Stainless advice please

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I want to repair a 1931 Ford radiator shell as a gift for a friend. It has a hole that needs a piece added. Please advise me on what type of stainless I can use that will be compatible.   I have welded a small amount of stainless before and learned that two pieces I had were not compatible. Its the ugly hole in the center Attached Images
Reply:Do you know what kind of stainless it's made out of? That's the best place to start, then use a copper backing and weld away.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Originally Posted by bgarrettI want to repair a 1931 Ford radiator shell as a gift for a friend. It has a hole that needs a piece added. Please advise me on what type of stainless I can use that will be compatible.   I have welded a small amount of stainless before and learned that two pieces I had were not compatible. Its the ugly hole in the center
Reply:bgarrett - Stainless?It is more likely nickel/chrome on steel.Throw a magnet on it.If its steel - the nickel/chrome will burnregardless of the filler, requiring re-plate.If S/S - there are additional repair parameters.Whether it is S/S or Nickel/Chrome - this is an advanced technical repair - know exactly what you have, and how to do it before you start.   Discover and post.Opus
Reply:My guess is its 304 stainless, use 308L.If you think it may not be 304 then use 312 or 309.If you find out exactly what it is we can find the filler you need.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:If it's stainless it wouldn't matter the slightest what 300 series filler you use. I'd just use 308L cuz it's everywhere. If it's non-magnetic stainless, it's almost garanteed to be 304.Even if it was mild steel I'd use 308L to help control porosity on crappy coroded/dirty metal.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:Please don't just "weld away" no matter the material. You don't want to wrinkle it up or make it wavy from heat distortion, small tacks will do. I like to keep a bucket with several rags or towels in water to quench the heat away as I make my series of small tacks.Also please read reply #4, Opus hit the nail on the head.
Reply:Originally Posted by Showdog75Please don't just "weld away" no matter the material. You don't want to wrinkle it up or make it wavy from heat distortion, small tacks will do. I like to keep a bucket with several rags or towels in water to quench the heat away as I make my series of small tacks.Also please read reply #4, Opus hit the nail on the head.
Reply:Nickel plated steel.
Reply:Thank you guys for the good information. For you other guys, it *IS* stainless
Reply:bgarrett"For you other guys, it *IS* stainless".The 'other guys' - are as concerned with the success of your weld issue - as you are.Stainless only compounds the repair parameters.Metal determined - this is still an advanced technical repair - how are you going to do it?Back purge, stitch on a copper buck, or hog-it in with spray transfer  . . . ? Opus
Reply:"hog-it in with spray transfer"When in doubt,wind it out!
Reply:Buildings at the time, including the Chrysler Building, used 302 stainless.  I would treat it as if it were 302/304 for welding purposes.http://www.nickelinstitute.org/~/Med...ure_11023_.pdfhttp://www.atimetals.com/businesses/...tehistory.aspx"...Since the early days of stainless steel, Allegheny Ludlum has pioneered the development of products and processes which are critical to today’s industry. The trademark, Allegheny Metal, was associated with the most widely used stainless steel of the day. In 1910, Ludlum Steel was the first to use electric furnaces in manufacturing alloy steels.In 1927, Allegheny Metal was chosen for New York’s Chrysler Building and the next year it was specified for the Empire State Building. In 1929, Ford began using Allegheny Metal for the bright trim parts of the Model A. ...""USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:Originally Posted by walkerNickel plated steel.
Reply:Doesn't matter what the steel is, just weld the dam thing. use stainless sheet and stainless filler just to error on the of quality, tig it, grind it smooth, blend it smooth with a rolloc die grinder pad, re-chrome it if it proves to be mild steel.Less debating, more being done with it already.Last edited by MikeGyver; 12-05-2013 at 01:35 AM.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyverDoesn't matter what the steel is, just weld the dam thing. use stainless sheet and stainless filler just to error on the of quality, tig it, grind it smooth, blend it smooth with a rolloc die grinder pad, re-chrome it if it proves to be mild steel.Less debating, more being done with it already.
Reply:If it IS stainless steel, as you say ( please share how you determined this?) please do NOT use 309 SS filler! 309 is a great filler material to join low carbon steel to 308/316 SS and some higher alloys.... ( Inconel etc) BUT- you run the risk of the 309 material oxidizin- read: RUSTING- later as it has a relatively high iron content. If it is 302 - I suggest using 304 or 304L filler wire for joing your slug in to the hole.
Reply:This post is a little late. Sorry! I just joined the forums today. The first thing I would do is consider the project and when it was made. At that time stainless was extremely expensive. More than likely that radiator shroud is some type of carbon steel that has been plated. If so-just take it to your local chrome shop and have the plating removed. It is much cheaper to de-plate something than to plate it.Then you can use whatever filler you need for the base material!Last edited by 'Stang; 12-25-2013 at 12:52 AM.
Reply:Many scrap yards have XRF analyzers to determine the alloy of metals. You might be able to get them to check it and eliminate the question of which type of metal you have.Mike
Reply:Correct me if im wrong, but as far as stainless goes, 316 is more of the top grade and we wr told, (as far as welding pipe goes)  when in doubt run 316 filler as it's top grade and you only run the risk of the weld being better quality than base metalSent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2
Reply:Originally Posted by RollinCoal420Correct me if im wrong, but as far as stainless goes, 316 is more of the top grade and we wr told, (as far as welding pipe goes)  when in doubt run 316 filler as it's top grade and you only run the risk of the weld being better quality than base metalSent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2
Reply:Originally Posted by SquirmyPugNope. 316 is just a different alloy, not really better or worse. The alloy used depends on the application. Using the wrong filler can cause problems.
Reply:straightening out  0.030" 308LSi is like bailing wire, use some of that if you have it.SqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A