I Hate Welding Header Flanges to Tubes

[fabr]

Any engine with siamesed exhaust ports can just kiss my ass. A certain SBC I know of is being a real bitch to get to on the underside. Anyone LIKE doing them? 

[dsrace]

nope      that's all your fun 

[BDKW1]

Easy money, weld on the ID and silly bronze a few places on the OD.

[fabr]

Done that on SS headers several times.I still hate it as I like to 360 the OD. Won't happen on this set on middle pair. gonna get about 320 tho. I wanted 360  as this set is upswept and would look better since the under side is now the topside. Oh well. When I get the snakey ass tail pipe and muffs mounted I'll post a few pics. Tight fit.

[WelderPat]

Easy money, weld on the ID and silly bronze a few places on the OD.

+1

[fabr]

That's fine if the customer wants it that way. Many don't care so long as they have a header.I happen to be the customer this time and I don't like it.   I like a full 360 whether welded or silly bronzed on the outside of the flange. I also weld the ID.  Just the wat I like it done. Many do things differently.

[sandracer1]

I have an odd and maybe ridiculous question but here it goes.
In Pharma all welds are sanitary SS welds, tig welded of coarse. But on pipes we purge the inside of the pipe with argon.
IF you had your header in a purgerd booth while welding would this allow you to feed the wire very deep into spots without the loss of gas at the point of welding contact. In my minds theory this may allow the wire to extend very far from the gun tip and still weld clean.
Thoughts? Am I way off base here?

A sand blasting booth could be converted I would imagine.

[fabr]

Some Ti stuff is done in a chamber like that. Problem I see would be getting access to the header in a chamber. I don't see how that could be done. Your theory is sound tho,IMO. It's the practical application of welding a header in a chamber that isn't practical,I think. Any of the real welders here have an opinion on that? 

[sandracer1]

I wonder how the mass producers do it. Probably robots in a chamber if I had too guess.

[fabr]

Most are welded on the ID. Much easier as WP and bdkw said. For reinforcement silly bronze around as much of the OD as possible is done now days a lot of the time. Nothing wrong with it. I do it on SS headers.Maybe I'll step into today on the next set of mild steel headers also. For some insane reason I just never did it on mild steel. I can't think of a single reason not to tho.

[sandracer1]

Now having a turbo and seeing the quick disintegration of the original mild steel exhaust parts due to heat. I would never use it again. SS does not heat treat and will not break down. At least in my experience. Without a turbo it may last longer but the long term results I would guess will be the same. Cracking welds and split pipes.

[fabr]

I ceramic coat mild steel headers inside and out. Last a long time actually and look a lot better over time. On a turbo application I 100% agree,SS is only way to go.

[sandracer1]

I am such a rookie.
This is why I surround myself with smart people.
I need a sticker that says "warning, bought not built" 

[fabr]

LOL!!!! We're all rookies here.

[Lance-W]

    The "chamber" you guys are referring to is commonly called a glovebox.  It's a sealed box very much like a sandblast cabinet but the seals are better.  You pull a vacuum on the box and then back fill it with an appropriate gas (usually Argon) to create the "clean" enviroment similar to the gas cloud your Argon bottle creates on your common TIG torch.  Nobody likes welding in them because it's hard to see and you have access issues.  They weld Niobium to Titanium here all the time in gloveboxes here though so it can be done.  A box for a header would be BIG!

Some Ti stuff is done in a chamber like that. Problem I see would be getting access to the header in a chamber. I don't see how that could be done. Your theory is sound tho,IMO. It's the practical application of welding a header in a chamber that isn't practical,I think. Any of the real welders here have an opinion on that?