Stainless welding ???

[TMA]

If building a still tower in stainless, what about the weldings are they ok no matter what you use, or do I also have to be aware what's poisonous here

Hope some knows how to help

[rad14701]

Are you referring to the weld itself, or the fumes created by the welding process...???

[mash rookie]

Stainless welds and or brazing are all fine. I often MIG and TIG stainless using stainless wire or rod. You can use silicon bronze rod to TIG stainless to copper. It is safe. The only solder that will work with stainless is Silver solder so no issues there either.

Go forth and build !!!!
MR

[nwvapors]

Stainless welds and or brazing are all fine. I often MIG and TIG stainless using stainless wire or rod. You can use silicon bronze rod to TIG stainless to copper. It is safe. The only solder that will work with stainless is Silver solder so no issues there either.

Go forth and build !!!!
MR

Hey MR how do you MIG stainless? I have a MIG welder but I was under the impression I couldn't do a decent stainless weld with it. Are you using a specific gas/wire combo? If this could save me from investing in another tool I would be very appreciative.

[Coyote]

You can buy Stainless wire to run in your mig machine and it works great as long as everything is clean

Coyote

[cob]

related to stainless welding safety. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... r#p6817904 . cob

[NcHooch]

Hey MR how do you MIG stainless? I have a MIG welder but I was under the impression I couldn't do a decent stainless weld with it. Are you using a specific gas/wire combo? If this could save me from investing in another tool I would be very appreciative.

Stainless wire and a tri mix of Helium, Argon, and CO2

[nwvapors]

Hey MR how do you MIG stainless? I have a MIG welder but I was under the impression I couldn't do a decent stainless weld with it. Are you using a specific gas/wire combo? If this could save me from investing in another tool I would be very appreciative.

Stainless wire and a tri mix of Helium, Argon, and CO2

Thanks NC, I thought I'd have to change the bottle along with the spool. If I can successfully do this at home that would be great, save me some money also.

[mash rookie]

The guys are fast. They have answered your question.

Yes, you use a tri mix helium gas and stainless wire. It works great. No, Really great. The helium gas is very hot so it makes for a very sweet weld. Easy!

I keep a stainless mix bottle and change out gas and wire when I want to weld stainless. I like it better than TIG welding stainless. That is probably because my MIG skills are better. I will use my TIG to clean up some welds sometimes.

TIG welding is often referred as "Gentleman’s welding" because of the ability to do delicate welds. TIG's basically melt metals together. “TIG Torch” Great for some things like welding corners together where you can run down the weld melting two pieces together. When doing more conventional type of welding where material is added like welding rod or wire feed TIG’s take more skills. Stick or MIG apply material as you arc.

TIG is more like torch welding where you have to add filler rod as you proceed. Except you cant pull back the flame quite as easily. I have great respect for guys that are TIG masters.

You will love MIG stainless!!!

MR

[Bull Rider]

Mash:
(not trying to hijack this thread)

I have a Lincoln 175 (220 volt) MIG welder. I use the CO2/Argon mix and solid core wire.

If I picked up a bottle of straight argon, and a pound of stainless wire, then I could MIG stainless?

Any way to MIG stainless to copper? I've done it with Oxy/Acet, but that was a long time ago.


Bull.

[johnhopper1957]

I've never tried MIG with stainless, TIG comes up well. This one is fused with TIG, could use filler rod and then grind down, polish and you can't even see the join unless you look inside the tube.

[nwvapors]

The guys are fast. They have answered your question.

Yes, you use a tri mix helium gas and stainless wire. It works great. No, Really great. The helium gas is very hot so it makes for a very sweet weld. Easy!

I keep a stainless mix bottle and change out gas and wire when I want to weld stainless. I like it better than TIG welding stainless. That is probably because my MIG skills are better. I will use my TIG to clean up some welds sometimes.

TIG welding is often referred as "Gentleman’s welding" because of the ability to do delicate welds. TIG's basically melt metals together. “TIG Torch” Great for some things like welding corners together where you can run down the weld melting two pieces together. When doing more conventional type of welding where material is added like welding rod or wire feed TIG’s take more skills. Stick or MIG apply material as you arc.

TIG is more like torch welding where you have to add filler rod as you proceed. Except you cant pull back the flame quite as easily. I have great respect for guys that are TIG masters.

You will love MIG stainless!!!


