First Big 200DX Project: Great success!!!

Hey guys! Take a look at what I used my new PowerTig 200DX for! This is a custom intercooler and piping setup that I made for my company's sponsored driver.

Started with a used 12"x24"x4" Bar and Plate intercooler core. Chopped end tanks off with 1/8" material left on.

These are the 2 main pieces for the side tanks.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8P1Li7HscVg/Sz.../s800/side.JPG

All lined up and tacked on.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8P1Li7HscVg/Sz.../s800/tack.JPG

Then measured and cut pieces to fill in the top and bottom and tacked on.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8P1Li7HscVg/Sz...s800/tack2.JPG

Haven't tig welded anything serious for almost a year and a half now, but it came out alright.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8P1Li7HscVg/Sz...s800/bead2.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8P1Li7HscVg/Sz.../s800/bead.JPG

Complete intercooler
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8P1Li7HscVg/Sz.../s800/done.JPG

Doing the weldings.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8P1Li7HscVg/Sz...0/PC260066.JPG

All done!
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8P1Li7HscVg/Sz...0/PC260071.JPG

And all installed!
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...r/IMG_1154.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...r/IMG_1157.jpg

Tanks made out of T6-6061 Aluminum. 1/8" Thick.
Hot tanked core, bead rolled ends, pressure tested, etc...

Materials cost: 40 bucks
Time spent: ~ 4 hours (3 hours setup/cutting, 1 hr welding)

Welder settings: 2% Ceriated 3/32" Tungsten, #7 Hood, 40 amps for end tanks and 25 amps for tubing, 100hz AC, 70% EN, 10 CFH Pure Argon, 6063 Filler 1/16"

Ive got to say... I freaking love this welder! And it feels great to be welding Al again!

This was part of the new turbo setup I made for a professional drifting car here in Las Vegas. If any of you have access to a local event, you should go and check it out. It is one of the newest and most fun motorsports yet! Plus every car is sporting lots of custom fabrication and creativity!

http://www.ddsperformance.com/
http://www.vegasdrift.com/
http://www.formuladrift.com/

They do weld good don't they? I will say it again, the arc performance on the Everlast units is as good as I have ever seen, major brands included.

Is that the stock torch? It may be the camera angle, but it looks larger. Your grip is classic and a good "text book" picture...just might get permission to "borrow" it, if you have it in high def.

Absolutely. Let me say I was having issues at first... I was used to traditional machines, both with tungsten selection and welding amperage!

Pure tungsten doesnt work well on inverters. also, the thicker the better for use on normal size materials (1/6" and up), I'm now using 3/32" 2% Ceriated. What a difference!!!! Hardly any more balled tip on the tungsten too!

Also, what Im used to doing at 65-80 amps, this unit does at 40-50! Plus generally its just smoother on AC and DC than I am used to. (Transformer machines)

Yes, thats the torch that came with it. I read some others were saying it was big and bulky, but it fits my big hands great!

I do have that pic in high res, along with some others. Ill email them to performance@everlastwelders.com


Ill be posting much more here, since I was skeptical at first about buying a capable unit that is 25% the price of the big name brand ones. I wanted to see actual weld pics to prove that a capable weldor can put good use to these machines. Which now I've verified myself as well. Thanks again guys!!!

Perhaps the reason that this unit will weld at a lower amperage is because you can control cleaning and penetration, better than the transformers. The frequency can also boost the pinpoint accuracy and intensity of the arc. But you are right, I have many people calling and swearing to me(sometimes at me...you know who you are lol)that their units aren't welding right, and that they have welded for years, or even watched welding videos etc, and in a few cases actually read it in the owners manual, that green tungsten is to be used with aluminum only...

I have solved many problems just by getting people to switch out the green tungsten. I will repeat it again..GREEN TUNGSTEN IS NOT TO BE USED IN ANY SQUAREWAVE INVERTER! Mike has had as many calls as well, I am sure. But to give a "laymans" reasoning, green tungsten, though it conducts the well, does tend to ball up when the squarewave hits it, as the balance and frequency can have an affect on the balling. It will over ball and will destabilize the arc by providing a large surface area that the arc can burst from. The smaller the surface area, the better control you will have. A slight dome is all that is desired when welding on AC with an inverter. The green tungsten is unalloyed and is solid tungsten.

For economy, red thoriated 2% tungsten is a fine performer on AC or DC. It domes well and the thoria core conducts electricity well. BUT it can, if over amped or over heated, develop a small thoria spike at the end of the electrode. If you would think of the old fashioned Christmas balls with the little pointy tips, this is what you would see if you magnified it. Now, this can break off and get into the weld, which is undersirable. But if the amperage is properly controlled, this is not a major concern. Lanthanated,and Ceriated tungsten don't develop this spike but do cost a good bit more. If you dip the electrode a lot into the puddle, then I suggest becoming proficient with Thoriated first. It is about 20 bucks a 10 pack. Soooo.....the bad news, it is very slightly radioactive, probably, if I were to guess, less than you average swiss watch with glow in the dark hands.

Nice work, any idea how much boost they are running through it?
Wayne

yes, this is a fully built SR20 redtop motor, running a top mount gt3071rs. we are going to be doing around 20 psi of boost on e85, so power numbers will be around 350-400. he is moving up from 220, so this will be quite awesome. as soon as i get done fabbing up the rest of his car, ill be dyno tuning it!

and just for the hell of it, i made a pressure testing rig and tested this intercooler to 50psi.

DDS,

Nice work for sure. I use underhand unless I have to go overhand to get to something. You have a good steady hand for sure. Some guys wrap around the torch head and do really nice welds. My son uses your style and he has shaky hands, but his welds are always nice.

No matter which way, nice welds. Looks like you figured the knobs out.