First Stainless Project critique my welds (TIG)

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Hey guys, I just finished up my first project welding stainless. I was welding up some intercooler piping for my buddy. Its 304 stainless 2.5" piping and .050" thick. Here are a few pics of the final product. Im looking for some constructive criticism/pointers on how I can make it better. Keep in mind this is probably my 6th time ever tig welding, and first time ever welding stainless. I know the beads could be a little more consistent but thats something only practice can change I think. Let me know what you guys think
Reply:Did you backpurge the pipe when you welded it?  Looks like the weld you posted the close-ups of was cold in spots with a lack of penetration and had either contamination due to the back of the weld not being purged and/or tungsten contamination/too much stick out.Check the inside of the pipe and see if you developed a whole bunch of sugaring back there...I'd be pretty wary of using that in my car personally.--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:The left side on the lower weld in the 1st pict looks like it has too much penetration. I'm guessing the cold welds were a reaction to that section trying to drop out. .050 is very thin to be attempting on your 6th try at tig. X2 on the comment on back purge, that was my 1st thought as well.To help us help you... Resize you picts 1st please. This site cuts off the text if picts are too big and it makes it hard to read your comments. 2nd post up as much info as possible, machine used, tungsten size and type, filler size and type. gas used and flow (helps eliminate obvious issues like new guys running mig gas rather than 100% argon), amps used both machine setting and aproximate amps when using a pedal, and so on. That way we don't have to guess. The 304 and thickness does help, but it only tells part of the story..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I did not backpurge the pipes. Honestly I haven't been able to find a setup for doing that so if you could point me in the right direction that would be great. Here is my setup:Grizzly 160A DC only tig1/16 2% thoriated tungsten (sharpened vertically, not horizontally)1/16 ER308L filler wire100% argon 20cfh flow#7 gas cup no pulsefinger switch control
Reply:Originally Posted by MillhouseI did not backpurge the pipes. Honestly I haven't been able to find a setup for doing that so if you could point me in the right direction that would be great.
Reply:Solar flux B is an alternative to backpurging...And I'll second the notion of more practice on mild steel first, before thin stainless. It just welds so much different, and you're welding tubing on top of that. That's a lot to master at onceGive me fuel, give me fire, give me that which I desire.
Reply:Stainless tig welds very nice.Get yourself a can of Solar B weld flux. Mix a bit with some isopropal alcohol and paint it on the inside of the pipe, both pieces before you weld. That will eliminate all sugaring on the inside of the welded joint that happens with unshielded stainless steel weld joints.Your not doing too bad for the amount of experience you have.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:Originally Posted by PrimetimeSolar flux B is an alternative to backpurging...And I'll second the notion of more practice on mild steel first, before thin stainless. It just welds so much different, and you're welding tubing on top of that. That's a lot to master at once
Reply:I would not mount those on anything of mine nor would I let someone mount them on their car. If/when those particles break free, it will be like sandblasting the insides of the engine. An engine with a turbo isn't something I would want to be responsible for, especially if it wasn't mine. Even using the solar flux you need to get all of the flux off before running it. Most of the people who do these kinds of welds backpurge so there's no mess or cleanup afterwards.
Reply:Originally Posted by BCTimberwolfI would not mount those on anything of mine nor would I let someone mount them on their car. If/when those particles break free, it will be like sandblasting the insides of the engine. An engine with a turbo isn't something I would want to be responsible for, especially if it wasn't mine. Even using the solar flux you need to get all of the flux off before running it. Most of the people who do these kinds of welds backpurge so there's no mess or cleanup afterwards.
Reply:it's not the insides of the engine that get's blasted, as it's after the engines internals, on the exhaust side, but what does get blasted is the impeller wheel of the turbo itself... even minor particles can do enough damage to affect the balance of a turbo impeller shaft assy that spins over 80k rpm, causing bearing & subsiquent turbo failure... a larger piece breaking away can do much more immediate damage... these pieces can break off as the headers reach temps hot enough to glow at max boost, 1,200-1,300 degrees & more is the norm for turbo headers, & they will of course cycle up & down in these extremes too... any sugaring is 1, a very likely to crack weld & 2, pretty likely that some pieces can break away in use & find there way out through the only way possible, which is right through the turbo impeller... sugaring is very bad in any pipe that is before the turbo exhaust housing...miller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....
