Valve cover make over(pic overload)

[mklotz70]

Since your quote didn't have the propane temps...I found this....

 

....I'm assuming these are for cutting torches...not the typical propane torch.....

Propane torch

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A propane torch is a tool for burning the flammable gas propane.

 

The maximum adiabatic flame temperature a propane torch can achieve with air is 2268 kelvins (1995

[mklotz70]

Finally got my *ss in the shop to do some more work on this thing.

 

Here's the directions on the cleaner. Certainly looks like it's working when you put it on. Couldn't tell much by my welds! :( Cut the other valve cover up to for test welds. I can do a bead even on the dirty, uncleaned valve cover...what I can't get it to do is to melt the friggin' bottom of the "T" joint!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was getting ticked so I didn't take any pics of the testing .....just picture the crappiest welds you can think of and that's what they looked like!! After a couple of hours of sanding, scrubbing, cleaning, wire brushing, preheating(with propane...can't run the oven and the tig at the same time)...I finally said the heck with it and plowed through the actual weld. A bull in the china shop comment comes to mind. I put in an 1/8" 2% thor, turned the power up a bit and basically forced it into submission!!!!!

 

I learned many years ago...it's not about NOT making mistakes...it's about being able to fix them once you make them!!!! I certainly screw up a bunch of stuff...but I've gotten pretty good at fixing shit. Hopefully, I can fix this!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mklotz70]

So I needed a nice flat surface for the cap to seal to. I mounted the cover in the mill again and proceeded to fly cut the sealing lip. Had some pitting, so I cut about 50 thou off it.

 

...this is more like 10 thou being cut.

 

 

 

 

DOH!!! The cap don't face the way I want it to now!! My fly cutter was too big to cut any deeper or it would take off the tops of a couple of ribs.

 

 

 

.....so I got out a smaller fly cutter(which I had to modify a cutter to even be able to use it) that would let me get between the ribs. I took it down another 50 or so.

[mklotz70]

I kept test fitting and cutting. I decided to make two passes instead of one....thinking that I still had at least 3-4 passes left to go.

 

DOH!!! Went a bit too far...cap isn't quite centered.... oh well. I'm not going to worry about it right now. I think I know how I can fix that.....we'll see.

 

[mklotz70]

I ended up with a nice wide lip, but it's not anywhere close to being round. Paula bought me a really cool machine shop book last xmas....learned this trick in there. Normally, the cutter is facing out in a boring head so you can cut inside diameters. I simply turned it around and cut an outside diameter :) Cleaned the lip up real nice! .....had to spin the mill in reverse for that trick :)

 

 

 

 

You can see that I did some quick shaping on the last two pics. Hopefully, I can clean up and smooth out the rest of the weld. I'll fill any divots or pits with aluminum brazing rod or Hi Temp lab metal. It's getting covered with powdercoating.....so it just has to be smooth. :)

 

 

 

 

 

[]2eDeYe]

A good friend of my says "Grinders were invented for welders like us" :D

[nismopu]

I think part of the problem was the 2% thoriated tungsten used. 100% should be used on aluminum.

[mklotz70]

2eDeYe;88482'']A good friend of my says "Grinders were invented for welders like us" :D

 

I guess that's why I have about 6 grinders! :)

 

 

I think part of the problem was the 2% thoriated tungsten used. 100% should be used on aluminum.

 

I've got an inverter machine. From nearly everything I've read, they say that the 2% works better on AL with the inverters because it will handle more power on the EP cycle. I tried the pure before and with as much EP as I had to run with the cast AL, it balled up bad. Even the 1/8". I haven't admitted defeat on welding cast yet...so I'll try it again. The 2% is supposed to provide a more focused arc too....which was the main thing I wanted out of it since I couldn't seem to get the bottom of the T to melt. I did the trick with the filler rod....melting it so that it would act as a conductor to get the bottom to melt. That's pretty much how I got it started. Just as I got the puddle going, I had to change position and lost it. :( I'm thinking next time, I'll leave a base on the bung that will allow me to do a simple butt weld. :)

[]2eDeYe]

Next time you could put the weld inside the valve cover :D

[jesusno2]

mike what ampreage did you have it set on ? you got a pedal on that machine?? what i like to do is, push the pedal and start the arc and then I hold it their maybe with a tab bit of osolation just to get a small puddle going then floor it and start hammering the rod to it with alum you have to hall ass. but i run real hot with my amperage it tends to help with that damn cast stuff.

[mklotz70]

2eDeYe;88598'']Next time you could put the weld inside the valve cover :D

 

yep....I think next time, I'll use the mig from the inside....it'll take about 30 seconds!!!!

