SMAW (stick) welding stainless.

1BadAction · 10-27-2008, 11:22 PM

Yea, I know, TIG it... I will. What I want to do first is get everything cut and tacked into place on the truck, then take it out and fully TIG it at work. The only thing I have at home is a 200A Miller DC box. My question is, what kind of stick for 16ga to 1/4" 304SS? How does it work compared to a 6011 rod on steel? Any tips that will make my life easier? Thanks.

jimmyblue · 10-28-2008, 08:52 AM

I picked up some 308 sticks at the gas place
last week, just to try out. I don't think there
are a lot of options, if you need it today at
retail. They only had 3/32" 308LL (whatever
LL means).

99345hp · 10-29-2008, 11:31 AM

1/4" stick rods will be too large for pretty much any automotive welding. I would agree with the guy above and get some 3/32 308. Stick welding stainless is a little different than mild steel. You can practice welding with these rods on mild steel if you have some scrap laying around your shop. You could also get a tig rig, hose and regulator and a bottle and tig weld with your dc welder.

NHRATRANSAM64 · 10-29-2008, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmyblue

I picked up some 308 sticks at the gas place
last week, just to try out. I don't think there
are a lot of options, if you need it today at
retail. They only had 3/32" 308LL (whatever
LL means).

The letter "L" refers to the carbon content in the metal. Stainless steel that is referred to as 304L or 316L etc. etc. has a lower carbon content as opposed to 304 or 316.

In regards to the original post, is the 16g you are referring to also 304? If so I would suggest using 1/8" 308 rod. If the 16g is mild steel use 1/8" 309 rod. That is if you are set on using SMAW as opposed to TIG, you are just tack welding anyway?

There aren't really tricks to stick welding except to practice. Alot. lol And as far as the similarities to 6011 on steel, there aren't that many except they are both stick welding electrodes. With 6011 you oscillate the rod back and forth allowing the first weld to cool before continuing. SS rod is similar to 7018 because you have to drag the electrode and little to no oscillation is required. With my experience with SS SMAW I've never seen any electrode that needed to be oscillated.

1BadAction · 10-29-2008, 08:04 PM

yea both the 16ga, 1/4, and 1/2" are all 304ss. I picked up some 1/8" 308L rods today. was going to tack the heavy stuff and stick some of the 16ga pieces (catback) but I'll most likely tack everything and haul it down to the shop all at once. 10-4 on the 7018, I havent done much with it but thats all they use on the steel at my shop, so I have used it a little.

I wish I could find out if this box I have at home (maxstar 150S, thought it was a 200) could tig with the correct parts, but I cant get a straight answer out of anyone. The weld shop guy says he thinks it'll work with a voltage regulator and the tig rig, but millers site doesnt say much of anything either way. I might just buy my own suitcase TIG machine if I get tired of hauling pipes back and forth (for 2 vehicles, no less). If it was up to me I'd never touch anything but a tig torch, but its been windy lately and theres nothing that pisses me off more than trying to weld something and having the GD shielding gas blown away. LOL.

NHRATRANSAM64 · 10-29-2008, 11:37 PM

Unfortunately, the miller maxstar S is a SMAW (stick) welding machine only. The Maxstar STL is capable of TIG. However I am unsure if there is anyway to "rig up" a way to allow the Maxstar S to TIG weld, but I would think that there wouldn't be since it is designed for stick only.

99345hp · 10-30-2008, 04:43 PM

I have tig welded off of an old lincoln stick welder that has a big crank for amperage selection. I dont see how you couldn't tig weld off of the maxstar, but i may be wrong.

1BadAction · 10-31-2008, 02:14 PM

If anyone else is interested in using a maxstar S for TIG, I just got done welding some 28ga and some 1/2" steel with it, works fine with an add-on tig rig. Miller might not want people to know this, because their base tig model (150 STL) is 600 bucks more. The S Scratch starts and has auto voltage reduction just like the STL does, it just doesnt have fancy indicator lights and a gas port.

NHRATRANSAM64 · 10-31-2008, 06:07 PM

That is very good information to have, and you are probably correct with Miller not wanting anyone to know about it.

ls1cutlas · 11-08-2008, 08:27 PM

you can buy an air cooled tig torch that attaches to the stinger on your stick machine and the to the argon bottle guage to tig weld anything to the amperage of your welder.

