welding stainless steel

[som1335]

3 points
1 HF hood works great and i do both mig and stick welding. Uses batteries instead of solar but batteries last a year due to auto shut off.
2 For 1 inch it may be worth having a good machine shop do it for you. If not then stick works fine, just take a sample to your welding shop and make sure you tell them AC or DC welder. in the old days when i learned it was almost impossible to do a good job on stainless without a DC welder, but rods have come so far its incredible what you can do. A good shop will sell you as few or many rods as you need by the pound and give you good advice on the procedure.
3 If you use a mig then on your practice piece try heating it first with your best torch. you do NOT want it cherry red, but pre-heating befor mig can really give you a good looking finish and a better strenght weld with any steel.

 

[sailormanbigd]

wow, thanks all for the advice. I did'nt think i would get so many hits. I know i can take it to a shop and pay prob $50 or so to have it fixed, or i can go to a welding shop and buy a few rods and see how it goes. Since i am a diyer for everything else i will most likely try it myself. Then i will know for sure if it can be done. I have other welding on ss as well , and will likely have more in the future. Patrick

 

[Ross]

Patrick, You can practice ss welding on carbon steel. it makes nice looking welds and they are durable.

 

[tommays]

Clearly this has turned into a need to pee on the electric fence

 

[Brian M H23]

I am with Ross. The first summer of owning my boat, I ran it under the dock and ripped my bow pulpit off of its mounts that were bolted to the deck. They were arc welded with 1/8" stainless welding electrodes, and the weld is beautiful and has not oxidized in years now. You can purchase them from mcmaster carr.

 

[Bob S]

Last suggestion. If you MIG or TIG weld make sure you cover up. Long sleeve shirt, welding gloves and watch your neck. You can get a nasty sunburn.

 

[larryw]

Alright, this is the straight chit- I worked in the metal fab industry for some years, thru college and after. I've done ASME code pipe work, X-ray quality, on stainless, monel, titanium, other alloys, including black iron, mild and Corten steels. You can do a nice job with a stick on 1/8, (pretty thin for stick) but not without a lot of skill. Your application will need strength as well as appearance, with good penetration. Take it to a pro, you'll be glad you did when the wind is blowing and green water is coming over the bow.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Yes, to answer your question, you can weld SS with a stick welder. Go to a welding supply store and get the rod that has the SS compatible with the stainless that you are welding, such as 316. They are available and you weld the same way you do when welding mild steel. Of course wire feed welding produces a nicer bead, especially if doing something like a stanchion base. I guess everyone else wants you to buy expensive welding equipment.