Cheap/DIY back purge plugs?

[tlmartin84]

Are there any hacks out there for DIY back purge plugs for welding stainless?

Ive seen the aluminum foil trick, I honestly just thought about duct taping the ends up, but there has to be some cheap rubber stopper from the hardware store that does the same job...

The sets are ridiculously priced for something I am going to pull out and use once or twice a year.

 

[steel 35]

Are there any hacks out there for DIY back purge plugs for welding stainless?

Ive seen the aluminum foil trick, I honestly just thought about duct taping the ends up, but there has to be some cheap rubber stopper from the hardware store that does the same job...

The sets are ridiculously priced for something I am going to pull out and use once or twice a year.

2” masking tape.

 

[BD1]

We cut cardboard for all our pipe welding and secured with masking tape.
There are fancy soft sponge foam that works but not cheap.
We also used rubber armaflex pipe insulation with masking tape.

 

[bored350]

Water line test plugs are commonly available from the big box stores:
OateyGripper 1-1/2 in. Plastic Mechanical Test Plug
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-Gripper-1-1-2-in-Plastic-Mechanical-Test-Plug-33400/100342630

Smaller sizes can be found as universal freeze out plugs from auto parts store.


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[tlmartin84]

We cut cardboard for all our pipe welding and secured with masking tape.
There are fancy soft sponge foam that works but not cheap.
We also used rubber armaflex pipe insulation with masking tape.

My kids pool noodles would work well. They could be squeezed down, with a hole poked in one end and a tube shoved in the other.

Thanks for this.

 

[vpd66]

Sound like a good reason to own a 3D printer....... LOL

 

[joe49]

2'' masking tape will fit no matter the size.

 

[Mark_17]

Water line test plugs are commonly available from the big box stores:
OateyGripper 1-1/2 in. Plastic Mechanical Test Plug
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-Gripper-1-1-2-in-Plastic-Mechanical-Test-Plug-33400/100342630

Smaller sizes can be found as universal freeze out plugs from auto parts store.


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I use a similar style plug that I had left over from closing my pool.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08628RX23/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[dr_clyde]

I purge a LOT of stainless, and we use 2" blue painters tape for just about everything. If it takes more than a strip or two to cover the diameter, we cut a cardboard cover and tape that in place.

Aluminum foil held in place with safety wire is the best if you're close to the heat, the tape won't hold up to temps more than a few hundred degrees for more than a few seconds.

I have a set of purge plugs from Huntington Fusion Technologies, but they were expensive and rarely are easier and more efficient than just using tape.

Once you get a feel for using tape, you get really quick with it and it seals really well.

I strongly recommend you stick with 3M tape, the cheap stuff just doesn't stick well and therefore leaks.

 

[dr_clyde]

I also don't recommend duct tape. The adhesive melts easier and makes a big mess. It also leaves a sticky residue that is hard to get off. The adhesive also will melt out of the cloth strands and leave a big hole, whereas the paper on masking tape will scorch and turn black before it burns a hole and ruins the purge.

If you're melting/burning the tape, time for foil and safety wire.

 

[ttpete]

What about rubber chemistry corks? They're cheap and can be had with a hole through them. All sizes are available.

 

[fordkid88]

I work in a production shop that makes processing equipment for cheese and dairy industries so 99.999% of the welding we do is tig stainless, and tape is the way we do it. If you're still looking for something a little different you could try silicone plugs for powder coating.


I have not tried this but occasionally I will use a farrell cap when welding spool pieces up which is just a rubber cap.

 

[Jlarson]

3M painters tape, foil and wire and when you do enough pipe and tube welding you accumulate a bunch of shipping caps and plugs from flanges and fittings too, I've got whole bins of them rigged up with fittings so I can put them on a flange or whatever and hook up.

 

[dogdog]

If it is exhaust work I have used “solar flux” as back purge on stainless. I think there was a YouTube tried flux from a stick welding rod and reported good success. I tried tape, some steel wool and a tee on the bottle to a separate regulator. Wasted lot of gas. $55 to refill plus tax here for a 3 feet tall.

 

[Want2race]

Never seen foil and wire. I did take a roll of 2” blue tape and pumped the inside full of a tube of silicone. Waited a day and then cut it to a bit more of a wedge shape. Works great.

 

[sqznby]

FordKid beat me to it, the plugs for powder coating work great.
I also use foil trays because of them being a more ridged than tin-foil and don't tear as easily as foil.
Foil trays with a band clamp and some tin-foil under the clamp to use as a gasket works well and lasts.

 

[ttpete]

Plumber's test plugs. They come in all sizes and types.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=plumbers...680&sprefix=plumbers+test,aps,191&ref=sr_pg_2