Welding Stainless??

[PeteVS]

Just curious. What's involved with MIG welding stainless? Wire? Gas? What else?
Thanks!

[fordor41]

I've welded stainless with MIG & gas. basically S.S is steel with high nickel content. The weld will have a different color and will rust. If you can find S.S. mig wire that may work better. I've shortened S.S. trim, closed the ends and tacked the ends together. then put some silver paint over the weld. no one ever noticed the difference.

[Newc]

Pure Argon for SS usually expensive so get a small bottle to keep. SS wire 304 alloy??Newc

[Scotty's 52 F3]

Yep, you cab get a small (or large) spool of SS MIG wire. Argon gas.

And like fordor41 said regular steel MIG will "work". An old trick used to be able to cut stainless with a torch. Run a bead of regular welding rod or wire where you want to cut.

[deuce5wndw]

I have had good luck welding stainless mouldings with my Cobra torch and stainless welding wire.

[woodiewagon46]

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We use 98% Argon- 2%- Co2 Mix or Tri Mix Argon, Helium and Co2. Use a good quality SS welding wire with high Nickel content and your go to go. If it's thin, trim work I would TIG weld it if possible. It's just like welding mild steel. For some reason when people hear stainless steel or cast iron they freak out, it's done every day.

[ford38v8]

Finished out and polished, the color won't quite match, but exact color isn't noticeable on a shiny piece of trim unless you know what you're looking for. If being point judged on the Concourse, you'd have a small but real chance of squeaking by unseen on color.

[deuce_roadster]

I always use TIG for Stainless.

[PeteVS]

Originally Posted by deuce5wndw

I have had good luck welding stainless mouldings with my Cobra torch and stainless welding wire.

I have an oxy acetylene set up. Might be worth a try.

[1948F-1Pickup]

Tig

[deuce5wndw]

Pete here is the instructions for setting your flame for stainless.

[Tinker]

I just buy argon for my bottle. Better Tig overall for steel (not needed but) or best/needed for SS and aluminum. I flip it to tig or mig as needed on that bottle. I don't need to weld a ton. But when I need it, it's there.


You can always weld steel with argon. You can't weld other without.

[PeteVS]

Thanks everyone!!

[AnthonyG]

All SS will show som surface rust if not cleaned & passivated. Tig welding with correct weld rod / wire on stainless trim is the way to go. Aggressive Cleaning including passivation before & after removes the surface iron molecules. All bright work stainless is cleaned & passivated at the end of processing to minimize remove the surface iron molecules that cause rust.

[Oldbluoval]

If your filler rod is the same alloy as the piece being welded it will do much better.
Tig is the way to go but I’m not good enough (yet, if ever) to make the weld disappear

[Tinker]

If you have a brush to clean as you go. Stainless brush is what I would suggest.