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I am going to be fabricating a interior stainless steel hand rail. It will likey have a round 1 1/2" D. 1/8" wall hand rail, with round 1" D. 1/8" wall pickets apx 4-5" on center spacing. This rail will be on a stair case, so the pickets will be coped with pitch. GTAW is the process. My concern is that the top rail is going to have waves in it from all the welding of pickets. My Question, is there any tricks to prevent the top rail from warping. How to keep the top rail totally staight. The longest rail stetch is apx 10'- 12'. Maybe fusing without filler might help?? If you have any tricks or tips that can help keep my rail staight and prevent warping. I would greatly appreciate any helpful insight
Reply:Very short welds, skip around, wrap the top rail with damp rags. Keep the heat to a minimum!Dont pay any attention to meIm just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:FLM,We run into this problem all the time with SS bow rails, handrails, etc. (marine fab)Most of the time, in new rail construction, warping is controlled by fixtureing.In repair work (say replacing a vertical stantion) I've found that it helps to clamp a length of SS angle to the tubing, opposite the side to be welded. I have a length of 1/4"x2" SS angle that I use for this purpose. Sort of a "portable fixture" that also serves as a heat sink.I will coat the inside of the tube to be welded (not the main tube) with solar flux B. Then weld with minimum amps. If the fitup is perfect, you can often get by with no filler. If you use filler, I'd recommend .045. or at the max 1/16". Pulsing the bead can also help to keep the "average" amps down.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:The best way to prevent warping is a fixture, but round tube is very hard to fixture. Post welding mechanical manipulation is useful too, but again it's hard on round tube. Lowering heat input will reduce warping, but it won't eliminate it. Will there be a top and bottom rail? If so make sure to weld following a pattern that will result in opposing forces. If you do it right there won't be any large scale warping, only a little ripple between pickets, which should not be very noticeable.Ian TannerKawasaki KX450 and many other fine tools |
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