MIG .065 wall tube help.

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I have a job that a guy wants me to do and need some advise.  He wants some .065 wall SS(304) tubing welded to make a light mount.  I do not have a TIG at the moment but do have a Lincoln 175PLUS MIG.  Can it be done with this MIG?  This will be the thinest that I have attempted with a MIG.  Any suggestions on settings such as speeds/feeds cause I sure that he will have just enough material to make the part and none to spare.I've been a member of Welding Web for awhile and mostly lurk but thank everyone for their suggestions.  Great site.James L.
Reply:I have never done SS mig.  I am curious, do you have the filler?  Would a purchasing a new roll of filler still give a profit?
Reply:It will do it.  I would find some of the same stuff to get the settings right first.  You need SS wire to match what you are welding and C/25 gas will work.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:.065 is pretty much 16 gauge.Yup, that's do-able with a 175plus.Like David R said, match or get compatible wire alloy to go with the stainless tube.  For 302/304 tube (common stuff), the usual alloy wire to use is 308/308L.  That will run you about $25-$50 or so for a two pound spool of wire.Although C25 will weld most stainless together, the 'stainless' part will be clobbered by the carbon in that 25% carbon dioxide in the gas.  C5 or tri-mix will work, but the recommended gas per the manual (Page B-6, btw) is 98-2 argon-oxygen.  The recommended settings for 16 gauge stainless are A-3 (voltage-wirespeed) using 0.030 308L wire.Practice first.
Reply:I will have top get a small roll of stainless wire probally .023 dia.  I have 80/20 gas now, think that will be Ok.  I will most likely start this weekend if he agrees to a price.James L.
Reply:Originally Posted by MoonRise.065 is pretty much 16 gauge.Yup, that's do-able with a 175plus.Like David R said, match or get compatible wire alloy to go with the stainless tube.  For 302/304 tube (common stuff), the usual alloy wire to use is 308/308L.  That will run you about $25-$50 or so for a two pound spool of wire.Although C25 will weld most stainless together, the 'stainless' part will be clobbered by the carbon in that 25% carbon dioxide in the gas.  C5 or tri-mix will work, but the recommended gas per the manual (Page B-6, btw) is 98-2 argon-oxygen.  The recommended settings for 16 gauge stainless are A-3 (voltage-wirespeed) using 0.030 308L wire.Practice first.
Reply:For the amount of money you have to invest in consumables and gas, you should forget the job, unless you think you'll have repeat business.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Originally Posted by MicroZoneFor the amount of money you have to invest in consumables and gas, you should forget the job, unless you think you'll have repeat business.
Reply:Charge extra for any speciality wire or rods and tell him why.
Reply:Just remember that gawd awfull vibration, bouncing and abuse tends to rip any peripheral structures apart on boats.  So if there is a question about making a joint a little light or a little heavy, go with the heavy.
Reply:Forget it.Even if you get a spool of wire you would need tri mix gas.Then when you weld it it will have so much build up. deposit of filler that it will look like a beginner.TIG is the only way to do this job.I welded .049 and .065 stainless tubing for 11 years ,six hours per day.I also did do an experiment with a Lincoln SP125 with tri mix gas and stainless wire and it was not satisfactory and very hard to control.There was a lot of build up.I am not saying it is impossible, but damn near impossible.