Bidding a job? Exhaust and back purge?

admin

Had someone ask me to weld his exhaust. 4" stainless tubing. 3 welds and 1 02bung weld. All tacked together (I think with stick welder)I bid $100 and for the job and included back purging.Would you back purge it?He said the local race shop only wanted 50-65. I called said race shop and they do not back purge. He ended up going with a different party all together and got it done for free.What would you bid on the job and do you think an exhaust needs to be purged? The shop spits out 800+ hp cars all day long with large turbos. Wouldn't you think it needs to be purged?He said if they can get to the inside they grind it but if they can't they leave it.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Originally Posted by GambleHad someone ask me to weld his exhaust. 4" stainless tubing. 3 welds and 1 02bung weld. All tacked together (I think with stick welder)I bid $100 and for the job and included back purging.Would you back purge it?He said the local race shop only wanted 50-65. I called said race shop and they do not back purge. He ended up going with a different party all together and got it done for free.What would you bid on the job and do you think an exhaust needs to be purged? The shop spits out 800+ hp cars all day long with large turbos. Wouldn't you think it needs to be purged?He said if they can get to the inside they grind it but if they can't they leave it.
Reply:I told him I would do it for $60 and would be home in 2 hours but he was in a rush. And he wanted to wait for it. Sorry but I don't want anyone looking over my shoulder. I thought 100 was a fair price but he didn't think so. What would you have charged?Last time he came to me for welding he told me the same shop would of done it for half of what I said. So I did it and he was happy.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Originally Posted by GambleI told him I would do it for $60 and would be home in 2 hours but he was in a rush. And he wanted to wait for it. Sorry but I don't want anyone looking over my shoulder. I thought 100 was a fair price but he didn't think so. What would you have charged?Last time he came to me for welding he told me the same shop would of done it for half of what I said. So I did it and he was happy.
Reply:I found out one portion of pipe was aluminized. So the guy mig welded it all. And tig welded the bung. Not what I would of done but whatever he saved himself $60. Maybe he will come back when it breaks.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Hopefully not. Sounds like the kind of guy that would MF you behind your back after telling you what a great job you did.GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:If you sell yourself to cheapskates, then cheapskates you shall have. I would have fluxed the inside, used Tig or OA, and charged them at least $125 with my reputation as the warranty.
Reply:Originally Posted by GambleWouldn't you think it needs to be purged?
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyverNo... because the idea that you have to backpurge everything is a myth exclusive to welding web. If the customer doesn't care if it's purged then who cares.If you end up with a ton of sugar growing out then you don't know what you're doing in the first place. A bit of scale wont hurt anything, plus if it's 4" you can get your hand in there with some scotchbrite and scrub the scaling off. If you can produce a sound weld it's not going to break either. If you can't produce a weld you're confident in without purging, then you shouldn't be doing the job w/o purging.
Reply:food grade? backpurge...chemical? backpurge...corrosive environment? backpurge...exhaust pipes? depends of how long you want them to last. if you don't backpurge, you can be sure than corrosion will start right there on the weld.there's also flux and pickling paste and such, that will allow you to do this without backpurging and without detrimental results. But backpurging doesn't cost that much more, it's just a bit more time consuming.
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyverNo... because the idea that you have to backpurge everything is a myth exclusive to welding web. If the customer doesn't care if it's purged then who cares.If you end up with a ton of sugar growing out then you don't know what you're doing in the first place. A bit of scale wont hurt anything, plus if it's 4" you can get your hand in there with some scotchbrite and scrub the scaling off. If you can produce a sound weld it's not going to break either. If you can't produce a weld you're confident in without purging, then you shouldn't be doing the job w/o purging.
Reply:Back in the '70s, I was instructed by an aerospace welder that Titanium needed to be welded in an argon environment or backpurge and trailing shield was necessary...  But this was coming from an Apollo and Space Shuttle welder.GlenMiller Dynasty 200DX - Millermatic 350P - Hypertherm Powermax 45Want to sell!! - Hobart Handler 150
Reply:Let the customer make the decision but have some root bend coupons available to present the difference.
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyverNo... because the idea that you have to backpurge everything is a myth exclusive to welding web. If the customer doesn't care if it's purged then who cares.If you end up with a ton of sugar growing out then you don't know what you're doing in the first place. A bit of scale wont hurt anything, plus if it's 4" you can get your hand in there with some scotchbrite and scrub the scaling off. If you can produce a sound weld it's not going to break either. If you can't produce a weld you're confident in without purging, then you shouldn't be doing the job w/o purging.