# MIG Welding Stainless?



## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

Hey guys,
You may remember, I posted a question about having trouble with welding stainless steel piping. Alot of you gave me good tips. http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=763134
Well, after 6 months of being too busy to play, I have started experimenting with my welding again.
This is taken from my other post :

_Quote »_3) I'm getting a lot of soot. Is this normal when MIG welding stainless? It comes off but I'm wondering if it's normal.

Could this be a sign that I have the wrong gas? It almost looks like the gas is burning as it leaves my gun. This time, I used a brand new tip and I thoroughy cleaned the metal. I'm still getting lots of soot around the weld. I don't really mind since it comes off easily, but is it a sign that something is wrong?
Also, I can't figure out what is wrong with the arc. If I weld with flux core wire on mild steel, I have no problems, it's nice and stable. When I use my stainless wire + gas, it gets very unstable. The wire burns slowly, then really fast all the way to the tip, then it stops and just looks like it's going in and out, in and out ...
Here's a video I just made. While I'm welding, you can see that the arc stops and starts again twice. This happens on its own. I didn't let go of the trigger. This happens when the wire melts all the way to the tip really quickly. 
http://www.agtronic.com/post/welding.avi (5.8MB)
Am I maxing out my machine?
I'd appreciate any ideas.


_Modified by Agtronic at 6:27 PM 9-7-2003_


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## Bad Habit (Nov 27, 2002)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

What type of Mig are you welding with and what gas?100% argon is what you need to be using.Also a good 220 single phase welder should do the trick.I use one of our miller 300 amp machines usig .035 wire.


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## GTI VR6 (Sep 12, 2000)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

what kind of gas are you using?


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## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Bad Habit)*

I'm using a Lincoln Mig Pak 10 which I think is the SP-135T machine.
Could it be that the welder is strong enough to weld mild steel using .035 fluxcore wire but not strong enough to weld stainless with .030 stainless wire?
The metal is 304 and I'm using 308 wire.
I don't even know what gas they sold me. I told them it was for mig welding stainless ... I doubt they would give me the wrong gas could they?
I'm mostly concerned with the unstable arc.
Does it look normal in the video?
Thanks!


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## KOOTER (Aug 13, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

I've been using a torch with a very small welding tip and some SS rod.


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## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (KOOTER)*


_Quote, originally posted by *KOOTER* »_I've been using a torch with a very small welding tip and some SS rod.

That's good for you.







hahaha. Just kiddin' man ...
Acutally, I bet you can get some really nice welds with that, like TIG style welds probably eh?


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## jynssi (Jan 3, 2002)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

Don't know what "soot" is, but try to adjust the gas flow.
Too high gas flow makes the arc uneasy, too low flow makes "foamy" weld.
Mixture gas with 20% of co2 and 80% of argon will work also, I doubt that they would sell You wrong gas if You mentioned that You were going to weld stainless.


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## jcorallo (Jan 17, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

get a buddy to hold the camera behind a spare welding mask, and make a video of the welding but from close up so we can see the weld pool etc...
you might need double strength glass filters so as not to damage the camera....
jules


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## hkk735 (Jul 14, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (jcorallo)*

the soot is just carbon- no big deal really
from the sounds of it your wire speed is to slow-or your liner is junk-hence the in out business
as far as gas goes you want pure argon or a 98/2 mix of argon and co2 http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## 130_R (May 24, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (hkk735)*

What is your:
voltage
gas flow
liner size
tip size
nozzle #
????????????????????????????????????

Describing the problem doesn't help solve the problem without any info on the machine settings. You went from an 035 Flux core wire to an 030 stainless wire, did you change the tip and liner for the 030? What about adgusting the gas flow and voltage since flux core needs less gas and more voltage compared to stainless or straight wire?


