Welding stainless steel

[2005F250]

Anyone have any tips on welding stainless steel? I'll be using a TIG welder but what should the settings be, positive, negative, ect..? what kind of shielding gas and what PSI? what kind of filler rod? What about using a MIG welder. I would have to use a stainless spool, correct?

[Diesel Monkey]

I just finished adult ed metal shop class, (took it 35 years earlier in the same room) Tig looks the best and if you know what type of stainless, a welding supply can sell the right rod.

I am pretty sure he did say mig would do stainless, I will go ask in a day or two. Straight argon, instead of a CO2/argon mix.

[cchase]

arog, and mig. you need a special gun and spoil i believe. atlest we have a special one in our shop

[Logan]

IMOH, TIG is the only way to do a nice job on SS.

[Diesel Monkey]

Usually the special guns are just to hold a small spool, there are some wires that just won't feed all the way up the cable, they said aluminum needs a special gun as it will just bend and hang.

[workin4my350]

T.I.G. Tungsten Inert Gas

Generally 304 304l or 316. Neg polarity (generally). I use 208 s.s. rod. Your tungsten/collets/collet bodies ets all need to be fitted to work together. Use 2 percent thorium (red top tungsten). Sharpen on dedicated grinder (peddistal). Sharpen with the length of the rod to a sharp point and prick the end just a bit so not to be too Sharp of a current flow. Gas?? pure argon. Same for aluminum if you have ac on your tig. About 18-25psi should do it. Not sure what your making. I use a 1 amp per .001 for most figures on steel and stainless. More on copper and bronzes.

I dont know alot, but this was my last tig practice jobs.


As far as M.I.G. Metal Inert Gas

.035 copper coated mig wire c-10 to a tri mix is good gases to use. I like flux core .045 and up for some out door mig work. Settings. Play with it a bit. Really depends on what your welding.

Last mig job.


Im mostly self taught, but have looooooots of books, so if there are specifics, I will try and help or at least send you to a link or something If I can not help.

Have fun.

Bill

[workin4my350]

Originally Posted by Diesel Monkey

Usually the special guns are just to hold a small spool, there are some wires that just won't feed all the way up the cable, they said aluminum needs a special gun as it will just bend and hang.

Aluminum is fine in a 15 foot and shorter lead on a mig, but suggest a plastic liner (wont snag the linner) and a two- or four roll feeder is best. (3/32 might be the smallest for this type of feed). A push and pull system is current top of the line. I have a lincoln with pulse and is programmable for special settings.

Spool guns are another option, but they are about 5-700 for the gun, and then usually you need a controller and then a power supply.

I have two, one for stainless/bronze, and another for aluminum. I have a suitcase for fluxcore and run all of them on a DIESEL powered mobile unit.

BIll

[03ccf350]

check out these sites and do some reading. i kinda taught myself to do it but these helped alot.

Knowledge / Training | Lincoln Electric


Miller - Resources - Improving Your Skills

hope those help. i have printed lots from these sites and made a binder to have as a quick reference.
clarence

[Diesel Monkey]

It is cool at the class, seeing what everyone is working on. I want to make a better top hatch for my trailer, a little tig project. It works out to $11 a week for access to mills, lathes, a small foundry, migs, tigs, they even have some CAD and CAM systems.

[symbols]

Originally Posted by workin4my350

I use a 1 amp per .001 for most figures on steel and stainless.

What does that mean?? Is .001 thickness of the steel?