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Small scale welding of stainless steel
bumpy - 10/5/16 at 07:02 PM

Hi

Does anyone have a contact around Suffolk or Essex who can help with the welding of stainless steel.

It's for a small scale project involving the construction of side screens for a kit car?

Thanks

CosKev3 - 10/5/16 at 08:18 PM

Any of your local fabricators that use a TIG welder will be able to sort it out

hizzi - 10/5/16 at 08:33 PM

if you have a mig put stainless wire in and use a hobby bottle

blakep82 - 10/5/16 at 09:20 PM

Fibreglass

Without seeing any ideas of what you're thinking, stainless will be heavy, and expensive.
Therefore, fibreglass

But both suggestions above are good.
Stainless is quite a sticky metal to weld, with tig anyway. Will need some practice before doing yourself on a MIG, so any local fabricators/welders shops should be able to do it easy enough

coozer - 10/5/16 at 10:29 PM

I've used stainless wire in my mig and it was no different to me. If your any good with a mig it should be easy enough...

Myke 2463 - 11/5/16 at 05:48 AM

Paul G 907 on here. lives on Suffolk / Essex boarder if i remember correctly.

nick205 - 11/5/16 at 07:37 AM

As above, I'd have thought stainless steel would be heavy and expensive although would look nice. A reasonable local TIG welder should be able to do it for you, but welding thin sheet can be tricky to do. I've done mild steel sheet with a MIG and it took a few goes to get right. Kind of a pulsing technique and then some grinding afterwards to tidy it up.

Minicooper - 11/5/16 at 10:41 AM

What gas is used for mig welding stainless steel?

Cheers
David

MikeRJ - 11/5/16 at 11:15 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Minicooper
What gas is used for mig welding stainless steel?

Cheers
David


Argon, preferably with a small amount of O2 or CO2 (~2%). Pure Argon can be used, but it tends to make the arc unstable.

robinj66 - 11/5/16 at 11:17 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Minicooper
What gas is used for mig welding stainless steel?

Cheers
David


It's a mix of Argon/CO2 (97.5% / 2.5%) but you can get away with a little more CO2.

It also depends on the grade of stainless and the application of the piece.

(ETA Typing this whilst mike posted)

[Edited on 11/5/16 by robinj66]

Minicooper - 11/5/16 at 07:15 PM

Tried mig welding stainless steel grade 304 with my standard argon/5% CO2 gas I already have worked a treat a little bit of oxidisation but generally fine.

I have a new tig but I need to do something this weekend and I haven't done any tig for a very long time so will need to do some serious practice before I'm let loose on the nice stuff

Cheers
David

Andy B - 11/5/16 at 07:41 PM

We do a lot of stainless on a weekly basis especially thin wall - based near Stowmarket in Suffolk give us a bell on 01449 736633 if we can help
Regards
Andy