Thanks MR I'll have to give it a go, a little more investment in tooling but lot cheaper than a TIG unit for sure.
MR

[mash rookie]

Mash:
(not trying to hijack this thread)

I have a Lincoln 175 (220 volt) MIG welder. I use the CO2/Argon mix and solid core wire.

If I picked up a bottle of straight argon, and a pound of stainless wire, then I could MIG stainless?

Any way to MIG stainless to copper? I've done it with Oxy/Acet, but that was a long time ago.


Bull.

I don’t think we are hijacking Bull. This is a welding thread.

Yes, you can weld stainless with your MIG but not very well with straight argon. It is a hotter helium mix that you will need. If you want to weld stainless to mild steel it is a different stainless wire than stainless to stainless. Tell your welding store what you want to do and they will make sure you have the right wire and gas.

Stainless to copper? I don’t know. I believe you can TIG them with silicon bronze rod so maybe they make a silicon bronze wire??? I have tried welding copper to copper with argon and really struggled. If I had to do it I would want to try the hotter gas and short welds letting the heat dissipate.

On the subject of joining metals, I silver soldered some stainless last weekend. I bought some special stainless flux. I was only successful with soft silver. I could not get hard silver to flow.
I tinned two pieces using the flux and just barley enough heat to coat the surface. Any excess heat just burned off the flux and I had to start over. I then used regular water base flux to get the two pieces to join. It worked pretty well.

(Wait until you see that new design)


NWVapors. Do it cheap. Next time you are out of gas just exchange for stainless gas and buy a small roll of wire. The hotter gas will work for your mild steel. It is more expensive gas so you wouldnt want to buy it every time for mild steel though.

[Bushman]

(Wait until you see that new design)

I am holding my breath in anticipation, always love to see your creations!

[johnhopper1957]

With TIG if you want stainless to copper use 316 stainless filler wire, copper to copper use copper filler wire and I have had no problems with argon. You need to be quick with copper as soon as you see the weld pool form be ready to start your run real quick. You also need a lot of amps.

[mash rookie]

With TIG if you want stainless to copper use 316 stainless filler wire, copper to copper use copper filler wire and I have had no problems with argon. You need to be quick with copper as soon as you see the weld pool form be ready to start your run real quick. You also need a lot of amps.

You are a TIG Master. It is tougher than it looks.

[nwvapors]

Here is a thread I participated in a while back when I was taking a TIG class at a local junior college. This member was TIGing copper and responded pretty helpfully to questions.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 32&t=13027

[bentstick]

MR I have been playing around trying to hard silver solder also,it not as easy as soft solder. I have a buddy that works HVAC and he said silver solder will not flow like soft does, so put it on and smooth out with the flame of torch, I did watch him and he made it look easy, but I guess it is going to take practice.

[mash rookie]

I have no problem with hard soldering copper, brass or steel. I love the stuff there. Stainless steel is a pain in the ass. The flux seems to burn off before I get a flow temp. I am careful to use a passive reducing flame and heat indirect but still have problems.
Bottom line is that I end up either MIG, TIG or soft soldering stainless. From there I will leave it to the pros.
I am always open for advice.
MR

[TMA]

Ok, to get back on track,....I have nothing poisonous to fear about stainless welding (like when you solder copper),...have I got that right

[Dnderhead]

if your speaking of the metal ,no all you do when welding is to melt the base metal and at times add filler of the same or close to the same as the base metal.so if it was safe to start with, then its still safe.with stick/intersheld yes as they use flux that needs to be removed.
as with any metal all has to be cleaned well as they use oils and chemicals in manufacture.

[TMA]

if your speaking of the mettle ,no all you do when welding is to melt the base mettle and at times add filler of the same or close to the same as the base mettle.so if it was safe to start with, then its still safe.with stick/intersheld yes as they use flux that needs to be removed.
as with any mettle all has to be cleaned well as they use oils and chemicals in manufacture.

...Sorry, I'm from Denmark so I don't understand what you mean about "stick/intersheld"....I'm guessing by "mettle", you mean "metal"

[Dnderhead]

yes corrected on spelling,, intersheld and stick use flux. stick is the older type of welding where the wire is covered with flux.. intersheld has the flux inside of a tube and fed threw a gun much like MIG.either of these are generally used on thicker metals but can be used on thinner stock if no other way is available.both of these need to be well cleaned.TIG (tungsten,inert gas) and MIG (metallic inert gas) both need less cleaning.

