welding equipment and stainless steel

Birdseye

Birdseye

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I would like to buy some basic welding kit and teach myself to weld the sort of stainless steel we have on boats - 1mm to 4mm thick. Question is what sort of equipment. MIG , TIG or stick?
 
I suggest that MIG has many advantages. It is good at the thicknesses you are talking about, whereas stick welding is very difficult with thin metal sections. TIG is more difficult to learn and the cheap sets are almost impossible. I have one with which a top rated professional welder could not achieve a decent weld.

With all of them, the more you spend the easier it will be to get to grips with it. Buy an automatic darkening mask, far easier than a simple dark shield.
 
I know its a contradiction in terms but you can buy MIG sets that use cored wire rather than a gas shield. Any views? And what about power levels?
 
If you want welds the quality you see on boats you need a good to very good TIG set with foot control.Then, a lot ,and I mean a lot, of practice.Read some books and watch videos.Some of the welds on tubing I've seen on boats are made without filler metal which gives a nice appearance but is not good practice.One thing you should know is that when welding thin Stainless back purging (protecting the underside of the weld from the atmosphere) is essential.Sometimes it is necessary to build a temporary box that encloses the back of the piece being welded which is then filled with argon.Tubes are easier,just stick the argon hose in them and let it flow for a little while.
This is what I have.Not too expensive and very easy to use.
TIG_WELDER_TIG200PDC_zpsea446b75.jpg
 
If you want to make the sort of shiny equipment normally found on the boat you can ONLY use TIG. I bought a Kobel set from Ebay about two years ago to teach myself (Coast about £180) and it works well. I think that in the early stages a foot pedal will be confusing. Mine doesn't have one but I'm about ready to move up as I am now getting pretty good at it on an amateur level. Don't expect to be able to produce good quality work for at least a year of practice but it's worth it in the end. If you can find a local course that is the best route forward. There was nothing available in Mid Devon so I had to teach myself with the help of numerous YouTube videos. If you persevere you'll love it!;)
 
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I had one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AC-DC-TIG...284?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item257b76e87c
The one above does ally too, which you will naturally progress onto.
If you want to weld small diameter thin tube, it is easier to weld, by making a backing strip, cut off a little length of tube, about 25mm and slit down the length with a thin disc. Squeeze the tube down and push into the joint, it is then much easier to make a good weld. Don't forget the polishing discs, mops and soaps
A local company to me sells "Y size" cylinders for £200. Forget throwaway cylinders, it's an expensive way to buy gas, and you will go through a lot of gas learning to weld.
 
birdseye said:
I know its a contradiction in terms but you can buy MIG sets that use cored wire rather than a gas shield. Any views? And what about power levels?
Click to expand...

That's what I bought about fifteen years ago ago (Clarke no-gas) - the cored wire is great for normal carbon steel around the garden (the burning core provides the inert gas), but for stainless it uses a solid SS wire, polarity reversed, and an expensive gas cylinder. I believe there's a bodge where you can use CO2, but i've never got around to that.

I made a double anchor bow roller that's lasted many years so I'm well pleased; it's not the prettiest of welding jobs, but has held up well. I didn't pickle the job afterwards, and as a result there's some cosmetic staining .. but I can live with that.
 
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If you're planning on doing any serious amounts of welding, MIG or TIG, it's the argon gas that costs silly money - cheapest option is to get an account with BOC - you then rent the cylinder from them, for a relatively modest monthly fee, plus you pay for the gas each time you have them refill it. 'Y' size is a good choice.
Buying the small, disposable cylinders costs a lot of cash for not much gas!
 
greenalien said:
If you're planning on doing any serious amounts of welding, MIG or TIG, it's the argon gas that costs silly money - cheapest option is to get an account with BOC - you then rent the cylinder from them, for a relatively modest monthly fee, plus you pay for the gas each time you have them refill it. 'Y' size is a good choice.
Buying the small, disposable cylinders costs a lot of cash for not much gas!
Click to expand...

In N. Wales and the north west of England there is a far cheaper and more convenient option. The Bumblebee garage at Connah's Quay is a gas dealer but not BOC. You buy a bottle and a fill of gas from him, then buy the gas only from then on. He will buy the bottle back if you no longer want it. When I used to have oxy-acetylene from BOC it was nothing but trouble. The rental was a lot for my relatively light use and it was always difficult to get them to come to me.
 
greenalien said:
If you're planning on doing any serious amounts of welding, MIG or TIG, it's the argon gas that costs silly money - cheapest option is to get an account with BOC - you then rent the cylinder from them, for a relatively modest monthly fee, plus you pay for the gas each time you have them refill it. 'Y' size is a good choice.
Buying the small, disposable cylinders costs a lot of cash for not much gas!
Click to expand...
BOC is the not the only source of gas, you should also get quotes from Air-Liquide and Air Products too, for occasional use some of the rent free cyclinder options represent good value.
 
Problem with TIG used outdoors is that the shield gas blows away easily so wind breaks needed. Good results can be had with stick and DC inverter welder. The photo below is 22 x 1.5mm tube stick welded with 1.5 electrode at 55amps DC.
 
GrahamM376 said:
Problem with TIG used outdoors is that the shield gas blows away easily so wind breaks needed. Good results can be had with stick and DC inverter welder. The photo below is 22 x 1.5mm tube stick welded with 1.5 electrode at 55amps DC.
Click to expand...
Very good!!How was it polished?
 
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