Welding stainless 1/8 plate

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If im going to be tig welding 316 stainless plate do i still need solar flux or a back purge? Are back purging and solar flux only for tubing use or must it be used all the time when welding stainless such as plate/sheet. Thanks im new to working with stainless!Ya gotta spend money to make money!
Reply:You will get sugaring on the back side of a stainless steel weld if there is no shielding to protect it. Tube, plate or pipe. I suggest Solar B weld flux for this purpose.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:Originally Posted by snoeproeYou will get sugaring on the back side of a stainless steel weld if there is no shielding to protect it. Tube, plate or pipe. I suggest Solar B weld flux for this purpose.
Reply:Depends on the type of weld. May not need a purge/flux for a fillet weld or a lap weld however a full pen  butt weld will need the backside to protected.Solar flux is a bitch to remove, a purge requires no clean up and is easy enough to set up for flat material- tape some aluminium to the back of the work to make a 'tent' that you can flow argon through for example. There's also weld back up tape (glass fibre cloth/aluminium tape combo) available to back up welds but it ain't particuarly cheap. Smaller/simple weldments can be backed up by clamping a chunk of aluminium or copper to the back of the weld too- keeps the O2 away and makes a great heat sink (more useful for thin sheet)
Reply:Exactly. If you require full penetration (to weld the joint properly) with a stainless butt weld, you will get sugaring if not back shielded. Type B solar flux cleans up nice with a wire wheel if you can get at the back side of the joint after welding. You don't need a secondary argon bottle/regulator if you use solar B flux as well.Last edited by snoeproe; 09-29-2009 at 09:30 PM.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720