Stainless with self-shielding flux core

admin

ok.. let's jsut say that i get a piece of 304 SS or 304L SS. about 10-11 gauge (~.125"). can i weld it with my LE 100HD with self-shielding Flux-Cored wire? i knwo there is a SS upgrade kit for the LE 100HD, but i don't really want to spend the money to upgrade and i can't afford to swith to a true MIG setup quite yet. i don't need the welds to of structural quality... i jstuwant to make sure the thing won't fall apart. i plan on making a BBQ grill (Christmas present) out of about 18-24" x 1/8" wall (10-11 GA) 304L SS pipe. weld on a circle on each side to cap it off, and put the frame on it. my main concern is if my welder can make the welds or not. i don't see why not, but i'm curious if the flux-core wire is what i can use. i just can't afford the 20' section of carbon steel pipe, nor can i buy the MIG setup yet.thanks!Later,Andy
Reply:Unless somehow you have -much- different pricing by you, the cost of stainless is WAY higher than for plain mild steel.That drum/barrel place some posted the link to in your other question thread looking for drums/barrels/pipes has like a 10x price difference from a steel drum/barrel to a stainless steel one.That said, if you have stainless and you want it to be stainless after the welding, then you need to use the right procedures (filler/wire, gas, etc).And mild steel flux-core wire ain't really the right stuff for welding some 304 stainless together.note: you can probably weld some 304 stainless with flux-core wire, but it's no longer stainless.
Reply:Andy, you must know someone that will let you borrow a cylinder of Argon to do a little welding.  .023 or.035 308 solid wire, on DCEP will do a good job and will not cost as much as Flux cored stainless.  good luck.  JohnSMAW,GMAW,FCAW,GTAW,SAW,PAC/PAW/OFCand Shielding Gases.  There all here. :
Reply:yeah and if its gonna be a grill, I´d use a smaller wall thickness...I think that the most i´ve saw are so much thinner....However stainless warps more than mild steel...look for some already made grills...so you can come with a nice design... heat warping sucksMy Babies: HF Drill pressHF Pipe Bender3   4.5" Black and Decker angle grindersLincoln Electric PROMIG 175that´s it!
Reply:I weld Stainless with my flux core steel wire all the time.It takes on some of the properties of the stainless, It does rust but not like it would not being fused with the stainless.Just watch the heat because it tends to get brittle and crack while cooling, but you have to really make the weld hot I have found to get the cooling cracking. And I think the stainless flows so easy in the puddle.Miller Thunderbolt 225Millermatic 130 XPLincoln HD 100 Forney C-5bt Arc welderPlasma Cutter Gianteach Cut40ACent Machinery Bandsaw Cent Machinery 16Speed Drill PressChicago Electric 130amp tig/90 ArcHobart 190 Mig spoolgun ready
Reply:Decide how badly you really need the weld itself to be stainless.  If it must be, you need to get the right equipment or hire someone else to do it right.  There is only one self-shielded flux-cored SS wire that I know of, made by ESAB, I believe.  All the others are dual-shield and require a gas anyway.  And if you have to ask how much it is, that means you can't afford it.
Reply:i don't really need the welds or surrounding area to be stainless... it is jsut easier for me to get my hands on 304, 304L, 316, or 316L SS form work. i can get it at scrap price, if not free. i plan on coating the entire grill (exterior only) with 1200 degree paint for corrosion resistance. probably 3 or 4 coats so it will withstand a few hits with a baseball at family functions. it woudln't be the first time hard projectiles have hit something like a grill at my family's parties. i got some scrap for free today... i'm going to take it home tonight, try to stick them together, and beat the piss out of it with a hammer. i'll post some pictures when i get it done.later,Andy