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

Ok Ok hold on a sec. Stainless steel mig welding is very tricky. Works best with a tri mix gas. Preferably argon, helium, and oxygen. Pure argon will work but it will be unstable like u are sayin. It will burn a lot hotter with pure argon. U really need to tell us what gas u are using that is most likely ur problem. If u still have a 75% argon 25% co2 mix on there from mild steel welding then that is gonna screw ya, won't work wrong gas. If u have 80% argon 20% co2 won't work wrong gas also. Also ur gun angle could be causeing suit. Stainless mig welds the cleanest when u push the gun, don't drag the gun. Also u are gonna get one crappy looking weld on thin wall stainless tubing doing it with the stainless mig i don't care who u are. If u can get ur hands on a tig welder thats what u need to do it with. Lets say u are gonna do it with the mig and thats ur only choice to stick em together u want it to sound like there is not enough wire feeding into the puddle it will hit and drop off a droplet of metal and burn back close to the tip. This is what u need to control how close it burns back to the tip. If it is getting real close to ur tip turn ur wire up a notch and just a notch. Little adjustments do a lot. No this is not right, but u can get a slick weld on thin gauge stailess doing it this way.
U want it to drop little drops off the wire onto ur piece, when they hit they will flatten out and wet in nicely. Allmost like u feeding a tig rod into the puddle and givin it small hits. U'd think this wouldn't fuse the metal together but the stainless is thin and the heat from the arc and dropplet will make it stick. trust me. this isn't the space shuttle here and all u need to do is seal the crack. If u try to run this like a normal mig u will get a high crown bead and it will look like crap. I'm going to try and download ur video and see if i see anything wrong. Remember tell us what gas u are using. Good Luck


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

Ok man i watched ur video. Sounds like ur cookin hot. Need to back her down on the volts some. This in turn will increase ur wire feed speed witch will need to come down with the voltage. Once u find a decent volt setting bring ur wire down till it sounds allmost like the way u have it in the video. If it's getting to close to ur tip just increase it just a tad. Also just wanting to make sure u have an .030 tip in there also. Another thing, does ur machine have a postflow of gas? i saw u pulled ur torch right up off the weld while it was still bright orange. If u don't allow a postflow of gas to keep covering the weld till it cools when u are done welding it will contaminate and look suity.
U can allso fall back on just stick the dam pieces togeter weld em up and grind em up and take a flapper disk and sand em alittle till u can't even tell they have been welded. This will take awhile and u might eat up a few wheels,due to the fact stainless is so hard, but it will look neet and clean. Hope this info helps


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## Bad Habit (Nov 27, 2002)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*

I use 100% argon,seems to burn hotter 80/20 does not seem to work as well with stainless,we use it with all of our mild steel.Did not see your vid,wont load but maybe find some scrap and practice a little.Your machine may not be set properly.Wait untill you start on aluminum,thats even more fun


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Bad Habit)*

i told ya 80/20 is for mild steel welding not stainless. Won't work wrong gas. lol 
Dude look on top of your bottle it should say what type of gas ur using, on a sticker or something. If it does not tell me what color the bottle is. If u want some answers call me (618)791-5460 my name is Ray I'll hook ya up with what u need to know.


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## Bad Habit (Nov 27, 2002)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*

brown bottle is what you want http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

Wow!
Um, what Vdubin474 described in the long paragraph sounds a lot like what I'm getting. The wire is feeding very smoothly, but it doesn't melt smoothly. It'll melt quick (all the way to the tip) then it'll come out more, then it'll melt to the tip again. If I increase the wire speed it pops a lot more. It makes a very rapid popping sound. Is popping okay? I thought it didn't seem right, so I backed-off the speed.
My gas flow is ~12 L/min ... Is that too much?
The nozzle is a .50 Magnum unit.
I'm using .030 308 wire and a brand new .030 tip. I'll weld for like 2 seconds and the whole tip and gas nozzle gets covered in black soot. I find that strange. But like hkk735 said, I won't worry about that.
My gas bottle is light (pastel) green.







I looked all over for some indication of what kind of gas it is and there is nothing. There is just a safety sticker.
Hmmmmmmmmmm ...
Thanks for all the enthusiastic help! I really appreciate it!


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## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Bad Habit)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Bad Habit* »_brown bottle is what you want http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 

Really. So the place I went to gave me the wrong gas? Even though I told them I was welding stainless? Man. I've had the bottle for 6 months now. I wonder if they'll change it ... I barely used it.


