| Well, tonight was interesting and a lot of fun. I have been looking/asking around for a good TIG welder and have had several suggestions, all of which were disappointing. I have been looking for someone that would say just the right things, and Monday I found who I was looking for. One shop was insisting on using 316 filler rod on 321SS, which is a BIG no-no.. "But this stuff is high-grade surgical stainless!" Heh. Two other shops just seemed like they were too busy doing something else on the phone. Then I found the shop I was looking for.. Called them, told the owner what I was up to, right off the bat: Owner: "Well, we will need to get some 347 and 309 filler rod to weld that up.."
Perfect! Me: "Well, I've already ordered it and it will be here Wednesday." Owner: "How have you assembled it?"
Me: "It is just MIG tack welded."
Owner: "Well, we will need to re-tack with the filler and grind that metal out of there."
Me: "Not a problem - was expectinig to do that and there are very few tack welds."
Owner: "Well, it sounds like this would be something that you and I can work on together... so you can show me the order of assembly and how you want it done."
The best thing I could have heard!
Me: "Well, can we get together Wednesday sometime?"
Owner: "Sure, no problem. We get in around 10AM or so and we work until at least 9 at night.."
Me: "Cool, sounds like my schedule. I'll buzz you then." It couldn't have gone any better.
A) The guy knows his metallurgy.
B) He wants me to be there during the assembly.
C) He's open after hours. I got the extra bonus C) part, that I wasn't expecting. Too cool! So, at 5:15PM, the UPS truck shows up with a brown tube package with the filler rod. I call the shop and he answers; he's ready to go for this. I load up the truck and arrive at 6PM. Met the owner and his helper - Spent some time showing him the pieces and how I want them put together. We begin tacking, grinding out old MIG wire, welding, test fitting, welding, a little grinding, more fitting, tacking, welding.... for 4 hours. Well, we were talking quite a bit about car and motorcycle stuff a good bit of the time.. These guys were too cool - like long lost friends, LOL. It was great to be so hands-on with the project too - I lined the parts up and he went to welding them. We got as far as I wanted to get for the evening; all of the pipes have been welded together and they are free from the flanges (not welded yet) so that I can finish the final collector pipe to join the pipes to the turbo flange. I hit the pipes up on the buffing wheel just to clean their finish up a little (I will not be polishing these to a mirror shine - 321 doesn't polish well anyway). I was more than happy with the welding job he did - he let me sit down with the TIG torch afterwards beacuse I wanted to take a swing at it and my welding wasn't terrible, but let just say I am glad I let him do it rather than go DIY on this part. :) So, for his 4 hours of time welding these, add $80 to the total. I even got a free beer and got to play with the TIG in the deal. =)
TOTAL: $511 Here's the pics:
 I have scheduled with the owner to meet up again on Friday to complete the welding of the pipes. I'll post more once they are complete.
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[ agpowers@bellsouth.net ] Enthusiasts soon understand each other. --W. Irving.
Are you an enthusiast? If you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor.
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