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Watching Musclecar TV on Spike yesterday, the host was fabricating headers for his "Sleeper Nova", and had a little insert he put inside the joint where he was welding two pipes together. Basically, it was a small piece about the same size as the ID of the header pipe, which held the two pieces together and make it easier to weld the pipes, since it would help avoid burn-through. Anybody have any idea where to get these things or what they're really called??

I saw that and I have no idea...Tuesday, I could stop by a muffler shop and find out.

For those of you that did not see it they were joiners/joints that supposedly held the tubbing in place as you fabbed and created no or minimal flow resistance. They fit into each end and finished the enterior flush inside.

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To err is human...
I am more human than most.

For headers or any round tubing that will get butt welded together, Just take the tubing that you plan to weld and just cut a small ring off the end of the piece of stock. Then saw thru one side of the ring which will allow you to compress the ring, then slide the "C" into the the end of the tubing. This makes aligning the two tubes much easier.
Dave W

I used hose clamps.

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Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
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Cheap easy technology is always better than paying big money for the same thing.

Good tips. Thanks guys.

_________________
I'll keep an eye out for you!

To err is human...
I am more human than most.

almost anyhting will work. aluminum,, brass or copper work best though as they absorb lots of heat and wont mix in with the stainless on your header. if you dont get crazy with you heat you can use steal ones too. using the same matireal your making your headers out of probably wont work to well as it will likely be to thin. theres a good chance that it will fuse into your header and you wont be able to get it out

I know that this is an old thread but I thought that somebody out there might be interested.

Hooker Headers has those "Alignment Weld Sleeves".

http://www.holley.com/12101HKR.asp

ALWAYS FEEL FREE TO CONTRBUTE TO AN OLD THREAD...This is how we ALL get smarter!

_________________
I'll keep an eye out for you!

To err is human...
I am more human than most.

I saw some plasticish things like this before in a speed shop. They are designed that you can fit the ID of the pipe , and when you weld it gets burned off, but still manages to keep the pipe in place, then after you fire the engine whatever is left just melts away, they were about $1 each if I remember

BINGO! That's exactly what they were using. I may not be building my Locost right now, but I'm bookmarking that page for future use.

I was reading an article in a street rod magazine. They joined two SS tubes with a large hose clamp with some of the teeth cut out of the band, leaving a rectangular opening. This hole left enough space in the joint to tack weld tubes for completed welds.

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"Paralysis by Analysis."

Nice

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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

I have built a few sets of headers, and the hose clamp with slots cut in it works all too well.

At a couple of bucks a pair this works too well not to use indefinitely.

Doc

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Burt Munro

Could you like a pic of how you use the hose clap, I'm not understanding.

Look at a standard slotted hose clamp. The kind with the worm screw for adjustment/tightening.

Now, open the clamp up all the way. Take the end out of the adjuster mechanism. Leave yourself about an inch or so of slotts so you can tighten it back up again when you put it back together. Use a cremel, and cut the remaining little cross pieces out of the band so that the clamp looks like two straps with a nice wide slot between. Wrap the band around the tubing you are using, and tighten it up with the slot to be welded sitting dead center of the slot in the band. Weld away, unclamp, and finish the weld. If you have a large enough tube you can put in many successive spot welds to hold it all together without the clamp in the way, and then go back after the clamp is removed and finish welding it up.

It cost me a case of beer and a Hooker Box-o Bends some years ago to learn that little trick from a buddy of mine who welded up all of our headers. Works like a champ.

Doc

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Spectacles,testicles, wallet and watch.....yep I am ready to go.

Burt Munro