oxy/acet stainless welding

KevinW - Thursday, September 9, 2010 - 4:08pm

Any advice on welding stainless with a torch, would it work? Also, localy stainless is labeled 304/304 L ,or, 316/316L . I understand the L to designate lower carbon content ~ better for forging. It seems to me it would be either 316L OR 316 but could get no satisfaction from the person whom I was talking to there.

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Well, it ain't all that fun,

Rich Waugh - Thursday, September 9, 2010 - 5:05pm

Well, it ain't all that fun, Kevin. In fact, once you've used TIG to weld stainless, you just can't bring yourself to go back to any other method, usually. You really NEED that inert atmosphere to prevent the chromium form developing oxides that are too hard to get rid of and contaminate the puddle.

I vaguely remember trying to weld stainless steel with oxy/acetylene many years ago, and all I remember is that it wasn't too satisfactory. I just don't remember any particulars, unfortunately.

Rich

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You can silver solder

Ries - Friday, September 10, 2010 - 1:31pm

You can silver solder stainless. That is gonna work a lot better than trying to gas weld it.
I think you need an acid based flux.
I have heard Harris brand Safety-Silv 56 is the way to go.

Me, I tig braze it when I dont outright weld it with my tig machine.

either 304 or 316 should work fine.
304 is usually cheaper than 316.
The L designations are, around here anyway, more expensive, harder to source, and available in fewer sizes and shapes.
And plain ol 304 forges just fine.

The L stuff is usually used where you dont want to anneal, after welding, and need corrosion resistance outdoors.
This is for highly technical stuff, usually chemical piping and things like that, and is pretty irrelevant for artwork.

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304 vs 316

Stephen Fitz-Gerald - Saturday, September 11, 2010 - 2:33am

Stephen Fitz-Gerald
as usual Ries has the scoop,and for most art 304 is easier to work and sufficient HOWEVER if you're going to build a sculpture or stainless railing that's near the ocean you need that corrosion resistance he spoke of and be sure to make it in 316 or it will get spotty rust all over it. Trust me on this I learned the hard way...Even passivation of the 304 alloy didn't work.

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304L

Giusseppe - Saturday, September 11, 2010 - 8:58am

Just a quick note about 304L ....one thing I have noticed over the years is that 304 can be patchy when electropolished (this happens on long bars where more forging is done near an end - the dull area is where the bar leaves the oven) This can be solved by running the rest of the bar through the oven but is time consuming. This problem never occurs with 304L so if you are working longer lengths I highly recommend the low carbon.
If you can buy offcuts from a rolling mill before the bar has been refined by cold rolling then the forging is really easy and is good for tools and arms. I have been buying coils of different sizes and find there is a wide range of diameters in 304L.

Where to bend next ... www.metalgarden.ca

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304L

Stephen Fitz-Gerald - Saturday, September 11, 2010 - 11:17am

Stephen Fitz-Gerald
Thank you for that distinction Giuseppe...
Do I still need to do a final overall heat(and quench) after forging if I use 304L ?

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Welding stainless

Bob Turan - Friday, September 10, 2010 - 4:11pm

Kevin-

When I began welding stainless, I could not afford a TIG welder, so I got a small MIG (Millermatic 135). With the correct wire and gas it does a nice job on the 16ga and 14ga 304 SS which I have been using in my work. It also does a respectable job on 11ga Corten, which I sometimes use. I'm still hoping to get an inverter TIG to weld aluminum, but that will have to wait until I sell a larger piece ;-)

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welding stainless

Stephen Fitz-Gerald - Saturday, September 11, 2010 - 2:24am

Stephen Fitz-Gerald
For anything thicker than 14 ga. you need a larger MIG machine.I have a miller 175 exclusively for stainless that I run 0.26 wire on. I'm usually welding 1/8th inch thick sheet,but even that machine with such thin wire JUST BARELY manages a deep penetrating structural weld. If I'd known what i know now I would have gotten another Millermatic 210 for stainless and run 0.35 wire.
Just my two cents...

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Thanks everybody, I've

KevinW - Tuesday, September 14, 2010 - 2:09pm

Thanks everybody, I've reciently moved near the gulf of mexico here in Alabama and am trying to get into the stainless.

Rich and Ries, dosn't sound like fun and I'm not thinking silver solders not tough enough. I'll pay to have it welded or drill and tap.

Stephen, Yeah, I've got a tester piece of passivated 304 in the yard (50 mi. from the coast)and she rusty!

Giusseppe, Thats very interesting and there is a new stainless mill locally, maby if I brought them some brownies.

Bob, I really like the way people talk about their TIG machines and would like to purchase one some day. I'm stuck with lincon 125 plus for for the time being.

Thanks again,
KevinW

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Kevin, I bought a Chinese

Rich Waugh - Tuesday, September 14, 2010 - 3:04pm

Kevin,

I bought a Chinese inverter TIG a few years ago that has served me pretty well. You can get one for under a grand that does AC and DC both. Mine is a Longevity brand that I got a smoking deal on in a poorly-timed Ebay auction, so really made out on it. Something to consider when you're feeling a little bit flush.

Meanwhile, I'd suggest you get some stainless wire for the MIG machine and a bottle of pure argon. You'll be able to do more with it than you might think, with careful prep work and diligent welding.

Whatever else, you don't live too far to go fishing for a break!

Rich

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