Stainless Steel MIG welding?

   / Stainless Steel MIG welding? #1  

texasjohn

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I've got a Miller 172 MIG welder, 220 volt. I have a bunch of stainless steel legs from office tables that I want to weld up for various things.

So far, I think I understand that this rig will do the trick and I plan to use the following.... what am I missing?

ER308L Wire, .35mm, flux core
reversed polarity
5/8" to 3/4" stick out for the wire.
Argon gas with 2% CO2
A stainless steel brush to remove slag

I searched, but didn't see where stainless steel mig welding has been discussed recentl.
 
   / Stainless Steel MIG welding? #2  
We weld stainless at the plant running stainless wire and tri-mix gas.Never heard of flux wire and gas....
Here's a search with lots of relevent info.
MIG stainless - Google Search
 
   / Stainless Steel MIG welding? #3  
I have not done any stainless yet so I have a question as to why do you need shielding gas for a flux core wire....is it a flux core wire???
 
   / Stainless Steel MIG welding? #4  
Code:
http://www.shopfloortalk.com/forums/index.php?
 
   / Stainless Steel MIG welding?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Here's where I've been...

Untitled Document
says use Argon with 2% CO2
also 308L wire (I can't tell if this is cored or not)

Procedures: Stainless Steel Welding
clearly says use flux wire

Miller - MIG Welding Tips - Intro
says use gas and I can't tell if the ER308L wire is flux core, or not.

This ambiguity is why I asked the question so that I could get clarification from somebody who has actually done it..... in a home shop where equipment is not massive and costs need to be realistic.

My appllication is in no way critical to food or big strains... I simply have this large supply of 1 inch square, 30 inch long table legs and want to glue them together into useful things.

I've even seen where people simply use their regular flux core wire, reverse polarity and go.... the welds likely will rust, they they say it works fine.... anybody got a comment on this technique?
 
   / Stainless Steel MIG welding? #6  
Well I am definetally not schooled on this stuff or that great of a welder, but I just bought a roll of solid stainless steel welding wire and put it in my mig. I'm still running 75/25 Argon/CO2 that you would normally use for mild steel.

So far I haven't had any problems with any of the welds I have done. I did this for making the exhaust for one of my trucks. I used SS mandrel bends and tubing.

My welder says to use SS wire with a helium/argon/co2 mix. I think it was a 90/7.5/2.5 mix.
 
   / Stainless Steel MIG welding? #7  
   / Stainless Steel MIG welding? #8  
I have used regular flux cored wire is stainless without any problems. The weld will rust, but you could just paint it.
 
   / Stainless Steel MIG welding?
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Good input, thanks, Brad, for the link!

Gmurphy, did you reverse polarity when you used regular flux core wire on stainless?
 
   / Stainless Steel MIG welding? #10  
I use the 309/316 solid wire with mine. I weld mild steel and stainless and it works very well. The 309/316 wire is very good for temperd steel and to resist cracking. Table legs are probably quite thin and the little mig welders are perfect for that.

Wetspirit
 
 
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