Welding a stainless steel beer keg.

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I've acquired a 15.5 gallon stainless steel beer keg that I'm planning on turning into a mash pot for home brewing and distillation.  I'll need to drill 3 holes in the keg and weld stainless npt fittings into the holes in order to attach things like temperature probes, drain valve, electric heating elements, etc.  I've never welded stainless steel of any kind.  I'm most comfortable stick welding but have also have a DC lift start tig setup.  Obviously the first thought is this scenerio screams tig due to the thickness of the keg and the ability to have a nice pretty visible weld.  But wondering if using a small diameter 1/16 or 3/32 stainless stick electrode would work. I don't know for certain how thick the wall of the keg is until I cut it open but if guess somewhere around .060".  If this was mild steel I'd start around 55 amps and see how things go.  But since this is stainless would it normally be lower than that?  Anyway, guess I'm just looking for any advice I can get here.  Maybe I'll try both methods and see which one works better for me.  Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A
Reply:I did the same thing for a buddy of mine who make wine. I Tigged it with no issues or leaks. He has been making wine for 4 years now with no issues.www.tjsperformance.comDynasty 300 DXHTP 240HTP Microcut 380Hyperthem 85JD2 Hyd Bender and HF Hyd Ring Roller all in one =(Frankenbender)Bpt. Mill/DRO4' x 8' CNC Plasma TableInstagram: tjsperformanceYT: TJS Welding and Fabrication
Reply:If you've never welded stainless stick you shouldn't start on something that thin. Stainless stick is a whole different animal from carbon.
Reply:Guess I'll need to hunt down some scraps to practice on.Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A
Reply:There's a ton of posts regarding welding thin stainless over at HomeDistiller.orghttps://homedistiller.org/forum/The info. includes every type of welding, plus silver soldering and brazing.Plus links to videos on YouTube.Lincoln Precision TIG 185.Flex-Loc 150 torch.Super-Flex hose.Lincoln MIG 180.Victor Oxy/Act torch set.DeWalt Bandsaw with SWAG stand
Reply:Originally Posted by blackwaterstoutI've never welded stainless steel of any kind.  I'm most comfortable stick welding but have also have a DC lift start tig setup.  Obviously the first thought is this scenerio screams tig due to the thickness of the keg and the ability to have a nice pretty visible weld.
Reply:I made a keg into a water tank when I had my rig on a trailer. I pressurized it with a CO2 bottle and a 100# regulator. I used 3/32 stainless rods to weld the 3 fittings on and didn't have a bit of a problem. It welded very nicely.
Reply:"Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:Originally Posted by ManoKai
Reply:Solder wouldn't require back purging. Stainless can't be heated except under the protection of inert gas, One side gets gas from the torch, the other side, (inside) needs it too. There is a product called solar flux it might help.
Reply:@ blackwaterstout - you have never welded SS of any kind?  Start the TIG journey with stainless steel on a project other than your keg.   You'll want the any TIG welds on a keg to meet sanitary standards (AWS D18.1).  Poor fit up, excessive heat, inadequate gas shielding, lack of internal purge will smoke out the stainless qualities and ruin your set up.  Not cool.  Primer on sanitary welding -> http://www.3-a.org/News/Presentation...eview_Sims.pdfRecommend you read and heed this thread: http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...ght=dimple+die.  Notice posts # 15 and 16.  The vast majority of the distillery and home brew fabricators connect fittings/piping via silver solder versus TIG.Last edited by ManoKai; 11-29-2014 at 08:40 AM.Reason: Ref to AWS D18.1"Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:I used aluminum filler.http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...m-to-stainless12v battery, jumper cables, and a 6013.I only have a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/VPT/244788508917829