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I've been working on stainless exhaust fabrication and wanted to compare notes with people who have actually built and lived with these parts, rather than just looking at datasheets. A few things I keep running into: 1. Wall thickness vs. heat cycling Going thinner saves weight and helps with tight packaging, but the weld HAZ seems to be where cracks start on parts that see repeated heat cycles. Where do you draw the line between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm wall for a part that sits close to the turbo or manifold? 2. Back purge on SS304 Full purge gives a clean root, but it's awkward on complex multi-piece sections. Has anyone had good results with solar flux or a partial purge on the inside of joints that won't be visible? 3. Heat shielding Standalone shields vs. wrapping vs. coating — I'm interested in what actually holds up over a few seasons instead of what looks good on a fresh build. 4. Flange flatness after welding Distortion at the flange is the thing that quietly causes leaks and re-work. Do you fixture the flange before welding, machine it after, or both? I'm asking because I'd rather build around what people have actually seen fail than around theory. If you've got photos of failures or fixes, even better — those are more useful than opinions. Happy to share what I've run into on my side as well.