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

No not exactly u may have a bottle of straight argon,my straight argon bootles are bright orange, but other companies use brown some use blue. different companies use different colors for there signature of mixes. what i was looking for u to say was u had a bottle with a different color top on it meaning it was some kind of mixed gas. I have seen trimix bottles all one color and if the place u went to was a good place then they would have givin u a trimix gas again meaning it had 3 differernt gasses in it. U need to call the place and make sure what they gave u. tell them what color the bottle is and let me know. 
If u do have a bottle of straight argon or a trimix gas then the suit is coming from contaminates on the metal and or u are way to freekin hot. Try turnin ur volts way down and and feed just enough wire to keep it form getting real close to ur tip. U must use ur own judgement on the volt setting for u most likely do not have a voltmeter on that machine so i can't say bump her down to about 15 volts and u be able to do it. U want it to get hot enough to melt the metal and the wire so turn it down till it won't do either and start bringing it up a bit. If it starts popin u have to much wire feedin in there. U should here a shhhhhhhhhhh drop drop shhhhhhh drop shhhhhhhhhhhh drop drop. LOL the drops are the droplets on the end of ur wire dropin off. he he it goes something like that. lol What color is the suit? black or brown? I'm guessin ur too hot, but i still want to know what the gas is please find out. When u quit weldin on that video that place where u welded stayed orange for a long time so that tells me u are way hot right now. Now think about if u keep traveling forward the place u left behind is still hot enough to absorb contamintes AKA (air) because ur shielding gas has moved on to the next area leaving the place u left behind unshielded. Also where r u from u said Liters per hour we use Cubic feet per hour here in the states, i don't know what 12 liters an hour are in CFH. C if ur regulator reads CFH also and if it does crank her up to 25 or 30 CFH. I don't think the company would have made a dumb mistake as to give u the wrong gas, but it does happen.


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*

AAA i see ur from Montreal. Thats where i won a Gold metal in the internation skill olympics back in 1999 at Olympic stadium in welding. I was a huge skills competition all kind of different trades where represented including welding. Countries from all around the world where there. U might have heard about it. Team Canada did very well. U guys give ur gold medalist houses and set them up for life with job opportunities. Trades are very big in Canada. Here in the states trades are looked down upon. Kind of sucks, but o well. I got a $40,000 scholarship to go wherever i wanted to persue some kind of degree in the welding field and a gold medal. Welding is pretty big over here, but other trades represented by the U.S at that comp didn't get skwat.


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## Bad Habit (Nov 27, 2002)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*

Here in the US we have done very well for ourselves with the steel trade,sorry you feel that way.I am originally from Canada and if you think there is more opporitunity there then you are in the wrong place my friend.Move to Detroit http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Bad Habit)*

i didn't say we're doing bad i said trades in general are looked down upon. No support. Everyone wants to go the college route. My guidance councelor in highschool tried so hard to keep me from going into welding, but i did it anyway. Sorry for any missunderstanding.


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*

What i meant about trades in Canada is that they are encouraged. They want more people to go into trades thats all i meant.


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## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*

Man, it's really great having somewhere to ask questions.
You guys asked me like 10 times how hot I had it running and I keep forgetting to answer. I have my machine on max and my wire @ like 3 (scale of 1-10). My heat knob has 4 settings. I want to try the lowest setting and feed way less wire. I can't run the chop saw that this time though ... the neighbors would freak out.








As for the flow, my gauge has two scales, L/min (5 to 30) and Scfh (10 to 60).
And you're right about the trades stuff. The Canadian government really likes to push the trades. My dad's from Finland and he really likes to push the trades. My brother is studying to be an electrician. At his school, there's a 22-month welding course. I'm thinking about doing it. Melting metal makes me feel good, I don't exactly know why, it's just really cool. I love metal.
I don't think the US is against trades, but maybe they just push them less. 'Cause the "tradesmen are losers" mentality is just as apparent in Canada as it is in the States. People think that if you work with your hands, it's 'cause you're not smart enough to sit at a desk and crunch numbers. Maybe these are the people who have never really felt the satisfaction of working like a dog all day and coming home feeling drained. It's a good feeling. Just not sure I want to do it every day for the rest of my life.










