Stainless steel welding problem.

admin

Just a poor boy here trying to do a job. I need to build a maple syrup evaporator pan. I have some stainless steel that I think will work if I can weld it. I have an air cooled tig torch and little to no experience tigging. I am a stick welder. OK, I have a 250 ideal arc lincoln. I dont seem to be able to turn the current down enough to weld this thin stuff. The stainless is about 23 ga. I am told. I think if I could turn down the machine some more it could be done easily. Is there any way to cut the current some more or is there some other way. Maybe use bigger tungsten, bigger filler rod? Stumped Harold
Reply:Doesn't the IdealArc require a separate TIG module for TIG?  Or is that just for AC/High-Freq TIG?     I wanted to make sure since you didn't mention it nor the shielding gas and you said you have little TIG experience.Lincoln AC225 & MigPak 140, Lincoln Magnum SpoolGun, Miller Spectrum 375-X Plasma, Syncrowave 200 TIG, Millermatic 252 MIG, Miller Digital Elite, General 7x12" horiz/vert bandsaw, 3' box/pan brake, 20 ton press, milling machine, 12x28 lathe, etc.
Reply:Its just really a stick welder. But its all I got. I did forget to mention I am using 1/16th stainless rod and tungsten. Thanks Harold
Reply:The 250 Idealarc is a very solid scratch start DC tig welder as is. The only thing you need the tig moduel (high frequency) for is to tig aluminum or magnesium. You can turn the Idealarc down to 40 amps. That's as low as it will go in DC. I have tig welded some very thin stuff with mine turned down that low. If your having troubles there are a few things you can try. Faster travel speed, a heat sink backing and smaller tungsten would be tips to try first. However, since your already down to 1/16 tungsten, you should be able to make that work.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:as a long time sheet metal welder 23 ga is pretty tough stuff to cut your teeth on, especially if you don't have a lot of TIG practice.  above 16ga the technique for welding becomes very different.  Your parts have to have TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT fitup. because any gaping will usually cause you to blow thru.  also as strange as it sounds. The easiest position to weld is vertical down and usually low heat is not desirable. off the top of my head I would start around 50-80 as a wild ball park depending if I was using a peddle or not.  for starters you have to tack every 2-6 inches for 23 ga I would go around the 3-4 inch range. Tack very hot and fast. toggling the switch on and off should be enough. If you try tacking colder and slower you'll just burn through.     Don't forget to grab a hammer and bang the parts into close contact in between the tacksbacking bar can help especially on 23gause a very sharp and narrow tungsten angle with a very big stick out maybe .5" or so. personally I preferred a big cup size but most people run around a 7. The welding angle should be very extreme like 15 to 20 degrees from parallel of the part joint. The prefered joint is outside corner or edge joints.  Laps are possible but hard. Butts are also possible but hard. T's are very hard.After that it's cake. As long as the part doesn't open up.  you just run the arc down the length of the part and it will fuse up real nice. No filler needed (that would be harder) If you are about to blow through you gotta back off. This is why vertical down is preferred as the heat won't travel with the arc so you don't blow through as easily. this is also why you use the extreme angle you want as little as penetration as possible.good luck. I learned on 18ga and It was a lesson in blowin through a bunch.
Reply:Thanks guys, I will try again with the suggestions. They sound good. Thanks again. Harold