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Old Sep 17, 2013 | 12:06 PM
  #11  
AKBray907's Avatar
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Have a shop weld it man, all those are flux core. You want to use a shielding gas, flux core is basically arc welding from a wire feed. Tons of spatter an lots of crap, you should really have a shop weld it with a mig or tig. You need to weld it with a stainless rod, whenever I do stainless exhausts I always use my tig over mig. You have to use the right filler rod/wire otherwise the weld will corrode an wont last. You need to match the filler rod for the metal, meaning if I'm welding up a 304 stainless exhaust I use a 304l rod.
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Old Sep 17, 2013 | 12:38 PM
  #12  
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I don't know your skill level. But a good quality weld is not nearly as easy as it looks. By the time you pay for a good quality machine, proper gas, correct wire, you could have a shop weld it many times over.
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Old Sep 17, 2013 | 04:29 PM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by bubbabud
The harber freight crap is use it once and throw it away garbage.
If you are going to properly weld stainless you will need Mig or tig. with gas.
the welder you describe will stick it together but it will look like crap depending on your skill level. I would shop for a used better quality machine [Lincoln, miller etc. and get a gas set up and not mess with flux core wire.
If this is one time deal you might consider renting a machine. just my $.02 worth
Totally agree with this, I bought one of the cheapo flux wire welders from harbor freight 90a wire feed and it works good but without the gas you get splatter so bad it's almost not worth using on anything other than rough grade. I used it to weld my sons scooter steering stem back on after he cracked it and it worked but looked like hell. Plastic shroud covered it so it was unseen.

If you do as little welding as I do the 90a flux core wire feed welder is perfect. Just make sure you cover up good or you will be picking molten slag out of your skin.

.
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Old Sep 17, 2013 | 09:22 PM
  #14  
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Problem I'm having is no one wants to weld in pipes where my cats were. All the shops think they will get in trouble for it. I tried to get them too before I looked into buying a welder. And we don't even have inspections here...
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Old Sep 17, 2013 | 10:07 PM
  #15  
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I don't mind Harbor Freight for certain things. But here's the rules I go by...

- Never buy anything from them that has an electric cord attached to it.
- Anything that doesn't have a cord attached to it... inspect closely.
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Old Sep 17, 2013 | 10:27 PM
  #16  
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..

Last edited by VFL; Sep 19, 2013 at 06:42 PM.
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Old Sep 17, 2013 | 10:57 PM
  #17  
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Yamaha why not gut the cats clamp them in place and then they will weld it. I'd try to convince you that you really want the cats, but the exhaust smell will do that all on its own. Been there done that.
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Old Sep 17, 2013 | 11:13 PM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by sdmartin65
Yamaha why not gut the cats clamp them in place and then they will weld it. I'd try to convince you that you really want the cats, but the exhaust smell will do that all on its own. Been there done that.
It does stink, but being from the muscle car community I've learned to love the smell. lol My truck has 4 cats. Must be a reason they went back to 2 in 2006.
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Old Sep 18, 2013 | 12:01 AM
  #19  
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Exhaust from a vehicle thats pre cat era isnt bad at all. But the exhaust smell from something newer with cats removed is very distinct and lingering.
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Old Sep 18, 2013 | 03:27 PM
  #20  
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Speaking from 8 years of welding sales and supplies experience, do NOT buy that crap from Habor. Stick to the main guys, Lincoln or Miller. I can't tell you how many times guys came into the store looking for tips or liners or other consumables for those machines only to find out nobody, even the store they bougth them at, makes anything for them. With Miller or Lincoln, even the little mom and pop welding supply stores have them.

Now, as for the welding itself. AKBray907 is correct. If you are welding Stainless to Stainless, you MUST use the correct rod/wire/filler for the metal. I would really suggest finding someone who can TIG weld. TIG is so much better for exhaust work. Don't get me wrong, there are guys out there who can MIG weld really good, but TIG would look so much better.

Ok, that was my 2 cents. Thanks...
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