_Modified by Agtronic at 6:14 PM 9-8-2003_


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

Ok put it on like 25 scfh or 30scfh. I thought u might be way to hot. lol turn that sucker way down. try this and see if it helps. Let us know what happens. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Vdubin474* »_Ok put it on like 25 scfh or 30scfh. I thought u might be way to hot. lol turn that sucker way down. try this and see if it helps. Let us know what happens. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 

Will do! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

i really hate the welders you are using. they have only "click" adjustments for the voltage or wire feed. only 10 positions you say?
i stopped mig welding once i got the tig, but i remember using a machine like yours, and i found that one setting was too much, and the next not enough.
thin walled things need real fine adjusting to weld easily. always keep in mind that short bursts make it easier also.


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## KOOTER (Aug 13, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

I'm a pretty decent welder,and I have a DC tig for my welder.I've welded SS with it,and I'm not to bad with it.I still like to use my torch to weld SS.I know it sounds 19th century,but it work well.Forget the welder,you will get much better results with a small torch tip and some thin SS welding rod.


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (speed51133!)*

Yes very good point, Like speed said pulse the trigger on and off this will help u put a bit down and let it cool, hit the trigger again and put a bit more overlaping the last bit u just put down. Don't wait to long though cause it can cool too much and it will start stackin up on ya and won't look good. It should still look a bit orange through ur lens and before u can't see it anymore triger it again. This will keep the puddle cool and controlable. U could all most rotate the tube and trigger the whole tube in one shot, but practice on scap first to get the hang of triggering.


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## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*

My welder has 4 notches for the heat, but the wire speed is not notched. It's precise. I wish I could afford a TIG, I would have gone that route for sure.
You're right KOOTER, oxyacetalene welding is starting to excite me. I would be able to get get those tiny hairline welds with the right tip and filler. And it's cheap as hell to get started. I may look into this! It may be 19th century, but it works. I have this book called "performance welding" and it covers MIG, TIG and Oxyacetalene. The guy goes on to say that you can get air-craft quality welds with the torches, you just have to know how to use it. World War airplanes were welded with torches.
Anyways ... I'll see how it goes tomorrow morning! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 


_Modified by Agtronic at 8:53 PM 9-8-2003_


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

Can't do stainless and aluminum or magnesium with OXY welding. Better off investing in a tig. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif But yes they are very handy with other stuff for sure!!! and u can cut stuff with the right setup, but u can't cut aluminum and stainless gets a very poor cut if u dair try to do it with oxy. Need a plasma cutter it will do all.


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## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*

Okay, I played some more today. I used less heat, and A LOT less feed. Works amazing! Still unstable, but there is way less metal building up and the weld looks 10 times better. It's just really hard to control the puddle. The way it's going now, the wire melts to the tip and a drop falls into the puddle, every few seconds. Kind of hard to control, but it works.
I think I'll get the hang of it.
Thanks everyone for your support! You've all been very helpful! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 


_Modified by Agtronic at 8:08 AM 9-9-2003_


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## 130_R (May 24, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Vdubin474* »_Can't do stainless and aluminum or magnesium with OXY welding.


Oxyacetalene welding was the preffered choice for welding stainless, aluminum, magnesium and titanium for almost 50 years until GTAW welders became affordable and widespread. Oxyactrelene welding is all down to the choice of filler material used to join the two pieces, it is basically a less precise way to TIG weld.


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## jamesb (Mar 14, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Agtronic)*

I found this to help:
100% Argon works well, 75Ar/25He also works well. If your shy welding amps then the Helium will help with making a hotter arc. This would be for 304,308 and 309 type SS. If having a problem welding SS, you may have some 316 or ?, then try 75He/25Ar.

I do know that AR/CO2 is not a mix to use on low amperage MIG (learning is everything.)


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (jamesb)*

trust me, the gas mix isnt his problem.
hes just a novice, and is learning how to control the feed and voltage, as well as the torch.
just keep practising on scrap, and youll get it. 
believe me, the voltage adjustment having only 4 positions is making it alot harder.


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## jamesb (Mar 14, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (speed51133!)*

I never had an issue. most of the time it was feed not temp that was giving me headaches. I am rust as all goes now, but with my new project I figure about 3-5 days ill be back to making beads. However, with a limited unit having the right mix does help.


