Arc Welding Stainless Steel

[Danno1]

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Has anyone arc welded using 308 SS rods? I have some Blue Demon 308 I got from McMaster-Carr and have a very hard time getting the bead to look nice. It doesn't seem to wet out the base metal very well. And yes, I have tried turning up the heat. It ends up being lumpy and porous looking. The slag is tough to remove also. I saw some threads on Welding Web, Everlast, and Hobart (maybe) where the guys had bad things to say about Blue Demon 7018.

A guy at work gave me some Blue Lightning rod to try. It's listed as a rod for joining dissimilar alloys. The MSDS lists it as having Iron, Chromium, Nickel, and Manganese in it. So it's kinda like stainless steel. This rod runs easier than the 308 I have. The beads end up looking really nice and smooth and the slag chips off easily too.

https://www.partsmaster.us/SitePages/Products.aspx?Code=02010311





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[Shield Arc]

You are welding on DC, or AC?

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Are you joining steel to steel, stainless to steel, or stainless to stainless? If its stainless to stainless, do you know the classification?

I've just picked up an unopened 10 lb can of Lincoln red baron 316L MR...for........let's just say cheaper than I should have:shocked Pays to keep your eyes open.) Still not sure what to do with it.
Need some stainless worth joining now. But the point is, every can of Red Baron I have used (mostly 309L) the slag has chipped or slid right off. I've never tried blue Demon. The only time I had a problem was when I forgot to reset the polarity...and it acted similar to what you describe.

 

[Shield Arc]

When I first got my PA-200 I tried some 316L-16 that I've had for around 38-years. Before I could get my hood up the slag was jumping off the weld.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Can't tell as the brush marks are camouflaging the metal, but is that stainless or were you simply playing around on some less expensive steel?

 

[Shield Arc]

Grind marks?:confused3: I have no idea what type of stainless steel that is, came off a luggage carousel conveyor.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Sorry, I was looking at it on a smaller screen size. It's brush marks. But it is stainless...

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Sorry, I was looking at it on a smaller screen size. It's brush marks. But it is stainless...

Here's my 20.00 find.

 

[Shield Arc]

Sorry, I was looking at it on a smaller screen size. It's brush marks. But it is stainless...

Nice try! But you're getting up there to the age where the eyes are starting to betray you a little bit.:laughing:

 

[Danno1]

Are you joining steel to steel, stainless to steel, or stainless to stainless? If its stainless to stainless, do you know the classification?

I've just picked up an unopened 10 lb can of Lincoln red baron 316L MR...for........let's just say cheaper than I should have:shocked Pays to keep your eyes open.) Still not sure what to do with it.
Need some stainless worth joining now. But the point is, every can of Red Baron I have used (mostly 309L) the slag has chipped or slid right off. I've never tried blue Demon. The only time I had a problem was when I forgot to reset the polarity...and it acted similar to what you describe.

I was using DC. But now can't remember if it was straight polarity or reverse.

I laid beads on A36 for practice and filled countersunk holes on 303/304? stainless.

The Blue Lightning rods laid down on A36 looking like ShieldArc's #4 post.

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[Shield Arc]

Can you post pictures of your results?

 

[Danno1]

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Sorry about the delayed reply. I had camera probs and a couple of snowstorms... I really do appreciate the help on this board.


The upper left weld is Blue Lightning run at 95A, DC+
The upper right weld is Blue Lightning run at 105A, DC+
The lower left weld is Blue Demon run at 75A, DC+
The lower right weld is Blue Demon run at 85A, DC+

BL recommended range is 60-100A, 1/8th Dia
BD recommended range is 50-70A, 3/32 or 1/8 Dia, can't remember right now
Using a Lincoln AC/DC 225/125
The practice plate is a mounting bracket off a step&tow bumper




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[yomax4]

You can get a nicer bead if you use the 308 LSI or LHS. Both are low carbon high silicon. Some companies use L = low carbon, SI = added silicon. some use L = low carbon HS = high silicon. The higher silicon rods weld very very nice and the slag peels up like a snake skin as you weld. The rod they gave you for dissimilar metals was likely a 312. Sometimes marketed as wonder rod, super millsel weld and others. Ususally expensive but Stoody has it called Versalloy for around $10 #. I remember running some 308LSi 1/16 on some thin wall pipe and it was so nice that I carried it around for years to show people how under rated SS stick rod was. Same with SS wire. huge difference in 308, 308 L and the LHS versions. Then again you need to match the grade with the base metal. There are some good charts on line that you can use. Aluminum charts too.

 

[Danno1]

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The Blue Demon rods are listed as 308L.


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[Tractor Seabee]

Most of my experience is with 308 base metal using the high silicon rods made by Lincoln. DC Neg. The slag is off by the time you get the bead run, weld is fairly flat on one pass on thin material like Schd. 10/20 pipe (most of my experience) Also did some machine bases on heavier material, same good results, no grinding needed.
Ron