Stainless TIG welding tips and tricks

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 09:44:27 GMT

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Hey guys, Ive been a lurker and hobby welder for some time now and recently got into TIG welding stainless (304) steel. I, like many others, tended to have a few issues with achieving those lovely temper colours that we always see online. After much browsing of forums and Youtube I came up with a short list of tips and tricks (A few of them from this forum) that got my welds looking somewhat decent. Some are rather obvious now, but weren’t when I first started. Also, this is by no means a comprehensive guide, just what worked for me, so thought I would share it.Setup:Check your shielding gas flow rate is correct for the cup you are using. Often the flow numbers quoted are a rough guide. They don’t necessarily cover all scenarios, Eg: I’ve found when welding at the base of a Tee joint there is more than enough cover. However, if it’s an outside corner, I’ll need to up the flow a bit as the gas tend to wash away from the puddle. Don’t overdo it although, as too much flow will create turbulence and draw oxygen into the shielded region, ruining the weld.Check your tungsten stick out. Avoid having it too far out as it will oxidise and contaminate your weld. If, for whatever reason you need that kind of stick out, use a gas lens and up your flow rate to compensate.Grind a fresh point on your tungsten. When you put your torch down it can pick up all sorts of crud. I tend to freshen it up before each welding session. As for shape, to be perfectly honest, I haven’t noticed a difference in different point shapes. Either stainless isn’t as easily affected or I’m just not welding on a scale that it would become apparent.Fabrication:Avoid the need to use filler as it is another way of introducing contaminants into the weld. Try and get your parts to match up as perfectly as possible. If you can, clean up the mating surfaces on a belt sander and check that they are square and have little to no gap. If gaps are unavoidable see Method below.Cleanliness: When trying to achieve a clean weld, cleanliness is key (Who’d have thunk?). I prefer to use acetone when cleaning as it doesn’t leave a residue like thinners or petrol. Wipe down your filler rod. You will be amazed at how dirty it is fresh out of the bag. Once you have confirmed the fit of your parts (See Fabrication), thoroughly clean all of them with acetone. Any oils, including fingerprints will ruin the finish of the weld.Check your gloves for oil and dirt. You don’t want to handle your freshly cleaned parts with the old gloves you use for grinding.When you’ve finished grinding the tungsten, give it a wipe with some acetone on a cloth. You’ll want to remove any grinding dust or residue that may be on it.Method:Every time you add filler rod, avoid pulling it out of the shielding gas after dipping. If you do this, the red hot tip will oxidise. When you dip it again, the weld will be contaminated. When i first started, i found it easiest to use a larger cup than was necessary, thus giving me more room for error both with shielding the filler rod and the puddle. The downside being I went through quite a bit of gas.Stainless does not like heat. Use as little heat as necessary to form and maintain the puddle. The more heat you put in, the more likely the metal is to oxidise, giving you a dull finish.If you are welding hollow sections and aren’t back purging, you’ll want the sugaring to just start forming on the inside. This way you can ensure are getting as much weld penetration as possible without overheating it. (Please note: This method is fine for cosmetic welds that don’t serve a structural purpose. These welds will tend to be more brittle and thus prone to fracture if loaded. When in doubt, back purge.)Avoid welding in a breeze, whether it’s a fan or open window. Any wind will blow the shielding gas away from the puddle causing all sorts of issues. If I am going to weld, i will close the back garage door to avoid any cross ventilation forming a draft.Lastly, practice, practice, practice. Cut yourself some coupons and practice welding them with various weld joints and orientations. As they say, practice makes perfect.
Reply:Nobody uses acetone in the real world. Maybe in a nuke plant...
Reply:Originally Posted by BrendonhoffStainless does not like heat. Use as little heat as necessary to form and maintain the puddle. .....
Reply:Welcome to the forum
Reply:TimmyTIG Originally Posted by TimmyTIGNobody uses acetone in the real world . . .
Reply:Originally Posted by OPUS FERROTimmyTIGSPAM  -  is acetone solvent . . .Opus
Reply:Originally Posted by OPUS FERROTimmyTIGSPAM  -  is acetone solvent . . .Opus
Reply:Originally Posted by TimmyTIGNobody uses acetone in the real world. Maybe in a nuke plant...
Reply:Is there a problem to using acetone?
