+1 Palming the nose of a 4 1/2" angle grinder for beveling!
Got two bench grinders and two belt sanders. Don't like wasting the time on any of them. I oughta get one of those huge coarse blue wheels anyone know what they are? Was in a shop that welded some chrome-moly awhile back and whatever it was ate the dogshit out of that stuff.

Cutout a sacraficial paper sleeve to tape around your pipe when beveling if you can't keep the bevel even enough for you.






Project is golden. Volvo FTW.

 

What benifit is there to beveling the ends?? is that what provides the flater welds?

And is it worth doing on just a flux core, always up for improvment techniques

 

you will get better penetration for one. im sure it has a lot to do with the flatness of the welds too. i have never tig'd a manifold only mig'd, so i can say for sure.

this is my method of beveling or grinding almost anything for that matter. i have this exact model. i love the area of the 1" belt that has no back plate for deburring. it leaves a nice finish

 

very hot project indeed. for some reason I've always had a soft spot for a volvo wagon.

pics of rear end setup would be awesome, good choice on the axle too btw

 

now i see why you dont have time to help me :P

sick ride cant wait to see it in person

 

i ---- better welds than that.

 

joke...

 

Thanks again guys. Beveling the pipe does 2 things- it allows you to get more penetration with less heat. To actually weld right through 0.109" thick pipe withough a bevel would require more current than stainless really likes. I can get 100% penetration with around 80amps instead of the ~110 it would take without a bevel. And it does give the weld puddle "somewhere to go" With stianless the puddle has a tendency to "wander" around even with a bevel.

A quick comment on the welds on the collector- in case anyone was wondering, i didn't brush those after welding. They are that silver as-is. People are used to seeing the "rainbow"- but silver/gold is actually a BETTER weld. The collector tends to act like a gas "funnel" and I get really good coverage.

Atticus- I'll take care of ya man. Next month I am doing intercooler piping for an EVO X, intercooler piping for a Volvo 850, 2 Acura exhaust systems and 6 headers (!!!) in december. PART TIME! I still have to work my day job in there too. LOL. Business is crazy. Plan it to go full time fabricating in the summer. Plan on early Jan we'll cut you up some pipe.

Cheers guys, I'll slowly convert this to a project thread- get some pics of the fender widening, rear end, 14" brembo kit on the front, etc over the next week or so.

 

Man if I could grow a 3rd nut I would cut it off a give it away to be able to weld like that!

Nice work Captain......................... that thing is going to get ya to the grocery store in a hell of a hurry, every one loves a fast wagon at the drag strip as well.

Lots of good info on this thread, really cool stuff.

 

----, i would give away one of my current ones to weld like that. i have no need for kids, they just suck away your turbo money