Keith are they welded and ground smooth on the inside face of the flange?
Some headers are done this way with the outside gap filled with braze to
keep them from cracking due to vibration.
Jim in Palmdale where it actually rained yesterday
----- Original Message -----
From: Keith Turk <kturk@ala.net>
To: <FastmetalBDF@aol.com>; <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2001 5:42 PM
Subject: Re: APPLES & ORANGES and hunks of metal
> I was under the impression that when I use a Brass Rod and Flux out of a
can
> on Steel that was called Brazing...
>
> My headers were built by Jack Davis ... of Davis headers in Ontario
> California.... they are 2...2 1/8th...2 1/4" steps all done with a gas
> torch.. they are steel against Steel in all but the flanges which are
Heated
> and connected with this Shiny Gold Rod that looks like Brass... when it
> cracked from an installation requirement.... I took my gas torch and fixed
> it with that Brass rod....
>
> Hmmm Bruce you know way to much for me to argue with you on this one.... I
> just wouldn't know what else to call it other then Brazing.... hmmm
>
> Keith
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <FastmetalBDF@aol.com>
> To: <kturk@ala.net>; <land-speed@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2001 12:49 PM
> Subject: APPLES & ORANGES and hunks of metal
>
>
> > Keith :
> > GAS WELDING IS NOT THE SAME AS BRAZING .
> >
> > Brazing is a form of soldering, with flux and brass rod ...... it
has
> its
> > place in some things automotive ..... building headers is not one of
these
> .
> > Way back in the distant 50s, before I got an arc welder, I gas
welded
> > tow bars, bumper brackets, engine hoisting rigs and stands, and
everything
> > else that needed to be hitched ..... out of sheer necessity ! I have
> even
> > gas welded 3 / 8 "steel plate successfully ( but would never do it
again,
> for
> > a number of obvious reasons ..... plus the heat hitting my face from
that
> > largest welding tip would make a hot day on the salt seem like a cool
> > breeze by comparison ..... a VERY inappropriate way to weld thicknesses
> > like that, even if it stood the test of time ! I do not own a TIG set
> up,
> > unfortunately, but it is basically gas welding without the shielding gas
> > ......
> > while I am proud of the headers I gas welded in the early 60s, they do
> > not measure up to the excellent TIG welds Doug got on the headers we
> > built for Black Radon ..... TIG IS the way to fly on most racecar stuff
> !
> > I used to even stick weld flanges on headers and exhaust systems
> > using 6013 AC rod, and it worked very well ..... but nowadays I would
> > utilize MIG ( electronic caulking ! ) on this and many other jobs that I
> > formerly handled with stick welding ..... we used MIG when we chopped
> > Darrell' s Impala ..... but like Joe from Delaware says ..... it does
> produce
> > a hard weld bead ! I agree with both Joe' s statements, and those of
> > Dave the hayseed ..... stick welding can produce welds with excellent
> > penetration, strength, and still look very good, too ..... I have seen
> many
> > very good cages that were stick welded ( and some awful ones, both
> > stick and MIG welded ! ) Most good welding depends on good surface
> > preparation, and the welder' s SKILL , of course ..... the old "
Practice
> > makes Perfect " bit . Those tin side V8 60s did have pretty fair
welding,
> > but next time you see an unpainted aircraft bellytank, check out the
> > full circumference welds on the seams ...... absolute JEWELRY !!!
> > ( because machines have steadier " hands " than we do ! )
> > Just a few of my thoughts on this, Keith, but remember, next time
> > you are BRAZING two pieces of metal together in your shop ......
> > you are NOT gas welding !
> > Bruce, who learned that while the price was RIGHT, the coat hangers
> > from my Mom' s closet did not make the BEST welds .......
> > FORTY FIVE years ago !
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