rdsk8ter Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 ok dont laugh at me too much but how do you weld stainless pipe is it just like normal steel? i have a mig welder do i need anything special? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Stainless filler wire, and if possible get another regulator/mini tank and backpurge the inside of the piping with similar blanket gas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forcefed Z Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 You can weld stainless with a mild steel wire. The problem is you loose the properties of the stainless, so if corosion resistance is what your looking for its not a good idea.....I assume its for exhaust piping, if so it will hold for sure as long as fusion is all your looking for......Otherwise get a stainless wire, wich could be expensive, possibly hard to find in smaller dia, also could be hard to weld on thinner material.....If you go the route of stainless wire, use a 75% argon 25% CO2 gas and it should weld nicely......I dont think a back purge would be needed for exhaust piping.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsk8ter Posted January 10, 2007 Author Share Posted January 10, 2007 it is for exhaust what would you guys reccomend then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forcefed Z Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 edited the post / sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsk8ter Posted January 10, 2007 Author Share Posted January 10, 2007 how well does aluminized pipe hold up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forcefed Z Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 basicly the same....most likely rust at the welds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 You can get stainless MIG wire cheaply at any welding store. Hell, even Home Depot has it. Using that and Argon-CO2 gas and it is just like welding mild steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezzzzzzz Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 I use 308 and straight argon to weld stainless. Play with some scrap because it does behave different than mild steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinOlson Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 You're gonig to use less heat for a given piece of stainless compared to mild. Regards, Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 For stainless exhaust tubing, especially 3" tubing, its impractical to back purge. I used a product called Solar Flux to coat the inside of the weld seam and prevent sugaring. Burns Stainless sells a 1lb can of it for $40, which is expensive but it will last for a couple years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinOlson Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 http://www.burnsstainless.com/Hardware/ServiceCosts/servicecosts.html#Solar-Flux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody 82 ZXT Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 For stainless exhaust tubing, especially 3" tubing, its impractical to back purge. I used a product called Solar Flux to coat the inside of the weld seam and prevent sugaring. Burns Stainless sells a 1lb can of it for $40, which is expensive but it will last for a couple years. So does this go on the top? Is it applied directly to the area you are welding? I guess it would have to. How would you get it into the inside of the tube? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHO-Z Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 http://www.burnsstainless.com/Hardware/ServiceCosts/servicecosts.html#Solar-Flux With solar-flux do not mix with alcohol that the manufacturer recommends, use water, it will not flake off and works just as well. I used a lot of the stuff on SS drain piping in Breweries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Apply it to the inside of the tube and you should be able to get to it easily because you are welding two tubes together. You don't need flux on the outside where you are welding because the sheilding gas takes care of protecting the weld. I use alcohol per the manufacturer's recommendation and haven't had a flaking off problem. I also apply a fairly thin layer and because I'm welding thin wall material I don't put a lot of heat into the joint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Some-Guy Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 weld it with stick, stainless stick welding is retardedly easy and it ALWAYS looks pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 For stainless exhaust tubing, especially 3" tubing, its impractical to back purge. I used a product called Solar Flux to coat the inside of the weld seam and prevent sugaring. Burns Stainless sells a 1lb can of it for $40, which is expensive but it will last for a couple years. Yeah, you don't have those red silicone sponge pigs from Cosmodyne, do you John! It pays to be around an oooooold German Pipefitter that worked at Cosmodyne during the Apollo Project, and listen to his stories... When he retires, you pick up his Cybertig for $350, and a truckbed of tools and neat fitting parts to go along with it! I forget others don't have the same "legacy stash" like I stumbled upon! LOL Solar Flux is probably easier for most people. I guess nobody has the purge box like we used in the USAF for TIG-ing the F15 Combustor Cans laying around, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forcefed Z Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 make sure your pipes are fit together realy well, It will be easier to weld and will look way better in the end.... Alot of nice welds are a product of good fitting.... ..I do alot of stainless welding and have never used the solar flux, I used it in school and it worked ok. When I tig exhaust pipes I usually run a low heat not to burn throght, and run a little filler to give it a small cap and make it stronger....I think you may be able to do the same with wire....mabe try running a high argon mix or staight argon and turning up the volts, just to kind of spay the wire on......then just pulse the trigger letting the weld cool in between pulses, if that makes any sense... But the best thing to do is to try a couple things and see what works for you..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinOlson Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 If you are running low enough height so you aren't sugaring the backside without argon you aren't getting complete penetration. Backpurging or using solar flux will allow full penetration of the weld(and full strength). Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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