Welding Stainless Steel????

[MnkyBiz]

All,

I have a friend who is giving me a sheet of 1/4" stainless steel!

Can I weld SS with the same wire that I weld galvanized steel with? Do I need to get special wire, run special gas, use different temp specs???

Thanks!

MnkyBiz

 

[Gummi Bear]

Since you say 'wire', I'm guessing that you have a MIG unit. The short answer is yes, you can weld with it, but it takes a different gas (straight argon IIRC), stainless steel wire, and you'll have to fool around with temp and wire speed to get it right. Remember that Stainless is softer than mild steel (more malleable) Figure some uh-oh's before you get it all figured out (I've never MIG'd stainless, only torch welded it)

You may look to the Miller website, it has a handy guide and some great links.

Miller tech guide

 

[edge4]

As stated above, yes, it can be done. Easier with TIG. One additional note, temperature is critical. Metal and weld will have a rainbow coloring to it if done correctly. Too much heat and it will have a darker dull gray finish. If this happens you've nixed the "stainless" properties and it will rust around the weld.

 

[trailpsycho]

Whacha Gon' Doo Wit It??

 

[MnkyBiz]

Thanks guys for the knowledge!

I am building a speaker box for my Protofab Cage!

I am looking to build somethign like what Jax Lax has between his center spreader bars, but utilizing the "bump" that Protofab puts into their cages. IF you look closely at the pic, you will notice that the center spreaders angle. That is to keep water from collecting on your top! Well if I use that upper angle, but keep the lower portion straight from front to mid hoop, I'll have all sorts of nice room for speakers & map lights!

MnkyBiz

 

[NYLES]

Monkeybiz, Just load that cage up drop it off in Crestview and leave! You wont have to weld anything Ill take good care of it for you. Seriously though find someone that will let you use thier TIG or TIG it for you. If thier even a 1/2 Butt welder youll almost never know it was welded stainless is sweet stuff. MIG it itll be messy, compared to the TIG. You can lay the rod in the seam get the heat right and it will just about weld itself.

Its in a look at me place on your rig TIG it!

And as Gummi Bear said you can torch stainless, Keep it clean dont use anything but a stainless brush on it and if you have a good torch it will also look damn good! GET A PUDDLE AND RUN!

 

[MnkyBiz]

Here is a better figure of what I plan.

The smaller rectangles below the blue line are the speakers.

I plan to weld the inner box to the top, and on the bottom, that will be bolted on!

MnkyBiz

 

[68beast]

ive welded stainless with tri-mix and "stainless wire" thats what the airgas people called it, I dont know if thats the same stuff you use for galvanized, its silvery lookin. The problem with tri-mix is that you cant buy it in a small quantity, atleast at my local shop. Any way good luck with your welding

 

[munsonbw]

I might be mistaken here but isn't galvanizing kinda hazardous when heated?

 

[BUCKETOBOLTS]

From my experience with stainless, I found wire welding to be fine for construction or structural welding. But as Nyles said if it is going to be in a visible place as your speaker box spend the extra and have it TIG welded. You won't have to worry about splatter and buying alot of gas and wire that you won't use much again.

 

[68beast]

I might be mistaken here but isn't galvanizing kinda hazardous when heated?

I heard before that the gasses it gave off while being welded were highly poisonous.

 

[BUCKETOBOLTS]

I heard before that the gasses it gave off while being welded were highly poisonous.


Galvanize steel gives of a greenish-yellow smoke when you heat or weld it. I have a friend that had chemical induced pnuemonia from welding alot of galvanize. Nasty stuff!!!

 

[ponch0v]

DONT weld galvanized metals. First, it doesnt weld very good and second the galvanizing does give of toxics when heated/welded. The only time its safe to weld a galvanized piece is to grind off all the galvanizing at the area you are welding.

You can also stick weld stainless. Get the proper CRES rods at the welding shop.