It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=284475
This was a learn as you go project it only the 4th time I tried mig welding and the first time with the HF welder. I had to keep dailing down the power until it stopped blowing through. I did not make a patch but started at the thickest part of the header and worked my way to the thinner parts. I had a few pin holes that I had to file and fill, but no light shows through now. It may not last but at least I learned something I hope. Is there a high tempeture paint I can put on this to pretty it up a little?

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

I use just plain Rustoleum silver spray paint on my exhaust manifolds. It does not burn off.

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

You can get a high-temp header paint - from places like Jegs or Summit. I don't use paint anymore as the headers always end up rusting through it. I use ceramic coatings (baked on) - not inexpensive to pay outsiders to do, but they last.

On flathead headers, I blast my headers with about 100 grit garnet, make sure I don't handle the newly blasted headers (no oil from your hands on them), then I ceramic coat them (sprayed on with a paint gun). Once dry, then I bake the headers in a BBQ at 500 degrees for an hour. I've found that the "baked to cure" ceramic coatings are the strongest. Go out to the web and search on Cerakote High Temperature coatings - inexpensive if you do the work yourself.

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

You did good.

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

I think ya did good :)

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

Aluminum spray can paint or black BBQ/stove paint work for a long time.

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

Looks like a fine job, at least you got it fixed and saved some bucks. The way I shake now it probably wouldn't hold shelled corn, and I welded for a living several years ago. Al

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

Hey good for you. I am impressed you did so well with little experience. I have welded stuff since the mid 1960s and I can tell you my first few jobs didn't look anywhere near that good!

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

Great start. keep it up !

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

Thanks for the encouragement, it's the first time I used the mig torch gel, that helped a lot.

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

When I was deciding on exhaust paint, Rustoleum barbque came up a lot on the HAMB. I used it and have driven 4 years and no rust. Corvette you did a nice job. I can not mig thin metal worth a darn. I gas welded mine.

John

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

Your welds look good in the photo. When I'm welding thin metal with the wire welder I'm reminded of the old saying, "if you can't be a good welder then you need to be a good grinder". :-) It definitely applies to my work.

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

Corvette: What dia. MIG wire did you use. Just curious. Was the flux core wire easy to use?

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

I use grill paint. Works good....... Mark

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

I have a pipe that runs very close to my steering box and required a weld there. I haven't gotten around to it but I'm going to plus one end and fill it with water to see if there are any holes.

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

.030 Hobart wire seemed pretty easy for me, I did not use the HF wire it came with.
I pick up a container of nozzle gel, it help reduce spatter and kept the nozzle clean.

Re: It ain't pretty but no light comes through
 

I've been using .030 flux core wire. Where I was making butt welds in my exhaust system, I cut short lengths of tubing and slit it length wise so it would collapse into the ends of the two pieces I was joining. Worked out well. It's a lot trickier joining thin material without a backup, however.

I wish someone would make some .015 wire (for use with gas) for welding thin materials. I realize that wire that small wouldn't feed through a normal gun and cable from the machine but a nozzle with a spool should work.