Can you silver solder stainless steel

[davidej]

I need to fabricate a small bracket which need two small parts of stainless to be joined.

I don't have access to TIG welding but I can silver solder

Will this work - do you need special solder or flux compared with the ususl type I use on ordinary steel (easyflow?) ?

 

[earlybird]

I have silver soldered small stainless items using normal methods and fluxes.
Easyflo solders are no longer readily obtainable due to cadmium content, but JM silverflo alloys should work. They require a somewhat higher temperature, but with the same fluxes.

 

[2Tizwoz]

Easyflo is readily available and is suitable for stainless steels but apparently not all.

I've never had a problem with it but cadmium does present health problems and the EEC has outlawed it.

 

[geoffatstanpit]

I've silver-soldered stainless parts for underwater cameras and it looks as if it works fine. But it seems to mysteriously just come unstuck in a marine environment - no idea why.

 

[DownWest]

You don't need aTIG welder to weld SS. If you have access to an ordinary 'stick' welder and get a few 316L rods. Slightly lower amps compared with mild steel.
DW

 

[davidej]

You don't need aTIG welder to weld SS. If you have access to an ordinary 'stick' welder and get a few 316L rods. Slightly lower amps compared with mild steel.
DW

No but I have a MIG.

Can I get stainless feed wire and use this?

 

[Leonidas]

I need to fabricate a small bracket which need two small parts of stainless to be joined.

I don't have access to TIG welding but I can silver solder

Will this work - do you need special solder or flux compared with the ususl type I use on ordinary steel (easyflow?) ?

How small is small? Epoxy glue can sometimes be used effectively, but 316 rods on ordinary welding set at low amps works well.

 

[DownWest]

Yes, but check which gas you are using. Need an Argon mix. My Kemppi Mig does Fe SS and Al. Haven't tried the Ally (pure Argon) and hear it is not so easy(or tidy) as a TIG. But for SS MIG is way easier than stick. You still need to pickle it to remove the oxide blacking, or you can use a flapwheel to clean up.
DW

 

[rotrax]

You don't need aTIG welder to weld SS. If you have access to an ordinary 'stick' welder and get a few 316L rods. Slightly lower amps compared with mild steel.
DW

Hi, As I understand it, welding stailess with oxygen able to penatrate the weld-ie in contact with it- causes weak welds. That is what TIG welding does-it surrounds the work with an inert gas so oxygen is displaced. Pre war HRD motorcycle fuel tanks were made with stainless steel side panels. A special flux was used and the pieces were then soldered together, I suspect with silver solder. Good Luck!

 

[DownWest]

Rotrax,
But sticks have the flux coating to generate the gas and TIG gas still doesn't get round the back of a weld.

Down at a scrappy, guys were offloading a heap of SS tubes and joints. I chatted and they were re-istalling a huge amount of tubing at a spring water bottling plant. Reason was that the previous welders had not flooded the inside with inert gas while welding and the oxides left were causing the water to fail purity tests. Very expensive mistake and they should have known.

 

[SHUG]

Before you rush into it, talk to the guys at Brackets and Bolts Ltd. They have made up excellent brackets for me in the past and their catalogue contains a selection of sections in stainless which you might be able to adapt or get them to make up
See: www.bracketsandbolts.com

 

[rotrax]

Rotrax,
But sticks have the flux coating to generate the gas and TIG gas still doesn't get round the back of a weld.

Down at a scrappy, guys were offloading a heap of SS tubes and joints. I chatted and they were re-istalling a huge amount of tubing at a spring water bottling plant. Reason was that the previous welders had not flooded the inside with inert gas while welding and the oxides left were causing the water to fail purity tests. Very expensive mistake and they should have known.

OOOOOPS! Food quality welding is obviously a very specialised game. I once, in a dire emergency, welded a stailess bracket from a commercial refrigeration unit for a maintenance man.The broken bracket was allowing the compressor to hit the frame and the vibration was reported to be horrendous. I had only Oxy-Acetalyne gas welding gear and the only filler rod was a S/S bicycle spoke. The weld looked awfull but the unit was still in use with the welded bracket at least four years after I repaired it. A speedway rider of my aquaintence-not too freindly with him- he put me up the fence at Peterborough-welded an exhaust pipe using a wire coat hanger as a filler rod.

 

[DownWest]

OOOOOPS! Food quality welding is obviously a very specialised game. I once, in a dire emergency, welded a stailess bracket from a commercial refrigeration unit for a maintenance man.The broken bracket was allowing the compressor to hit the frame and the vibration was reported to be horrendous. I had only Oxy-Acetalyne gas welding gear and the only filler rod was a S/S bicycle spoke. The weld looked awfull but the unit was still in use with the welded bracket at least four years after I repaired it. A speedway rider of my aquaintence-not too freindly with him- he put me up the fence at Peterborough-welded an exhaust pipe using a wire coat hanger as a filler rod.

Hi, did you ever race at Rye House? Way back we used to have a trailer works inside the facility. The Kart guys used to come round for quick fixes.

As for welding SS with Oxy-Acet, other than brazing ( Original question) Good luck! More a job of putting enough on and hoping. In your case successful...

My next job, after the chat at the scrappy, was fabricating the cooling system at a winery owned by a 'quite well known singer'.A few head aches there, mostly from the wine
DW

 

[angelsson]

I need to fabricate a small bracket which need two small parts of stainless to be joined.

I don't have access to TIG welding but I can silver solder

Will this work - do you need special solder or flux compared with the ususl type I use on ordinary steel (easyflow?) ?

Yes of course, 'brazing' is what i learnt it as, need to be clean, a red heat and good flux the braze will be very strong, in fact have seen joints hold where body of material brazed breaks.

 

[EuanMcKenzie]

I used to work in brewing - you need to use TIG and have an argon purge inside the pipe so that you get a clean weld internally. We used to put an endoscope up teh pipes to check teh work had been done right. Can afford to taint the beer!

Anyway the original problem.

Most MIG set can do arc as well, worth checking - can't you just get a few stainless arc rods and tack it on then polish up with grinder?

Get 316 stainless rods so that you don't get rusting of the weld later.

 

[SAMYL]

Yes, but check which gas you are using. Need an Argon mix. My Kemppi Mig does Fe SS and Al. Haven't tried the Ally (pure Argon) and hear it is not so easy(or tidy) as a TIG. But for SS MIG is way easier than stick. You still need to pickle it to remove the oxide blacking, or you can use a flapwheel to clean up.
DW

Argon mix will work fine but if you can use pure Argon (if you can afford it!) you will get a better, cleaner weld and easier to do.