Has anyone found a good source to order lengths of stainless exhaust tubing, that doesn't have an outrageous price? I live in the middle of nowhere, so I can't just pick it up, I'm re fabricating an exhaust system for my off topic project, I already have all these great 2" mandrel bend scraps in lots of different angles, I just need straight pipe, also have access to a flaring tool and metal band saw, lathe for squaring ends etc, and friends with a kick ass welder, This will let me build a great system, but I got severe sticker shock on the cost of the tube, they are selling five foot lengths for upwards of 70 dollars, some with a fancy name on them are selling for upwards of 90 bucks for 5 feet, I don't need polished or anything, just using stainless for durability, and because I have all these stainless bends already. There has to be a reasonable source out there, I was told UPS would ship 5 foot lengths on a regular truck. just waiting on my tax refund, and I'll be getting a porter muffler from Porter man also. Looks like a great durable muffler.
I'm not aware of round tubing being available in say an 18-8 type with the lower nickel content because it's a little harder to weld and won't make food grade. I know you only want it for exhaust but the bulk of SS round tube is used in food processing. I could very well be wrong but I think type 304 will be the cheapest and more readily available....But of course more nickel = more money. If you have a pipe or steel supplier to contact they would be the most help I think. Hope this helped
I figure these shops that build exhaust systems are getting stainless somewhere, and probably a lot cheaper then that, the bends I have are the high quality stuff used in aircraft exhaust systems, I checked with all the muffler shops and none of them here do stainless, If I was in the Atlanta area or something I could find it easy.
I use thes guys locally (Cleveland) and they're fantastic. Give them a call. I think stainless tubing by the foot is outrageous anywhere you get it. I think I paid around $33.00 a foot for 2.5" a year ago from these guys. It' was 304 stainless. http://www.stainlessworks.net/cart/index.php
AS Sheep Dip said, check out all the Sheetmetal Shops who do Food handleing work, or Medical supliers. Much, much cheaper than Exhaust shops most of the time - just don't mention EXHAUST during your contact.
I would definately go the scrap metal dealer route...you only need short pieces (probably 4 ft or less) and they don't have to be new, or super clean. We throuw out stuff like that in my company all the time, so I know the guy who hauls out our metal scrap would have it!
Lost, when I did my system about 10 years ago, an old high school friend had a steel supply buisness. I bought 20 feet of 2 1/2" 304 stainless for 90 dollars. Needless to say, he has gone out of buisness. You should look for a metal supply house that sells to walk-ins for cash, I'm sure there is atleast one in your area. It's worth a shot. Mitch.
Might check this place out. I bought from them and was happy with their pipes. https://www.mandrel-bends.com/catalog/
thats a great price!! I can't remember off the top of my head what the different gauges read on a caliper, I need to figure out what gauge I've already got in these bends. i know we have an entire shopping cart of bends at work we can't use, they have machine marks on them, and can't be used on the airplanes , they won't part with them, but will give us what we want out of there, i want the entire cart, but noooooooooooo!! we have pack rats running the company
Don't know if there are any dairy supply houses in your area, but I was able to buy used 2" stainless tube from one locally. When they re-model these milk handling systems, they don't re-use the pipe. It was cheap! Wall thickness was same as exhaust pipe and is very high quality and welds like a dream.
You can buy our (Patriot Exhaust) 304 Stainless bends and straight sections from Summit or Jeg's with really low shipping costs.
Hate to say it... but there is an auction site.... that begins with an "e" and ends in a bay... and yes I bought a lot of pipe from.
Look at dairies and scrap or try Heartthrob Exhaust in Minnesota. I found these guys when I was looking for a source for the shop http://www.heartthrobexhaustinc.com/
i got a bunch of 2-1/2 polished tubing at the local scrapyard you would be suprised at what you can find there
I've been watching the scrap yard and so far nothing, It would be nice to get some at scrap price, I could care less about it being polished, I'm using stainless mainly for corrosion resistance , having a car driven infrequently is worse on the exhaust then driving it, the combustion byproducts combine with condensation in the air from heating and cooling cycles, and forms nitric acid, which eats away at the pipe. In other words an infrequently driven cars exhaust rots from the inside out. I plan on driving it as much as possible once it's running, but there will be times it sits for a period of time.
check out "specialty product design">>they carry everything you'll ever want exhaust wise...My buddy uses them exclusively for his race shop header and exhaust stuff..Im not sure on pricing but hes super happy with them
I bought a bunch from a guy in Wisconsin, I think, who sold the stuff on ebay. It was out of a dairy farm and was awesome stuff. The wall thickness was like .050 or something and the price was great. I used it for a radiator pipe cross tube in my Merc build. Let me look around for his contact and Ill post it.
Got it, crap it was a cold run out to the shop!!!!!!! I talked to a guy named Trevor at 920-822-8266 Stainless 304 2" diameter 16 guage thick and he had a bunch of other sizes and mandrel bends. heres a pic of the pipe I made and quality of the pipe. Hope this helps.
Muffler shops get there tubing at local 'Exhaust systems warehouses ...They may give you a reference to contact one but the next problem is whether they will sell to a over the counter purchaser...Their wholesale only and sell in 10 foot lengths. My Yellow Vette needs a system and a 10 foot stick of 2 1/2 SS was 82.00 last fall in my area from the exhaust warehouse
Fisher Tube is one source. AK is another and so is IST. I work in exhaust so I don't know what the prices are for an individual. You might tie in with a local shop or some guys to see what you can do. Some details on stainless steels: 409 will last at least 10 years but will show red rust in 3-4 years. 409 Aluminized will keep it clean for 5-6 years (typical OEM exhaust today is this) 439 is higher temp 15 years at least 400 series is ferritic steel so it has iron base. It is magnetic. It does NOT polish 304 is lots more expensive and can be polished. 321 is higher temp and LOTS more expensive and can be polished 300 series is austenitic stainless and is NOT magnetic. If you want to avoid getting blue due to heat, look at flash chroming. Most tailpipe tips that you get are going to be 304 polished. Good ones will be chrome flashed.
I don't do gauge. Most tube is ordered by OD and wall thickness in METRIC. 50.8 mm is 2" and I'd say you want 1.5-2.0 mm thick (0.060-0.080") when you order tubing. And yes, 10' lengths are standard. Make sure you are using 1 level higher wire when you are welding. I think we use like 421 wire for ferritic but I'm not sure what we have in the 300 series. I can find out if you need. Also, make sure you have the correct backing gas. There is a tri-mix that is recommended and you should be able to get at most welding shops. Use the same wire if you go SS to mild steel, always the higher grade +1.
second this. sign up online for their B-stock list and you'll get emails every couple of weeks. SS bends are lke 30% off.
I know that the original poster has long since filled his requirements for tubing but if anyone else is looking for 409 stainless exhaust tubing here is a link to a cheap source. http://performance-curve.com/exhausttubing.aspx It may be a bit thick for some applications but no more than I needed it worked great.
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