Reply:No there’s not. I like it. They got no time for it tho is the reason they don’t use it
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313No there’s not. I like it. They got no time for it tho is the reason they don’t use it
Reply:Exactly!if they were on aluminum they would use it more tho.
Replyrobably not.
Replyol  right
Reply:Moto... Acetone has no mystical cleaning qualities on aluminum other than removing a bit of oil from fingerprints or other handling sources.A preheat pass with the TIG torch with a good brushing will remove more junk than the acetone will.
Reply:motolife313 Originally Posted by motolife313Lol  right
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313No there’s not. I like it. They got no time for it tho is the reason they don’t use it
Reply:I have it on hand to wipe down steel, painted or bare to prep clean for painting. So I figure, after sanding etc give it a clean down before welding. I use only Hot rolled steel so there is always sanding etc. The rag always comes of filthy, and thats with a sander hooked to a vac.
Reply:lacquer thinners is much stronger and removes far more contaminant than acetone which is on the mild side. As above, I used thinners to wipe clean and degrease before paint. Makes a smooth blemish free finishWeld prep? Grind or wire wheel or brush aluminum. Its all about speed for most of us. Multiple grinders with different wheels etc. Gotta make those hours count
Reply:Originally Posted by downhandlacquer thinners is much stronger and removes far more contaminant than acetone which is on the mild side. As above, I used thinners to wipe clean and degrease before paint. Makes a smooth blemish free finishWeld prep? Grind or wire wheel or brush aluminum. Its all about speed for most of us. Multiple grinders with different wheels etc. Gotta make those hours count
Reply:Originally Posted by husq2100I have it on hand to wipe down steel, painted or bare to prep clean for painting. So I figure, after sanding etc give it a clean down before welding. I use only Hot rolled steel so there is always sanding etc. The rag always comes of filthy, and thats with a sander hooked to a vac.
Reply:Originally Posted by downhandlacquer thinners is much stronger and removes far more contaminant than acetone which is on the mild side. As above, I used thinners to wipe clean and degrease before paint. Makes a smooth blemish free finishWeld prep? Grind or wire wheel or brush aluminum. Its all about speed for most of us. Multiple grinders with different wheels etc. Gotta make those hours count
Reply:Brandonhoff I don't have anything to add except it sounds like you got yourself a nice recipe that works for you, keep up what your doing and fine tune as needed
Reply:acetone always screws up my nail polish. Miller 211Hypertherm PM 451961 Lincoln Idealarc 250HTP 221  True Wisdom only comes from Pain.
Reply:Get the heavy duty stuffOriginally Posted by TimmyTIGNobody uses acetone in the real world. Maybe in a nuke plant...
Reply:Everyone does stuff different
Reply:i guess... So if "no one" uses acetone, what do you use thats better?2017 Everlast Powertig 210 EXT with a CK 20 and water coolerMiller Multimatic 215Hypertherm Powermax 45 XP
Reply:They just grind the metal with a grinder wheel or flap and call it good
Reply:So you never wipe down anything ever? Not your filler rod or even the material that your about to weld?2017 Everlast Powertig 210 EXT with a CK 20 and water coolerMiller Multimatic 215Hypertherm Powermax 45 XP
Reply:Nope. The only time I ever saw acetone on a jobsite was back in 1980, at the South Texas Nuclear Project welding school. Never seen it used after that, and I've been welding industrial pipe for a living ever since.
Reply:Saved some time and money didn’t ya?
Reply:I never welded aerospace.
Reply:Sanitary welding must be an outlier then, though it depends on what QA at the plant wants. Can make your life easier to do a pre-fit up wipe if they're looking for really clean, unmarred surfaces.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313They just grind the metal with a grinder wheel or flap and call it good
Reply:One thing I learned (and have put into practice) in the last couple years when fabricating stainless is chill blocks.Have a stash of heavy alum blocks and scrap parts that I have set aside for this purpose.Red Seal Journeyman Welder (2003),   Red Seal Journeyman Metal Fabricator (2018),    Welding Engineering Technologist (2005)Pressure - ASME Section IXStructural - CSA W47.1, CSA W47.2Transport tanker - CSA B620Aerospace - AWS D17.1
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonRight through the grease.
Reply:songer121 Originally Posted by songer121So you never wipe down anything ever? Not your filler rod or even the material that your about to weld?