[TMA]

yes corrected on spelling,, intersheld and stick use flux. stick is the older type of welding where the wire is covered with flux.. intersheld has the flux inside of a tube and fed threw a gun much like MIG.either of these are generally used on thicker metals but can be used on thinner stock if no other way is available.both of these need to be well cleaned.TIG (tungsten,inert gas) and MIG (metallic inert gas) both need less cleaning.

...Are you here refering to a vineager run,...or is there some other way, I have to clean it also

[Coaster]

@ TMA,

Unfortunately you are not going to be able to acquire the welding knowledge that is needed to successfully weld Stainless Steel by asking questions in the Home Distiller Forum. From the basic questions you are asking about Stainless Steel Welding Procedures it appears that it is a task you have never attempted and are unaware of the correct procedures. Perhaps it would be beneficial if visited the library and consulted publications on the topic of Stainless Steel Welding Procedures. You could also perform a Google Search (http://www.google.com) on the topic.

Regards,
Coaster

[mash rookie]

Yeah, He's not getting it. There is nothing he could do with stainless that would be harmful. I told him that at the start of the post.
Instead of Google. (I love Google) A trip to his local welding supplier with a list of questions and a credit card will get him started.

[johnhopper1957]

My opinion only, if you want to earn to do stainless, copper, stainless to copper aluminium etc get a TIG welder and a bottle of Argon, get someone to show you the basics and give some tips. Sit there for about 6 hours doing butt joints, fillet joints inside and outside corners on say 3mm. Once you get that down pat spend say 4 hours doing 1.6mm on bar then do another 3 -4 hours on 1.6mm pipe. Then another 8 hours doing various thicknesses and playing with your amps.

Then move onto copper (which isn't that hard really) then onto aluminium, then give the stainless to copper a go (different techniques for each)

Alternatively pay someone to do it for you if it's a one off?

I'm only average, I've got my basic TIG and intermediate TIG ticket, I am thinking of getting my advanced ticket but I don't really need to do vertical up, vertical down, overhead etc. Still it would be good to have it so I can say I am have advanced TIG.

TIG welding is used in all your milk processing plants, confectionary factories, breweries, distileries etc - it's safe.

I'm doing a 3 inch Bok now, could do a hot run to get a better looking weld (just fused it) but I am going to clean it up so you can't see the weld and polish the whole column. As long as your welds seal the join you are fine with stills, it's not like you have 1000 PSI running through it.

[TMA]

Guys,....I'm sorry to say, you're all wrong,...my intent was never to learn the art of tig welding, by asking questions here at the HD forum (or at all, for that matter), I have a buddy, who already masters the skill and owns the hardware, so if I choose stainless, he's my man ,....The thing is, that while he knows about welding, he could NOT know less about stills and spirit making, so I just wanted to make sure with you guys (who knows about both), that nothing poisonous would come out of it and I was not making a deathtrap

In my opinion, I was (and still is) much better of asking this forum about potential hazzards / poisonous things, when building a still, than turning to my local welding supplier, google or anywhere else for that matter, since I can't actually ask my supplier what I want to ask,...and no matter what you would seach for in google, the answer would always only origin from one person,..here at HD forum, a bunch of people with actual experience would chip in and could also tell if something wrong was said.

I also thought, that was what the forum was all about (and yes, I have done my homework, but could'nt find anything about the subject at hand), somebody correct me if I'm wrong

Johnhopper - Yeah it's a one off,...so I think I will pay my way out of this one,......by the way,..would love to see more pics

[Dnderhead]

neither stainless nor copper welds are toxic..but any flux used /if used can be.
tig or mig does not use flux,so normal cleaning is all that is necessary.
with soldering ,,brazing,arc,these use flux so that has to be removed.
either by mechanical means or with chemicals,or both.

[Coaster]

@ TMA,

Malarkey….Going to the library and consulting technical publications on Stainless Steel Welding Procedures does not provide information originating from only one person. The same thing applies to seeking information from a Goggle Search.

Also consulting with local Welding Supply companies concerning Stainless Steel Welding Procedures is not unusual and results in factual information.

Perchance how do think large-scale commercial distillers manage to have their Stainless Steel distillation equipment manufactured?

Regards,
Coaster