Thread: Welding steel tube frame w/AC stick-- Best methods?

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Originally posted by PsychoKart
Are TIG welded joints NHRA legal? What about O/A welds?

Adrian

TIG is preferred by NHRA (Mandatory for Chromoly)
I'm building a certified chassis, mild steel (TiG) . This is my first experience with TIG. I MIG welded for years @ Winnebago (Motorhomes) and thought it was the best method. I reluctantly bought a TIG welder for my "Z" project and was amazed at the difference in weld quality with TIG. There is almost no smoke or sparks from the weld so you have an unobstructed view of he weld, so you can see exactly how much penetration the weld is getting. Parts being welded and the fill rod need to be super clean tho. And it is a slower welding process. But well worth the extra work to get a nice weld.

After years of running a MIG welder my biggest adjustment to TIG was slowing down and not just burning a weld in the joint. TIG takes more patience and is a much different process than I thought it would be. Each time I weld I have to tell myself O.K. slow down and don't get carried away with the heat.