I need to make a few repairs to some stainless parts and was going to pick up a 2-lb roll of stainless wire. Not knowing what alloy the metal I will be welding, is there a rule of thumb for what type of alloy wire to buy for general purpose? None of this is structural, just decorative pieces.
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Stainless MIG wire
- Thread starter shadyluke
- Start date
rockwithjason
Well-known member
most non food grade stainless is 304 stainless as it is cheap. i would buy for 304 and get some tri mix gas.
welding 304 : get 308 wire
welding 316 : get 316 wire
welding carbon steel to stainless steel : use 309 wire
welding specialty (like tools that contains chromium and vanadium) : use 312
for the gases, get whatever contains the most % Argon (and only a few % of either or both CO2 and/or O2). Don't use your 80/20 or 90/10 mix of Argon/CO2 with which you weld carbon steel.
these are basic guidelines, that don't always apply, but it'll get you by in most cases.
if you don't know what stainless you have to weld, I'd say: if critical, use 316, if not, use 308.
welding 316 : get 316 wire
welding carbon steel to stainless steel : use 309 wire
welding specialty (like tools that contains chromium and vanadium) : use 312
for the gases, get whatever contains the most % Argon (and only a few % of either or both CO2 and/or O2). Don't use your 80/20 or 90/10 mix of Argon/CO2 with which you weld carbon steel.
these are basic guidelines, that don't always apply, but it'll get you by in most cases.
if you don't know what stainless you have to weld, I'd say: if critical, use 316, if not, use 308.
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Professur
Well-known member
They do make a flux core in stainless that I'm told does a real nice job. Hard to get in smaller rolls tho.
dr_clyde
Well-known member
I would get 308 for general purpose stainless to stainless. Trimix gas is a must though. It's like 90% helium 8% argon and 2% co2 I believe.
I would get 308 for general purpose stainless to stainless. Trimix gas is a must though. It's like 90% helium 8% argon and 2% co2 I believe.
I also have always believed that Tri-gas is a must no exception.
And with tri-gas prices in my area the way they are (combined with the bottle sizes they are offered in) it would be almost as cheap for me to get a cheap TIG welder and bottle of Argon.
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They do make a flux core in stainless that I'm told does a real nice job. Hard to get in smaller rolls tho.
I am still doing some searching on this as I find it to be very intriguing.
Hobart offers several:
http://www.hobartbrothers.com/products/stainless-products.html?level=18
I had no idea this existed, the down side is that it seems to be only available in 28-30lb rolls and at a cost of around $400 per roll....YIKES!
This is why a home user is quite often better suited with a AC/DC tig machine. By the time you get setup to mig weld the most common 3 (mild, stainless and aluminum) you are at if not beyond the cost of a tig welder.
You might be able to solder it depending on what exactly the joint is. Or have someone locally do it for you.
You might be able to solder it depending on what exactly the joint is. Or have someone locally do it for you.