Reply:Originally Posted by turbocad6it's not the insides of the engine that get's blasted, as it's after the engines internals, on the exhaust side, but what does get blasted is the impeller wheel of the turbo itself... even minor particles can do enough damage to affect the balance of a turbo impeller shaft assy that spins over 80k rpm, causing bearing & subsiquent turbo failure... a larger piece breaking away can do much more immediate damage... these pieces can break off as the headers reach temps hot enough to glow at max boost, 1,200-1,300 degrees & more is the norm for turbo headers, & they will of course cycle up & down in these extremes too... any sugaring is 1, a very likely to crack weld & 2, pretty likely that some pieces can break away in use & find there way out through the only way possible, which is right through the turbo impeller... sugaring is very bad in any pipe that is before the turbo exhaust housing...
Reply:wow man, your right, sorry about that... I just saw SS & a v-band flange & automatically thought exhaust, especially as intake is usually done in aluminum....on the intake side this is slightly less of a risk, it won't see the dramatic temp swings or high temps that exhaust side would so pieces breaking off is a bit less likely, although yeah, still not great & still a real chance of it happening anyway...miller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....
Reply:ya I saw that too...I'm assuming for a blowoff. I just know that me personally I would never run pipes with anything like that in them or take a chance. Of course mine would be on a diesel with 40+ psi, but still, if they spent the money for SS IC pipes chances are theres a lot more money in that engine. I just wouldn't want to be the one responsible for a blown engine due to my shoddy work...
Reply:that would never pass xray
Reply:Originally Posted by BCTimberwolfya I saw that too...I'm assuming for a blowoff. I just know that me personally I would never run pipes with anything like that in them or take a chance. Of course mine would be on a diesel with 40+ psi, but still, if they spent the money for SS IC pipes chances are theres a lot more money in that engine. I just wouldn't want to be the one responsible for a blown engine due to my shoddy work...
Reply:OK,  to purge that tube you can block one end with a paper towel  with the purge hose wrapped in the middle of it (like a plug with a hole in it)  next wrap the other end with foil wrap, maybe tape it tight with masking tape.  Punch a small hole about the size of your tungsten  in the foil so the argon will flow through the tube.....Set you flow gauge at around 10-15 CFH .....let it fill the tube for a few minutes to get all the oxy removed.....Try to over lap your stops and starts  and ease off the pedal slowly at the end of the weld so as NOT to make a CRATER  (A crack will be in the bottom of that crater)  Also get you dabs closer together which will cool the weld some and help you to keep the filler in the gas coverage.......You don't want to remove the filler from the gas coverage between dabs because it will contaminate the weld.....And last of all.......Practice more before you ruin your buddies project like you did ........Last edited by B_C; 04-05-2011 at 10:53 PM.  Miller Dynasty 350Twenty Six HammersThree Crow BarsBig Rock
Reply:dude, in your last post you said: " I did these pipes to help out a friend and get his car rolling. I know there not the prettiest but they should get the job done at least. Thanks again for the suggestions and help!"this, to me & any one else reading it, is saying that you thought that although they were ugly, they were otherwise fine & would "get the job done", which is really NOT the case... you came here & asked, don't hate the one who gives you the answer you seeked in the first place, which was "are they good enough or not?" on a turbo car sugared stainless welds are no good period & can cause catastrophic damage... you've been getting help, the question is do you really want help, or do you want to just hear oh & ah, your welds are beautiful? lighten up & be willing to put more into it, your welds are very good for a beginner, very good, but, there also not good enough for use in an actual turbo car unless it's some low buck back yard shoe string honda budget build that's on the verge of going pop anyway miller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....