IC Pipes: Welding Aluminum... ?

[Thor06]

Hey guys, I have decided to scrap the SMIC "stock appearing" deal and just use the front mount core I have. I have a 2g TB elbow on the way and I am soon going to snag a J pipe, so all I need is the rest of the pipes. I have elected to get the universal kit on eBay, but I want to avoid holding the whole fucking thing together with couplers.

My dad does have a welder somewhere and I hear they can be adapted to weld aluminum, but that welding aluminum is very hard. The other thing a coworker pointed out to me today is that I could braze it. Not to be cocky but I was one of the best torch welders in high school, plus I have a friend with a torch I could use.

So what do you guys think? Would I be best off just converting my dad's or a friends MIG welder to aluminum, brazing, or just couplering the fuck out of the pipes?

[david-b]

Couplers.

Welding looks better, but welding aluminum is hard dude. Which kit you buying?

[Thor06]

Did you use aluminum wire though? Welding with steel wire on aluminum wouldnt work so well, if thats what you did I'm suprised you got it together at all.

I'm not sure which one I am getting just yet, but ideally it will be polished pipes with blue couplers, two of which are 90* ones. When it comes down to it though, I really dont care as long as there is two 90* ones. I am going to take the core out and look at it after dinner and try to figure out the best way to do it. I'm just praying I can get the FMIC in with a MAP sensor and a WBo2 before the meet! Dave, I'd like to show you what a REAL DSM can do. (Even though Tim would rip me a new one)

[david-b]

Deal went through with the WB Dust, sorry. Finished closing it all today, so I guess you got to buy one now. Was 1st come 1st served.

I think I used steel wire... had too I'm thinking. Like I said it took a couple days to get it good. lol.

[Thor06]

Bah, aint no thang yo!

Anyone else want to chime in on the aluminum wire feed weld vs couplers vs brazing?

[tfoti]

TIG it! It's not hard to TIG aluminum since you have to contaminate the tungsten anyway with a ball of aluminum on the end. When I did the GM MAF conversion I had a welder at work show me how to do it and the only main difference was where you added filler. He told me for best results add the filler to the front of the puddle rather than from the side. Stainless doesn't much matter. Don't forget to turn the welder to AC! You can't weld aluminum with steel(or at least get good results with) as one metal is ferrous, other is non-ferrous. You'll need 4043 aluminum or similar rod along with pure Tungsten as opposed to 2% thoriated as commonly used when welding stainless.

I've been studying up on TIG welding since I do it everyday now at work. I just built my first frame and it was for NIKE.

Theres my 2 cents

[tfoti]

Originally Posted by Thor06

(Even though Tim would rip me a new one)

The new turbo pulls hard for 13lbs.

I still haven't got the log you requested....

[Thor06]

Ha ha its all good man, I'll see you in like a week and a half anyway.

I know TIG is what I should do ideally, but I dont have access to a TIG welder. Besides TIG is basically the same as torch welding except you use a arc instead of a oxy-acetelene (spelling) torch? Would my results differ by much?

[tfoti]

I am not too familiar with torch welding but TIG would concentrate your heat whereas a torch welder you would probably heat the surrounding area too much and it would warp and deform way too much, especially if your piping is as thin as mine.

[Thor06]

Ahhh, gotcha. Well, I think I am going to fit the pipes and maybe use a couple scraps to test it out. If it doesnt work then oh well, I'll just coupler the fuck out of it. I can see if they might have a TIG welder at work, but I dont think they do.

[SilvrEclipse]

You have to tig aluminum. Any unless you have done it before the welds will look like shit and you will probably just put big holes in the pipe. Just pay someone who knows how to do it or use couplers. Or you could practice and DIY.

[tfoti]

You can MIG aluminum but you must have a spool gun since the metal is so thin and easily bendable if it is fed through the machine like steel wire it would get kinked and not feed right. A spool gun feeds wire pretty much at the torch and keeps the line short enough to not kink and bend.

But TIG is the way to go.

[Thor06]

Fuck, alright. I'll just coupler it until I can find some place to do it. Thanks guys!

[tfoti]

I have my old J-pipe laying here now if you need it

[Thor06]

Dude! Bomb shit! Is it a normal front mount J-Pipe?