 

 

mike what ampreage did you have it set on ? you got a pedal on that machine?? what i like to do is, push the pedal and start the arc and then I hold it their maybe with a tab bit of osolation just to get a small puddle going then floor it and start hammering the rod to it with alum you have to hall ass. but i run real hot with my amperage it tends to help with that damn cast stuff.

 

That's about what I did....except that I had to keep stopping to reposition. I think I had it around 130-140? I never did look at the readout. Problem is that when I hammer it, it kills the tungsten. I've spent way, way too much time on this. Oh well. I'll try to get it done, but it will be awhile before I do the next one. I'm seriously liking the mig idea! :)

[nismopu]

this is no way a one up post. I however wanted to show that this manifold was welded with zirconiated tungsten and the plenum was cleaned with the same solution Mike posted above. I didnt pre heat this thing either because it was pretty oily in the runners and I didnt feel like smoking up the whole shop all day. I did not personally weld these because the new boy in the shop is our welder and wont let anyone else near it, lol. Anyway, I experimented recently with 2%, 100%, and the zirconiated. The thing I love best about the zirconiated is if your machine has cleaning it offers the best results. 2% doesnt burn away quickly and stays nice and uniform. 100% burns away quickly but offers good cleaning. I have to say in a pinch 2% works best like suggested above but zirconiated I feel works best for me. I can probly get you a stick to try mike if you wish. I gave a stick to the boys up at extreme turbo systems and they ate it up like candy, lol. lemme know what you guys think. peace.

 

BTW, the story behind this mani was its originally designed for a wrong wheel drive car now being setup for a right wheel drive vehicle.

 

 

The throttle base plate is just tacked because I dont like it but I am going to see if the owner does.

Edited November 18, 2008 by nismopu

[Icehouse]

Hey Mike learning is the fun part, if it worked out perfect you wouldn't have anything to ponder at work :D I know I love figuring stuff out like that. I also like having something fun to think about when I'm at work :D

 

 

I had a similar problem with that L series mani. Maybe I can get some close ups taken tomorrow. To me it seems there is a window, if the weld doesn't start in the right direction from the get go it just gets worse and worse. I don't know why or how it just seems to be that way for me when welding cast. I had no problem welding around the main body it worked like a champ, the runners on the other had weren't so happy :( I'm going to have to fix that later :D haha Maybe its just because I couldn't get the torch angle I needed....

 

I tig'd some steel today for a kid at my work, its funny working with Engineers, of coarse they can all weld they just have excuses why the want me to do it :D There has to be a reason they want the low man on the totem pole to do it :D haha I like the practice though, I look for any reason to fire up the tig. :D

 

Welding is fun :D

[510rob]

These are both very informative brochures from DGP, a major tungsten electrode supplier.

 

The Proper Selection & Preparation of Tungsten Electrodes for Arc Welding

 

How to "Correctly" Grind, Cut & Prepare Tungsten Welding Electrodes

[mklotz70]

Thanks for the additions guys!! Great stuff!!!

 

I've proved my siggy once again! I bought a "black" tungsten awhile ago and now I can't remember what the heck it is!! :(

[510rob]

Black stripe tungsten is 1% Lanthanated.

 

The work you've done to the valve cover is awesome. One of those labor of love projects that most people will never even notice when they see the engine/car/project, meaning you pulled it off perfectly.

[SHADY280]

i cant remeber what i use but im pretty sure its 100%. i found using the pure stainless brush and actetone is the key to getting that weld perfect, without it my welds look like that too!!! i have the inverter machine from miller with no scratch start and it works if i dont weld forever, my brother has a behemoth of a miller tig and he can weld all day with it. never seems to reach duty!

[510rob]

The best thing I ever bought/built for my TIG was a water cooled torch setup. That made all the difference in the world; now I can actually hold on to the torch for more than 1 minute. Too bad about the hands getting cooked after a while though; I was looking around for water cooled hands, but gave up and switched to periodic beer breaks instead.

 

I agree about keeping an aluminum-specific stainless steel scratch brush, and a clean bottle of acetone near the machine for any and all aluminum welding. Those two things make all the difference in the world. Oh yeah, having a 10-pack of clean & balled ready-to-go tungstens helps the job move along too. I don't know about you guys, but I only suffer from tourettes when I am trying to TIG weld. The puddle dipping only really kicks in while I'm welding an expensive one-off part. As soon as I stop welding, the tourettes symptoms disappear.

[Duke]

+1 for the water cooled torch. I have used both and not only does the water cooled setup not get hot when you are doing a big job, but it welds much more consistently.

 

Rob, I think I have the TIG induced tourettes as well, so don't feel bad.