you want to be the best TIG welder, you have to learn versatile TIG welding, including exhaust welding. Would you like to know about the TIG weld exhaust? Let’s know TIG exhaust welding in brief.
Tough TIG welding is appropriate for exhaust welding; still, you should be more careful while welding. Your first and foremost target should be cleaning the surface you will work on.
- Clean all the dirt, oil, rust, and other residues to clean the base surface. The acetone-based solution will help you to remove even a thick lubricating oil layer.
- Take a thin Tungsten rod and ensure the filler rod is even smaller; the diameter impacts exhaust welding a lot.
- Make your head’s output precise as the metal is soft, and you should handle it delicately.
- Moreover, you may use a pedal to control the whole welding temperature; the temperature depends much on the metal’s thickness.
- Wear enough safety guards such as face shields, gloves, earplugs, and helmets
; they will protect you from work dust and spark both.
How to Weld MIG Exhaust Pipe
Though the MIG welding for exhaust pipe is not as practical as TIG welding, but more useful than the stick method. You will face some difficulties, but you should try it once if you want to be the best MIG welder.
Keep some tips in mind while MIG welding exhaust pipe:
- Don’t use bare Argon gas for MIG welding; mix sufficient CO2 gas with Argon for the exhaust pipe.
- Use a metal brush instead of a wire brush while welding in the MIG method; it’s beneficial.
- Keep the power supply or amperage medium because high amperage will create excessive temperature, and that will burn the soft metal surface.
- You may use semi-automatic or automatic techniques, which are less time-consuming than other procedures; moreover, you won’t have flux.
You will have to ensure that you have extra shield gas for the outer surface; that makes MIG welding more satisfying than others.
Control the ventilation around it because you can’t get the desired result in windy conditions.
Wear the same safety wears while MIG welding like you should get protection in TIG, stick or flux core welding.
Know About the Best Welder for Exhaust
When you’re about to choose a welder for exhaust purposes, you will look for an easy-to-use yet inexpensive welder. First, let’s get introduced to the best welders for exhaust pipes:
- Lincoln Electric Weld Pak 140 HD K2514-1; it’s known as the most user-friendly welder for beginners.
- Lincoln Electric Power 140C 120V MIG Welder; it’s the best choice for those who weld out of the hobby.
- Sungold Power 200 AMP MIG 110/220 Double Voltage Welder; It’s the best multifunctional welder. If you own a spool gun, you may use it for aluminum welding besides MIG welding stainless steel exhaust.
- Amico 160 AMP Digital Display Stick Arc Welder; it’s another good welder within your budget.
- Miller Electric 120/240 VAC; it’s a lightweight and user-friendly welder for part-time workers.
You may have noticed that the top two welders for exhaust are from the Lincoln brand.
Read More: Difference between mild steel and stainless steel
Time to Know the Best Stainless Steel for Welding
There are different stainless steel sheets for welding, but you will always look for the best one for the best quality. Which types are best depends on their durability, and workability; let’s find out some of the best stainless steel for welding:
- Austenitic Stainless Steel; they are famous for its robust nature, and good fabrication.
- Martensitic Stainless Steel; you can use it as both base and filler metal; moreover, it’s water-resistant.
- Precipitation Hardening Stainless Steel; you can use them for commercial and industrial high-performance usage.
Conclusion
Choose the best stainless steel and best welder for MIG welding stainless steel exhaust; you also need proper dedication while learning. Remember, you will also use those metals you weld; be sincere while doing your job.
Follow some exhaust welding tips I have shared with you because these small tips will help you a lot. These tips and steps will prevent your welding from being spoiled; no matter how much experience you have, these tips are useful.
Read More: MIG Welder Wire Feed Motor Not Working: Which Steps You Can Take!