Stainless stick weld advice

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I'm about to do some stainless stick welding soon at work/school and I've never done this type of stainless welding before and had marginal luck with tig stainless.  What should I expect that makes it different from regular smaw, what will differ in treatment of the material aside from the stainless brush?
Reply:I've done a bit of stainless stick for a few hobby projects, and I think it can run very smoothly, like 6013, maybe more  like 7014.  The main issue  I have experienced is that you can trap slag/leave a central slag pocket if the arc length is too long and/or travel is too fast.  IMO a tight arc is essential, a moderate drag angle, and slight uphill position of the joint helps prevent entrapped slag.  When the current is tuned in, you can lightly drag the electrode tip (coating) along the joint.
Reply:I've done a little bit of stainless stick also - I agree, it can run very smoothly - more like 7014 I'd say (I suck with 6013/pipe - not enough practice). I chose stick because at the time I had no garage and tig outside isn't a good idea. Bead ran smoothly, looks good, and it's still holding 2-3 years later so I must have had good penetration. I would say it is simpler by far to do stick with stainless, but it just depends on your project. RuthThe family toys:Miller Maxstar 150 S, with TIGGoWeld baby wirefeedOxy/Acetylene rig
Reply:Like said use a tight arc, it welds real nice. The last time I used it was for the meat rails in an abattoir.Leo
Reply:We do quite a bit of stainless Stick welding at work as all our tanks are stainless. Best advice i can give is use about 1/3 less amps then reg rods. I.E. 7018  3/32" at 70- 90 amps you will use 50-60 amps for stainless. Stainless works best from my experience in the flat weld position. If you have to go uphill for any reason ive found the best way is to stack tacks beads etc. Make a good tack then put another right on top of it stacking them.Dont try to run a continous bead uphill it just wont work . Keep a tight tight arc almost touching the material.Also you want to be almost 90 degrees to the weld with a slight angle as you drag. If you can, get some Lincoln Excalibur rods . These are great very little slag and they burn very nice . Weve tried all rod brands and these are by far the best weve ever used. Depending on you machine if you have Arc control turn it up a bit it will focus the arc and make your life a whole lot easier. If not then keep a very close arc. Get some practice pieces and play . Hope this helps my friend..
Reply:Originally Posted by Torn7thDont try to run a continous bead uphill it just wont work
Reply:By series of tacks do you mean run a short bead then stop and let it cool then continue with another short bead?
Reply:Stainless welding rods can be used in any position, but it differs from 7018 not only in in the amperage required. Due to the nature of the flux and resulting slag, all of your parameters must be adhered to a lot more strictly. With a 3/32" electrode you can lay a bead as pretty as most tig welds, although not as tiny. As a beginner you can expect slag inclusions on your flat and horizontal welds untill you learn to maintain a tight arc at the correct rod angle at the right speed with your reduced het setting. If you are not yet proficient at mild steel SMAW, don't attempt any stainless projects without lots of practice burning expensive rods. BTW, continuous vertical beads can be made, but require even more skill. I like to do it, but I have let very few qualified welders that I have hired do it on customer jobs. It is just too difficult to clean out the inclusions to do a repair.
Reply:hjhhhhhkjhhkHobart mega arc 250 Airco dipstick160 air liquide cutting torches arc air gouger and so many more goodiesIf you cant dazzle them with brillants baffle them with bullsh$t
Reply:Originally Posted by Baila La PinzaI can see that you know what you're talking about by the advice you posted, however, I guess it depends on what you're doing, welding say 2mm stainless uphill with a continuos bead is not going to end well unless you've got perfect fitup, then it is do-able, but takes alot of practice (although, as you say, a series of tacks is normally the prefered method). Thicker material is a bit easier once you get used to it, although stainless rods tend to be a bit drippy and prone to pin holes, run them uphill like a 7018 and dont let the runny slag fool you.
Reply:Originally Posted by Donald BranscomStainless for SMAW is not recommended for more than 10º uphill.Vertical up -forget it.