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (speed51133!)*

Dude u can't do stainless, aluminum, and especially magnesium and titainium with oxy fuel welding. If u tried to do Mag with it u would get and uncontrolable fire on ur hands that burned so hot it blinds ya and u need a special fire extinguisher to put it out. Ok back in the day u could stir 2 pieces of aluminum together if they were fit perfectly together, but strength and quality are very poor. As for stainless and titainium very highly suseptible to contamination must be welded in an inert atmosphere as well as magnesium and aluminum. Trust me man i weld on each one of these metals quit often.
Shoot back in the day in highschool we used the dam oxy torch to light the magnesuim filler rods on fire and watch them burn, it was pretty cool especially if u threw water on it.


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## Bad Habit (Nov 27, 2002)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*

Yeah we used to light magnesium strips on fire in science class.


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## KOOTER (Aug 13, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Vdubin474* »_Dude u can't do stainless, aluminum, and especially magnesium and titainium with oxy fuel welding. If u tried to do Mag with it u would get and uncontrolable fire on ur hands that burned so hot it blinds ya and u need a special fire extinguisher to put it out. Ok back in the day u could stir 2 pieces of aluminum together if they were fit perfectly together, but strength and quality are very poor. As for stainless and titainium very highly suseptible to contamination must be welded in an inert atmosphere as well as magnesium and aluminum. Trust me man i weld on each one of these metals quit often.
Shoot back in the day in highschool we used the dam oxy torch to light the magnesuim filler rods on fire and watch them burn, it was pretty cool especially if u threw water on it.










What does aluminum and magnisium have to do with stainless steel?SS torch welds just like any other steel,and if your as good as you talk then youd already know this.
Here is some of the stainless steel that I obviously don't know how to weld with a torch.
http://forum.vwsport.com/files/turbo28.jpg


_Modified by KOOTER at 5:01 AM 9-10-2003_


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (KOOTER)*

Well, if u look back a few posts u'll notice we were talking about oxy acetalyne welding torches. Someone said u could weld stainless, titainium, magnesium, and aluminum with an oxy acetalyne torch, not a tig torch.








By the way i like that setup. Did u make that Water IC yourself? I like that black manifold is that powdercoated?


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## 130_R (May 24, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Vdubin474* »_Dude u can't do stainless, aluminum, and especially magnesium and titainium with oxy fuel welding. If u tried to do Mag with it u would get and uncontrolable fire on ur hands that burned so hot it blinds ya and u need a special fire extinguisher to put it out. Ok back in the day u could stir 2 pieces of aluminum together if they were fit perfectly together, but strength and quality are very poor. As for stainless and titainium very highly suseptible to contamination must be welded in an inert atmosphere as well as magnesium and aluminum. Trust me man i weld on each one of these metals quit often.
Shoot back in the day in highschool we used the dam oxy torch to light the magnesuim filler rods on fire and watch them burn, it was pretty cool especially if u threw water on it.










How many misconceptions can you bring up in one post? On the subject of gas welding stainless and aluminum, I will cite the excellent welding book Performance Welding authored by Richard Finch. Chapter 9 (pg. 118) deals with gas welding steel and stainless steel while Chapter 10 (pg. 132) covers gas welding aluminum. Gas welding titanium and magnesium really shouldn't be called welding because technically it is brazing. Both titanium and magnesium need high sliver content brazing fillers to be joined properly with an oxyacetelene torch.
Yes magnesium will catch on fire if it reaches ignition temperature, but so will aluminum, steel or any other material for that matter. I suppose by the logic you are using TIG welding magnesium should be impossible.
I also weld on aluminum, titanium, stainless, bronze, brass and just about any other metal often too. I routinely weld aluminum and stainless without back gas purging or a vacume chamber. Gas lenses are a wonder of welding technology I must say.


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (130_R)*

you dont need a vacuume chamber to do steel, but you DO need the metal to be in an inert environment.(aka shielding gas), or you get a real crappy slag buildup.
id like to see anyone weld aluminum with an oxy/fuel torch.


