what is best for welding SS other than TIG

[Canuck]

I am interested in doing some projects out of SS(Stainless Steel) and do not have a TIG welding machine. However I do have a Hobart 135 amp MIG aswell as an AC Thunderbolt and there is always the tried and true oxy-fuel method. Which process would make the most atractive welds, Thanks.

[cope]

Mig will make the easiest welds but I have made a few with stick and they are nice also. I have never welded stainless with Mig; don't do stainless around the house.

[HAWK]

Canuck,

MIG makes a pretty stainless weld. Just don't go over board with the heat. Find a bare stainless wire and use 98%Argon/2%Oxygen shielding gas. If you run it too hot, you start seeing discoloration. A minor amount can be normal. With the 135 keep your wire size to .030". The material thickness will be limited to 1/8". It takes more heat to MIG than does mild steel. If you Thunderbolt is DC, the 309 SS rods run really well in 3/32".

[HAWK]

Canuck,

Too bad your Thunderbolt is AC only. If it were the AC/DC version, you could get an argon bottle, a tig torch with valve and scratch tig the SS. If you are any familiar with tig this works pretty well for non critical applications. If you have no tig experience, this is a very frustrating way to go. On the SS rods: I am not familiar with any that burn on AC.

[Danny]

SS stick electrodes with a 16 in the end of there classification number will run on AC or DC.

http://www.hobartbrothers.com/pdf/Smootharc308L16.pdf

Stick makes a nice smooth weld.


With mig in short circuit transfer mode I run a Tri-mix gas consisting of 90% He/ 7.5% Ar/ 2.5% Co2. There tends to be some spatter so you spray the basemetal down with anti-spatter prior to welding. Here is a picture of a sample MIG weld on 1/8" SS.

[Canuck]

Thanks for the help everybody. I've decided to go for the MIG option since the material I will working with the most is thinner than 1/8". I will also try the stick electrodes just to compare. Once again thanks a lot Canuck.

[HAWK]

Dan thanks for the info on the electrode classification. I usually TIG SS except for some 309SS electrodes. I appreciate it!