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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Welding Stainless

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Mark Maxwell
Captain

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USA
329 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/21/2002 : 00:27:53

When you see a new pulpit or stern rail, or stainless bimini frame, the welded areas blend in perfectly. Does anyone know how it's done? Everytime I work with it I get discoloring (blueing). Also how do you suppose it gets polished so evenly bright. I've sanded and buffed with steelwool (stainless) and used polishing compounds on scratches and almost matched some production level shine but the labor envolved is tremendous. I'm sure I'm just venting, but if anyone knows how it's done I'd sure like to know that it's something that the lay person just can't duplicate and that it's not my own inability<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle> Thanks

Mark-
<img src="http://personal.jax.bellsouth.net/jax/l/c/lchaplin/unkarock/usflagwav.gif" border=0>
'Impulse'
C25 #533 DINN/FIN ~_/)~

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2002 : 09:53:51

We had a friend of ours weld our pulpit on the Evelyn 32, he had the same problem with the stainless. A year later we had signs of rust. My old roommate works for Lincoln Electric, I will give him a call and see if I can get details.

dw

Duane Wolff
"The Flying Wasp"
C-25, #401 std,sk
Chief Measurer C-25/250 National Assn.
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Just received his email back...and I quote "Dude I am in the accounting department, I know as much about welding as Mr. Whipple"

but try http://www.lincolnelectric.com/knowledge/articles/

Edited by - Duane Wolff on 05/21/2002 10:30:06

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3323 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2002 : 12:46:01

Mark - there is a product called Wichinox. You smear it over the welded area with a cloth, wait 30 mins and then wash it off. It re-surfaces the stainless and prevents rusting.
Derek on "This Side Up" (we use a lot of it on the Big Cat at the TX Coast as the skipper is always welding something...)

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Dave Seely
1st Mate

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46 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2002 : 13:49:12

You didn't mention what kind of welder you are useing or the material you are welding. 304 and 316 both come in a low carbon content version 304L and 316L. During the cooling process after welding, carbon can tie up the chromium to form chromium carbide. The chromium is what keeps stainless from rusting, but when it's tied up in chromium carbide it is unable to prevent rust. The low carbon stainless doesn't have this problem because there isn't enough carbon to tie up much of the chromium. If you are NOT using low carbon stainless, it must be de-sensitized after welding. De-sensitizing is basically heating the part back up and quenching it. As far as making the weld look good, using a TIG will give much better looking welds than MIG or arc and if the parts fit together well enough that they can be fused without any filler rod, the weld is almost invisable. Discoloration can be polished out with an mild abrasive and a buffing pad or an abrasive filled nylon brush but it's a lot of work. Chemical polising uses an acid bath and an electrical charge to get an almost perfect surface finish that you are refering to and it's much less labor intensive.

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Randy K.
Deckhand

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3 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2002 : 09:51:54

I feel for you as I have had the same problem. Thanks for all the replies as it was really informative. I simply gave up on the ultra-chrome looking rail and went with a mat finish that a 3M pad gives. Its not as pretty, but sure is easy to maintain.

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Steve Kostanich
1st Mate

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88 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2002 : 23:17:02

I am fairly sure that most all commercial stainless steel welded fabrications are passivated and electro-polished, which gives the high polish and super resistance to "bleed" rust. The two processes are pretty must beyond the do it yourselfer, but buffing the welds and adjucent areas helps quit a bit. TIG welding is the ONLY method to weld stainless, using the above mentioned low carbon filler rods.

Steve Kostanich

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Dave Seely
1st Mate

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46 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2002 : 23:58:19

I wouldn't say that TIG is the only way to weld stainless. I have personally MIG and arc welded stainless tanks used in the food and drug industry. I'll agree it's definately not what I would choose to do on my bow pulpit but you can patch up a hole in a tank that way.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.