Stainless Steel

[Simo63]

Has anyone here had any experience using stainless steel welding rods in an arc welder?

Are they as easy to use as mild steel ones?  Will 2.5mm rods be okay for light fabrication?

Thanks

[Slakewell]

Yes and Yes , just make sure everything is spotless clean and they normally are a bit easier to use than normal GP rods. 2.5rods on 2mm or up should be fine. If you are making something from 1.6 sheet try and weld it down-hand and if you can put a bit aluminum under the stainless.

[yamaico]

Very easy to use but be careful of the flux after welding. The weld area spits the flus off as it is cooling, usually into your eye or down your shirt

[Simo63]

Awesome, thanks guys

[pancho]

I have a pretty goodf older 240v stick welder which has a setting for "Special weding and stainless steel" Apparently it boosts the output voltage to 80v which gives easier 'start' on a low amperage.
 pancho.

[Lozza]

Very easy to use but be careful of the flux after welding. The weld area spits the flus off as it is cooling, usually into your eye or down your shirt

.........or the holy grail of weld spatters, between your sock and your boot or foot where it will settle on or around your ankle

[Simo63]

Very easy to use but be careful of the flux after welding. The weld area spits the flus off as it is cooling, usually into your eye or down your shirt

.........or the holy grail of weld spatters, between your sock and your boot or foot where it will settle on or around your ankle

That's no problem lozza .... I weld in thongs 

[Mick D]

Very easy to use but be careful of the flux after welding. The weld area spits the flus off as it is cooling, usually into your eye or down your shirt

.........or the holy grail of weld spatters, between your sock and your boot or foot where it will settle on or around your ankle

That's no problem lozza .... I masturbate with solvol soap and weld in thongs 

 

[Mick D]

Seriously Simo,,,its good advise your getting. The moment you stop your stainless arc welding run, you are tempted to "check it out"
Ping, ping,,ping,ping,ping as the slag self departs immediately as it starts cooling, at the speed of sound toward you, cover-up or burn up!!!

We all know we should use leather spats,,yadda yadda yadda,yeah yeah, but I dont have any.
I use simple sock guards from bunnings, nearly every day(building) they stop the welding spatter down the boots and also the sawdust from the drop saw, from filling my socks ups. Best $3.98 I ever spent!

[Simo63]

Seriously Simo,,,its good advise your getting. The moment you stop your stainless arc welding run, you are tempted to "check it out"
Ping, ping,,ping,ping,ping as the slag self departs immediately as it starts cooling, at the speed of sound toward you, cover-up or burn up!!!

We all know we should use leather spats,,yadda yadda yadda,yeah yeah, but I dont have any.
I use simple sock guards from bunnings, nearly every day(building) they stop the welding spatter down the boots and also the sawdust from the drop saw, from filling my socks ups. Best $3.98 I ever spent!

Okay Mick .. I get the picture .. will bolt when I stop the weld run even though I'm tough enough to use Solvol    I can run fast in pluggers