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (speed51133!)*

Ok brazing something together and welding them is totally different. I thought u where thinking u could melt the 2 pieces together and weld them if u ahd the right filler rod. Well, thats how it sounded so i didn't want are boy here to go and try it. i see where that can be done. However brazing titainium in an uncontrolled enviroment would be good for maybe building a titainium BBQ pit. IF titainium turns any color other then a gold or real light gold or white color it is considered a bad weld in aerospace. And trying to braze 2 pieces of .030 titainum together with out coloring it would be extremely difficult or impossible. Now on a bbq pit or something that is not that important and does not have human life on the line brazing in an uncontroled enviroment would be cheap and would do the job, but wouldn't be very strong. I have seen titainum brazed where they put the part in an oven that is under a vacuum and the part is heated till the braze fills the joint. Technically joining 2 pieces of metal together is welding whether u are brazing it or melting them together so u are right u can weld 2 pieces of titainium with an oxy torch. Just a misswording prob


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## KOOTER (Aug 13, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Vdubin474* »_Well, if u look back a few posts u'll notice we were talking about oxy acetalyne welding torches. Someone said u could weld stainless, titainium, magnesium, and aluminum with an oxy acetalyne torch, not a tig torch.








By the way i like that setup. Did u make that Water IC yourself? I like that black manifold is that powdercoated?



So was I.I did that with a oxy/acl torch.
The intercooler is a sperco.


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## Bad Habit (Nov 27, 2002)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (KOOTER)*

Titanium?????????????????????


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (KOOTER)*

So ur telling me u welded stainles IC pipes with the oxy torch? U didn't braze them? Or i'm thinking thats a carbon steel tube with a platinum coating witch u can oxy weld, but tend to crack after awhile. Couldn't really see the IC tubes real well in ur pic.


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*

Yeah that is platinum not a silvery chain. lol Yeah bro u got carbon steel pipes with a platinum coating that doesn't rust. U can't see any of the welds in that pic. and if u did weld them what did u use for filler rod. i know u didn't use a stainless filler rod.


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## KOOTER (Aug 13, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Vdubin474* »_So ur telling me u welded stainles IC pipes with the oxy torch? U didn't braze them? Or i'm thinking thats a carbon steel tube with a platinum coating witch u can oxy weld, but tend to crack after awhile. Couldn't really see the IC tubes real well in ur pic.

Its 304 stainless,and you use very thin(can't remember the size)stainless TIG wire.Goes fast as hell too.


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (KOOTER)*

No way man not with oxy fuel welding. Just to make sure we're talking the same lingo decribe this torch for me real quick. Did u have to where a welding helmet shade 10 or higher lens to weld it. did u use a ground on it? Did it have a red and green hose going into the back of it? did u have to light it with a sparker? i have never ever seen anyone oxy acetalyne weld stainless with stainless rod especially a real thin one and i've been around. And u absolutely positive that is 304 stainless? That looked polished and that would cost a lot of money to polish to a mirror finish 304 stainless. Where did u get that stuff from? and how much did u pay for it? i would like to get my hands on some for a reasonable price.


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## atoson (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (KOOTER)*


_Quote, originally posted by *KOOTER* »_









I think you missed a spot over there, can you see it?







seriously, I'm very impressed... http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## KOOTER (Aug 13, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Vdubin474* »_No way man not with oxy fuel welding. Just to make sure we're talking the same lingo decribe this torch for me real quick. Did u have to where a welding helmet shade 10 or higher lens to weld it. did u use a ground on it? Did it have a red and green hose going into the back of it? did u have to light it with a sparker? i have never ever seen anyone oxy acetalyne weld stainless with stainless rod especially a real thin one and i've been around. And u absolutely positive that is 304 stainless? That looked polished and that would cost a lot of money to polish to a mirror finish 304 stainless. Where did u get that stuff from? and how much did u pay for it? i would like to get my hands on some for a reasonable price.

Yes red and green hose,no helmet just glasses,lights with the little sparky thing








I just bought some U bends and bandsawed them into what I wanted and welded them up.Polishing is a -----,and the owner of the car actually did that.


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## Amazed reader (Sep 12, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Vdubin474* »_Dude u can't do, aluminum...........with oxy fuel welding 

Incredibly misinformed, you can't be a qualified welder. Gas welding thin aluminum is a preferred method of welding for metal fabricators due to the controlled heat and soft workable weld.


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## Bug_Power (Nov 27, 2000)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (jamesb)*

75/25 mix here...weld SS all the time. no problems yet. Make sure you have the area really clean. I know at first some of the SS I had, had some oil on it causing unstable arcs. Hit it with some brake cleaner now and let it dry...smooth clean arcs now.


