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I supported Toymods
Location:
Epping, Sydney
Registered:
May 2002
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stainless vs aluminium IC piping
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Thu, 01 April 2004 12:46
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ok, I'm sure there's a reason, but why is almost all aftermarket intercooler piping stainless steel, not the (much) lighter aluminium?
I'm sure one reason is wank factor - stainless is much shinier than aluminium.
I assume aluminium is a bitch to work with, and would be hell expensive?
can anyone shed some light on this? 'cause if it's purely for wank factor, I'd happily go aluminium
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Location:
Adelaide
Registered:
May 2003
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Re: stainless vs aluminium IC piping
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Thu, 01 April 2004 12:51
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Aluminum is the wank factor one.
The main reason in my experience is cost. Tig welding is much much more precise than Mig welding (i can mig, cant tig for the life of me) and getting aluminum bends etc is a lot more expensive.
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Location:
1st street on the right
Registered:
November 2002
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Re: stainless vs aluminium IC piping
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Thu, 01 April 2004 13:01
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Go to the right place and you won't need to have your stainless welded. Just join it at the ends. Try mandrel bending alu into that sort of shape.
Of course you could try a heat gun. 
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Epping, Sydney
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: stainless vs aluminium IC piping
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Thu, 01 April 2004 13:03
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yeah, I figured it was the cost involved with alumin... I've heard how hard it is to weld aluminium, and ... well, I've mandrel and press bent things before, and cant imagine aluminium would be very nice to work with
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Location:
1st street on the right
Registered:
November 2002
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Re: stainless vs aluminium IC piping
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Thu, 01 April 2004 13:06
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There's a place out around riverstone that I had some stainless (6 inch) mandrel bent a few years ago but they could bend up to 3 meter lengths and include some radical shapes as well. If only I knew the applications for this back then.
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Location:
Adelaide
Registered:
May 2003
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Re: stainless vs aluminium IC piping
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Thu, 01 April 2004 13:10
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YOu would want at least one rubber join in there between the intake/turbs and the intercooler. I have three per side, including the intake and intercooler joins.
Just for engine flex.
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Epping, Sydney
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: stainless vs aluminium IC piping
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Thu, 01 April 2004 13:10
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I'm guesing you dont remember the name of the place?
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Location:
Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Japan
Registered:
January 2003
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Re: stainless vs aluminium IC piping
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Thu, 01 April 2004 15:01
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stainless steel polishes better for wank factor.
stainless is easier to bend.
stainless has lower thermal conductivity and higher strength.
aluminium is much harder to bend and doesn't polish as well. also needs more work to keep it nice.
welding of alloy is not that hard IF you have to right machinery.
TIG is best for both, but you can MIG staino with argon shielding gas. MIGing alloy sucks tho.. realyl need TIG and experience.
alloy bends will be more expensive, due to difficulty of bending AND limited use...
fwiw, alloy may give a slight increase in heat lost, is lighter, but more exxy. it's my choice tho.
also fwiw, i've heard of ppl who have a CNC alloy mandrel bender..
doesn't www.CAPA.com have alloy bends?
Cya, Stewart
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Toymods Board Member
I supported Toymods
Location:
Turramurra, Sydney.
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: stainless vs aluminium IC piping
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Thu, 01 April 2004 16:06
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www.are.com.au also have alloy mandrel bends (and are very helpful, I highly recommend them), but I'm gonna be seeing a guy soon who's started/ing up a business mandrel bending alloy pipes for intercoolers in the Eastern Creek area. He used to work for qantas so he's bent up a few alloy pipes in his time.
I've spent a fair bit of time watching alloy pipe being bent up at work, & they certainly have some intricate shaped pipes. The amount of scrap they go through is incredible, they'll use 5 or 6 metres of test pipe just to set up the bender, and it all gets chucked out afterwards!
Pity they don't do anything larger than 2", but at least that'll do for my turbo to 'cooler piping. 
A CNC bender, now I'd like to see that! 
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: stainless vs aluminium IC piping
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Thu, 01 April 2004 22:58
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FWIW I'd recommend TIG welded mild steel with HPC coating. A bit more expensive than stainless but insulates much better than stainless or aluminium.
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Location:
Newcastle NSW
Registered:
June 2002
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Re: stainless vs aluminium IC piping
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Thu, 01 April 2004 23:59
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ive got a CNC bender at work its a regular press bender and only goes up to 1 1/2 inch  its really wierd to watch it going cos its so fast and precise and it does a full 6 meter length of copper piper in around 1 minute with around 7-8 bends. the only machine thats freakier is the robot arm welder now thats wierd
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Location:
I wanna go Hawaiiiiii.......
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: stainless vs aluminium IC piping
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Fri, 02 April 2004 05:29
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I am sure that GCG turbos can now source 1 piece multiple bend pipes in alloy and staino. custom made to your specs.
They can take a bent peice of wire that you give them and the machine (cnc bender ?) reproduces the bends IN ONE PIECE !
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Location:
Melbourne
Registered:
August 2003
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