Subject: Gas welding stainless?

From: [email-masked] (Chris Delikatny)
Date: Fri, 14 Jul 1995 03:59:19 GMT

I found some stainless rod in my shop and tried to gas weld with it. I will be 
damned if it didnt actually weld. It was a clean weld on one side but the back 
was pretty rough with slag (carbide?) 
Is this an acceptable way to join stainless steel?

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From: [email-masked] (ErnieLeim)
Date: 15 Jul 1995 01:29:50 -0400

Back when I first learned how to gas weld with my own torch in my parents
garage , I discovered that with a carburizing flame it was possible to
weld stainless. I also used stainless rod to weld mild steel.
Even though it worked just fine and made really strong welds , everyone I
talked to about it said I was crazy and that it was impossible to get as
strong a weld .
They were wrong .
I finally talked to an old time welder who worked in ship yards back in
the 30's.
He said they used to do it all the time , but only on parts that weren't
submereged.
If you submerge it you get higher corosion due to the precipitated
carbides.
He also said that all the welding supply companies used to make fluxes for
cleaner welds , but I couldn't find a single welding suppier who could
even find a listing for such a beast.
I don't care what skeptics say. If I see something that works I use it.
Nowadays I use my TIG , but I still consider gas welding stainless as a
practical solution in the feild.
Good luck and happy welding.

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                    Ernie Leimkuhler                                      

                  Stagesmith Productions                                  
                                          
                 Custom Metal Fabrication                                 
               
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