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Amazed reader)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Amazed reader* »_
Incredibly misinformed, you can't be a qualified welder. Gas welding thin aluminum is a preferred method of welding for metal fabricators due to the controlled heat and soft workable weld.


AH yeah maybe back in the 1920's. It's tig welded(witch is shielded with a inert gas if thats what ur talking about), laser welded, mig welded, explosion welded, friction stir welded etc etc now buddy not oxy fuel welded and as for not being a quailified welder you better bite ur tongue on that one. Don't be goin out and slammin ur bro's when u have no idea what ur talking about.








Like it was said earlier in this thread it may be brazed with an oxy torch not exactly welded.


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## Amazed reader (Sep 12, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*









How to Gas Weld Aluminum
This specialized tape teaches you how to produce durable, high quality welds. Essential equipment, methods and benefits of tack welding, fitting and joint preparation, how to produce fusion-type welds with lipping, butt-welds and tank corner welds are all covered. Demonstrations of: straight welds, corners and curved sections.
http://www.metalshapers.org/st...SHOPS
There you go get yourself a few of these tapes and learn something, you need to











_Modified by Amazed reader at 3:32 PM 9-13-2003_


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## Bug_Power (Nov 27, 2000)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (KOOTER)*

If you look through all the other titles, he talks of TIG welding most of his stuff!


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Bug_Power)*

Ok how old is that video? lol just playin If u look back in that one post of mine i said yes they used to weld aluminum with an oxy torch, they got it real soft and stirred it together. Yes this joins the metal together, but not anywhere close to as good as it needs to be if the piece u were welding on is of any importance. This process might be used on the farm still, but not with anything the matters and needs to last a long time. The joint would be full of porosity and contamination, but would still hold. How well and for how long it will hold, well u rollin the dice there. All i ment by that last post is that now adays everything is done with the processes above to make a good solid, ductile and clean welds. There is a reason why these new processes came about and if Gas welding aluminum was a good process i'm sure they would still be doing it because it's dam cheap.


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## Amazed reader (Sep 12, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Vdubin474* »_.Dude u can't do, aluminum...........with oxy fuel welding 

That was your quote, nothing to do with better methods and your talk of 
_Quote »_ The joint would be full of porosity and contamination, but would still hold. How well and for how long it will hold, well u rollin the dice there 
 is more BS, you say it can't be done but then you say it'll be crap when you find out it can be







. As a matter of fact they guys who build alu hand-formed bodies for racing cars still use gas and they have Tigs.
Mig and Tig came about due to automation, if you employ an auto Mig machine it's much cheaper and quicker than a guy with a set of bottles, different machines were developed for different uses with cost in mind.


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## Bad Habit (Nov 27, 2002)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Amazed reader)*

Brazing aluminum is a common thing around here.


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## Vdubin474 (Jun 2, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Amazed reader)*

Ok ok i knew it could be done and was done back in the day with the stir technique, but i didn't think anyone used that way anymore because it was proven to be insufficient due to contamination purposes. It can't be done properly to any real world code and it's not found in production. Yes u can stick 2 pieces of aluminum together with gas welding, but it's not a good way to do it. U could stick em together with JB weld to. I could of sworn i said that it could be done back in the day, but i read back through my post and i did not say that. 
Well, i guess all i can do is take ur word about useing gas welding to weld aluminum bodies together. Must be some local stock car guys cause i knwo they don't do it in nascar and nhra and F series due to the bodies aren't even aluminum.
So let me ask u this if ur welding up an aluminum IC tube to another what process would u use. Sure as hell not Oxy fuel. If ur welding an aluminum blow off valve flange to an aluminum IC pipe what process u gonna use? Thank ya
U can't do it right with Oxy thats all i'm gonna say.


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## Amazed reader (Sep 12, 2003)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Vdubin474)*









*Wheeling up a new door skin & welding in a new rear lamp surround,
on an Aluminum, classic racing Aston Martin.* 
http://www.aluminium-bodywork-....html


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## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

*Re: MIG Welding Stainless? (Amazed reader)*

Okay guys, that's enough arguing. Please, the last thing we want is for our beloved Forced Induction forum to become like the Car Lounge or MK3 forums ... http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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