UP and COMING Fabricator

im looking to start welding and making exhaust and intakes and what not you guys here seem to know whats up what kind of wleder do i need mig tig or ox acet and what kind of pipe bender do i need or do you suggest imt hinking mostly of beind pipe for friends and what not and welding for freidns adn my own fun make my own exhausts for different applications like go karts and what not. any ideas or advice are greatly appreciated

MySCRocket1203 said:

im looking to start welding and making exhaust and intakes and what not you guys here seem to know whats up what kind of wleder do i need mig tig or ox acet and what kind of pipe bender do i need or do you suggest imt hinking mostly of beind pipe for friends and what not and welding for freidns adn my own fun make my own exhausts for different applications like go karts and what not. any ideas or advice are greatly appreciated

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use a mandrel bend machine not a compression bender.

yeah defienatly mandril bends but wich brand and where can i get one and whats gonna be the best application for what i want to do

Every welding process has it's place and work better in some requirements than others. But almost all processes will work in a given situation if certain drawbacks aren't important. I'm not talking about specialized requirements here such as cast iron or other exotic metals. It would take a book to tell you what process is " best" for a particular job. If you are going to work primarily with tubing and aluminum a TIG would serve you best. Can you work with other processes? Yes, but TIG is best. If you are going to work with heavy duty channel for frames etc., then MIG would work best. It's fast and strong. TIG is slow and precise, MIG is fast and doesn't look as good.
Now, if you decide you want a mandrell bender I hope you just inherited a fortune. Most production muffler shops can't justify the expense of a mandrell bender. That's why most run-of-the-mill muffler shops only can do compression bending because they can't afford a mandrell bender. So, if you need mandrell bends you're limited to buying prebent tube or having a local shop with a mandrell bender do it for you for a fee. John

SO....you want play in the with cool stuff (long)

If you are serious, and you want to do it all take a welding course! It will teach you what requirements your equipment will have to meet. This will guide you in your selection based on need and budget. Ask around for recommendations on brand and perfromance.

Mig welders start at $150 (discount store) and go up. Price will depend on:
Power output (amps)
Duty cycle (weld time on/off)
Configuration
Wire size (Spool and wire dia)
Wire drive type (push/push-pull)
for alum. a mig gun
Input voltage (110v/220/dual-115 or220v single phase. 220/240/460v 3 phase)
IMO 110v is totally useless in a manufacturing environment (not enough as*)
My MILLER DVI was $1200+ out the door ready to weld.

Tig's are cool (not really in fact they can get really really hot)
they are precise, versitile, but slow.
if its not junk (pot metal) ie steal,alumn (most alloys),Stainless, copper, titainium, brass, bronze it can be done.
How ever...... they are not cheap.
Start out at $500+ price depends on much the same as the Mig in regards to:
Power out, power in (some have auto switched multi - input voltage/phase capability)
Functions; Pulse, AC, DC, AC/DC,High Freq., programable.
(Tig machines also function as a Stick welder)
Torch type (air or water cooled)
Water cooling is seperate unit and different (more expensive) type of torch.
The technique is very similar to oxy/acet torch welding.

With both of these types of machines there are materials that are used up during the weld process.
MIG- wire by the roll 1# to 30#+, Gas Argon/CO2/Special mix gas, torch tips ect.
TIG- wire straight (usually 36") 1# tubes or bigger. Gas- argon, CO2, mixed gas helium/o2/co2 various mixes and ratios for specific applications.
Tungsten various . torch cups and other pieces.
Stick - welding rod

Oxy/acet cutting and welding outfit definitly! many uses.

other stuff ; grinders/sanders, band saw/chop saw (for metal)
Several good fire extinguishers!

Decide what you want to/can do. Shop around on-line, pawn shops, other used equipment outlets.
Don't get discouraged, it takes lots of practice a good amount of money and a will to make it, a smattering of natural ability doesen't hurt either.
Good luck, MikeH

thanks for the info john thats what i was looking im going to get a compression bender and i understand if ai bend is lowly and incrementally then the difference between mandrel and compression starts to be come academic just so long as i dont get to radical with one bend i should be able to keep the metal from creasing too much (understangin they wont be the same thing) im going to get a mig welder cuz looks really arent that important to me for the most part the parts id make woudl go on sleepers anywya so the uglier th better hahahahah thanks for the response