Are weld all rods ok to use?

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jayka
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Are weld all rods ok to use?

Post by jayka »

I'm building a new still and some people (welders not still makers) have suggested I use weld all rods. Are they safe to use for a still or do the contain nasties I don't want in my still?
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Setsumi
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Re: Are weld all rods ok to use?

Post by Setsumi »

i trust you are asking about arc welding stainless steel. use proper 316 ss rods. mind to clean all welds to shining, even inside and then pacify with citric acid. tig, silver solder (braze or oxy aceteline with appropriate rods) or soft solder will be cleaner. but although i am not a welder by trade i have arc welded pieces of my stainless steel colums with 316 ss rods with good outcome. but then in south africa we have limited resources.
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NormandieStill
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Re: Are weld all rods ok to use?

Post by NormandieStill »

Setsumi wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 8:18 am i trust you are asking about arc welding stainless steel. use proper 316 ss rods. mind to clean all welds to shining, even inside and then pacify* with citric acid. tig, silver solder (braze or oxy aceteline with appropriate rods) or soft solder will be cleaner. but although i am not a welder by trade i have arc welded pieces of my stainless steel colums with 316 ss rods with good outcome. but then in south africa we have limited resources.
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I've silver-soldered stainless ferrules onto a keg with 97% SnAg. You do have to pay attention to getting a good fit to start with and I wouldn't necessarily want to hang anything heavy off them, but it does work. The better a mechanical fit you can get, the stronger the joint will be.
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zed255
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Re: Are weld all rods ok to use?

Post by zed255 »

Depending on what is being welded you'd want a 308L or an 316L rod for stainless wending, not just any old filler. Many of the materials used in still construction are thin, so you would also want either argon back purging or at least 'Solar Flux Type B' to protect the opposite side of the weld. Ideally any stainless would be TIG welded with full sanitary procedures being followed.

I often use a high silver ( either 45% or 56%) brazing wire and borax based flux on connections I want between dissimilar materials like SS and copper for an almost weld-like bond. I also find it easier to braze than to solder.

Many here just use a proper SS flux and a good lead-free solder, often with 4% to 6% silver. I have successfully used plumber's solder and an acid flux on SS. I also find it fickle to get a good bond to the SS no matter how clean I get it, flux application and solder used. Some here say it is really easy, but I've had mixed results, some excellent and some no so much.
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jayka
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Re: Are weld all rods ok to use?

Post by jayka »

Yeh I want my joins to be pretty solid. I just got a 4" plated column with dephleg and condenser full of water I reckon it would be at least 1m tall and weigh about 10-15kg so plenty enough to stress the joints.
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Setsumi
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Re: Are weld all rods ok to use?

Post by Setsumi »

NormandieStill wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 10:47 am
Setsumi wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 8:18 am i trust you are asking about arc welding stainless steel. use proper 316 ss rods. mind to clean all welds to shining, even inside and then pacify* with citric acid. tig, silver solder (braze or oxy aceteline with appropriate rods) or soft solder will be cleaner. but although i am not a welder by trade i have arc welded pieces of my stainless steel colums with 316 ss rods with good outcome. but then in south africa we have limited resources.
*passivate :wink:
thanks, i should be more conscious of correct terminology.
My first flute
My press
My twins
My controller
My wife tells me I fell from heaven covered in white. Why did they let me fall?
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