MikeGyver · 11-10-2008, 01:03 AM

My only stainless stick experience is with 3/32" 309L. It's pretty runny.

joker120 · 11-10-2008, 06:51 PM

stick welding SS can be done, just dont expect impressive results. If you try let us know

Derek @ EDO · 11-10-2008, 08:20 PM

Thats really to thin to attempt with a stick rod.

Any DC stick machine can be used for tig.

You would reverse the polarity (use your ground lead on the Tig rig and your Whip for your ground)

You would need to buy something like this:
http://www.airgas.com/browse/product...&WT.svl=379810
You would need to buy the little power block as mentioned.
Call up a knowledgeable welding supply store and tell them you would like to purchase a tig torch package, just mention that you are using a DC reversed polarity stick machine.
You would need:
Tig torch
with hose (lead)
Gauge for Argon
Bottle
Consumables: Collets, cups, tungsten, button, gas lense

You can get everything for under a couple hundred bucks minus the bottle which you would lease or something.

Ls1Rx-7 · 11-10-2008, 10:42 PM

its thin but you can do it if your experienced with stick welding. 3/32 would be best. stick welding is pretty strong so you could do the whole thing with it, if it were weak they wouldnt use it to build buildings lol.

MikeMoss · 11-11-2008, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek @ EDO

Thats really to thin to attempt with a stick rod.

Any DC stick machine can be used for tig.

You would reverse the polarity (use your ground lead on the Tig rig and your Whip for your ground)

You would need to buy something like this:
http://www.airgas.com/browse/product...&WT.svl=379810
You would need to buy the little power block as mentioned.
Call up a knowledgeable welding supply store and tell them you would like to purchase a tig torch package, just mention that you are using a DC reversed polarity stick machine.
You would need:
Tig torch
with hose (lead)
Gauge for Argon
Bottle
Consumables: Collets, cups, tungsten, button, gas lense

You can get everything for under a couple hundred bucks minus the bottle which you would lease or something.

Umm cool. What is the little power block mentioned? Like a voltage regulator?

I have an old Lincoln stick machine. Id love to learn how to tig so i could actually use it on my car. The stick is just too hot imo. though im not too good with it. I just use a stick welder at work and we weld nothing thinner then 1/4 plate. And I have used 1/4" rod quite often. Im no good with smaller rod on thin stuff. I just burn through a lot, its just not what im used to.

Derek @ EDO · 11-11-2008, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeMoss

Umm cool. What is the little power block mentioned? Like a voltage regulator?

I have an old Lincoln stick machine. Id love to learn how to tig so i could actually use it on my car. The stick is just too hot imo. though im not too good with it. I just use a stick welder at work and we weld nothing thinner then 1/4 plate. And I have used 1/4" rod quite often. Im no good with smaller rod on thin stuff. I just burn through a lot, its just not what im used to.

No, the power block is a metal block that acts as a coupling to connect the argon hose coming from the regulator to the TIG whip. The block has a tounge cast into it to clamp your ground lead to.
Just make sure the machine you have is indeed DC.

I'll take some pics for you guys to give a better understanding.

Derek

MikeMoss · 11-11-2008, 08:02 AM

Okay, I understand better now

I looked around on the internet.

I do need to make sure that it is DC but I do know that on the dial it says DC amperes. but the dial has set positions. on tig cant you change the heat with like a pedal?

Ive had no experience with a tig welder so i dont really know exactly how they work.

Derek @ EDO · 11-11-2008, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeMoss

Okay, I understand better now

I looked around on the internet.

I do need to make sure that it is DC but I do know that on the dial it says DC amperes. but the dial has set positions. on tig cant you change the heat with like a pedal?

Ive had no experience with a tig welder so i dont really know exactly how they work.

Yes, make sure it is DC first. The pedal adjustment you see on some tig machines is really a luxury accessory. I've welded some thin turbo piping without one. It's kind of like power windows vs. Manual.

MikeMoss · 11-11-2008, 08:22 PM

So ive done some research on converting an ac welder to dc and ive decided that if mine isnt dc i should just forget it.

Derek @ EDO · 11-11-2008, 11:15 PM

Just a regulator, hose to the left goes into the TIG rig and the hose on the right is used for purging.

The hose coming out of the top of the power block is connected to the regulator on the Argon cylinder.
You would connect your ground clamp to the powerblock

Then connect the stick electrode holder to the piece your welding.

Very simple and works great!