Reply:Originally Posted by Baila La PinzaI've never heard that before, but I guess it could depend on the manufactures recommendations for rods you're using.Only had some 5mm mild steel laying around, used 2.5 E316L-17 on about 55amps. As I've said before, I'm only an average stick hand (as I don't do it that much), but thought it might be fun to have a quick play
Reply:This thread got me thinking lol yeah thats rare . I started playing with my Syncro 250 last night and got some decent results on vertical ..nothing great but decent. I ran a 1/8 316 rod at about 80- 90 amps BUT and its a big BUT my Syncro has Arc control on it. I found when i turned it up to 8-9 arc control it ran the rod quite well for uphill. For those not familiar with arc control its kinda like AC aluminum welding. If you turn it down you get a less focused arc ( I.E. More cleaning) if you turn it up you get a much more focused arc ( I.E. Max penetration). Ok ok that being said if your machine has Arc Control use it if not then keep a real tight and i mean real tight arc 1/16 off the material and try diff angles . Hope this helps a bit ...Stainless Stick is touchy stuff..
Reply:There is some good, and bad advice here. The best piece of advice is "stainless stick is touchy stuff".It likes to lay flat and going up is difficult but if you are doing pipe, you will need to go up on some and down on some. Down is super easy so no need for explanation. Going up, you will need a slightly longer arc than if you were running 7018. This stuff like to hump up so that way to combat that is with rod angle and a slightly long arc and a little oscillation. The last time I ran 309 3/32 rod, it was at 65 amps. Good luck.UA Local 598
Reply:I know were talking stick here. But i just ran some mckay 308l dual shield wire and it burns nice and smooth uphill. The slag is different on it (vs regular dualshield for mild steel). But it runs like butter.Ya gotta spend money to make money!
Reply:No arc control on what I'm using, the building uses 30+ year old esabs linked to remote boxes inside and a universal ground system for about 36 machines with the main dial being 50 amp increments and the secondary dial being 5 amp increments.  Not sure yet if there will be mig and tig stainless but I think Tig is a good possibility.
Reply:Originally Posted by Pro-FabThat is pretty good for a first attempt. It may be a little more fluid when welding actual s/s plate, but your heat is about right. Most welders tend to pile up weld metal in the center. There may be some electrodes that aren't recommended for out of position but the 3XX-16 rods that I use work great if you know what you are doing.
Reply:According to Lincoln -15 is used for all positions, -16 is for all positions except for vertical down, and -17 is for flat and horizontal only.
Reply:The brand I used are suitable for all positions except vert down.Click for Murex Nicrex 316L-17 data sheet
Reply:Originally Posted by Baila La PinzaThe brand I used are suitable for all positions except vert down.Click for Murex Nicrex 316L-17 data sheet
Reply:Originally Posted by Donald BranscomStainless for SMAW is not recommended for more than 10º uphill.Vertical up -forget it.
Reply:Originally Posted by HertzWho says?
Reply:Originally Posted by Big65moparBy series of tacks do you mean run a short bead then stop and let it cool then continue with another short bead?
Reply:Originally Posted by Scott YoungAccording to Lincoln -15 is used for all positions, -16 is for all positions except for vertical down, and -17 is for flat and horizontal only.
Reply:Originally Posted by galencwiare you refering to amps?got it thanks“I'm going to do the thing that God put Galen Beasley on this Earth to do:Have Salon quality hair and weld.Nothing like a good cup of coffee and the smell of 6010 burning in the morning. 971-204-3444 cell API ASME Structural NDT and Repair
Reply:Last three days I have been working on vertical using 308-L16 1/8" and 309-16 1/8 on mild carbon steel plates ground to clean and jigged to make 8 T joints withe the plates being 1/8.  Temps on the ancient esab are running 95 - 80 running a slow zigzag weave up the root.  First 8 roots came out horribly but the second set of 8 I was able to bring together to look like a 4th week rookie welder which doesnt say much.  Now Im working on a second pass to increase the weld size to 3/8"  from 1/4" and no matter what I do whether its changing angles, travel speed, heat, duration in toes or dipping into the toe of the previous weld or just running across it I end up with a bad Mexican bead ( no offense to any Mexicans on here, just call me a bald redheaded mick) and I'm getting pissed off now.  Advice?
Reply:Probably has to do with my only having two tacks per root and the issue with it being a bear for uphill.  My arcs tight and I have had sticking allot until the plate gets past 300F or I keep a 1/32" distance between the flux coating of the rod and the weldmont.  Colors of the beads range from gold to rose gold to rainbow colors.  Beads tend to either be fat  or fat and tall like a tomato worm unless I take the rod 1 1/2 times the width of the rod diameter past the root of the joint and the toe of the underlying bead Im covering for the second pass.I cant post pics due to the nature of the business I work for and the fact that there are armed marines toting well polished and oiled M16's here.
Reply:My first stales stick rods were " forney" 312 - xx ( can't remember)They sucked. Kept getting slag trapped in the middle of a bead with no way of knowing till you removed the slag. Then I got some lincoln red Barron. Ran sweat. No slag pockets at all. Think the forneys might hav been old as the flux was flakeyG
Reply:Originally Posted by Big65moparLast three days I have been working on vertical using 308-L16 1/8" and 309-16 1/8 on mild carbon steel plates ground to clean and jigged to make 8 T joints withe the plates being 1/8.  Temps on the ancient esab are running 95 - 80 running a slow zigzag weave up the root.  First 8 roots came out horribly but the second set of 8 I was able to bring together to look like a 4th week rookie welder which doesnt say much.  Now Im working on a second pass to increase the weld size to 3/8"  from 1/4" and no matter what I do whether its changing angles, travel speed, heat, duration in toes or dipping into the toe of the previous weld or just running across it I end up with a bad Mexican bead ( no offense to any Mexicans on here, just call me a bald redheaded mick) and I'm getting pissed off now.  Advice?
Reply:Friday I was able to get my root quarters down like I said before but the second pass to make it 3/8 just wouldn't pan out even with moving quick.  The stand in instructor decided that he wanted me to do a practice test plate and I worked the root on one side quicker like I was doing mild with 1/8 7018 but it came out looking like it was cold and ran to fast and very narrow.  I have no control over what rods I'm using nor over the work I'm welding on. I really can't get a handle on how ss stick works and my experience so far has been that it doesn't act like water but acts like extruded pudding and either comes out looking cold when I try to run it within its required bead dimensions or will be two to three times its actual size to get it flat by having to go 1.5 times the diameter of the rod past the root instead of a rod diameter out from the root.  I've had some decent root pass beads but instead of being  1/4 in size they range close to 3/8.I'm trying to find out if they will let me drop this portion of my training to move onto machine ( mig and fluxcore ) and then on to tig or if I'll be washed out and possibly let go but no one is willing to talk to me which tends to lean towards my getting fired.
Reply:Got through the vertical though its a bit sketchy and now I'm fighting with overhead and arc wandering issues no matter what I do.  Seriously I hate stainless and would rather stand in line at the dmv on a Friday with one person at the desk and theres 200 people ahead of me and its mid August and the a/c isn't working and the lady behind me has her 17 kids with her and their bored.
Reply:Originally Posted by Big65moparGot through the vertical though its a bit sketchy and now I'm fighting with overhead and arc wandering issues no matter what I do.  Seriously I hate stainless and would rather stand in line at the dmv on a Friday with one person at the desk and theres 200 people ahead of me and its mid August and the a/c isn't working and the lady behind me has her 17 kids with her and their bored.
Reply:Looks like my remote amp box is off its mark on the amps and I was running to cold in the overhead so I have the box set to 115 amps though I'd suspect that its probably closer to 95 or 100.
Reply:Did my stainless 4G test today and it ran so much better with my setting at 110 or at least what the box says is 110.  Got a little worried with the reinforcement and ran them to quick requiring an additional bead be ran on the final pass and some grinding to fix a couple spots for rerunning a partial bead.
Reply:Passed my 3g stainless, about to start my 2g tomorrow.
Reply:All stainless stick testing is done, waiting to find out about the 4 and 2 g tests to be sure I passed the xray portion,now its on to mig and fluxcore.