Welding Stainless to Steel

[MWalden]

One of the projects I will use my new welder for will be bumpers for my Jeep. I have a design in mind but as of now I am not at all certain if this will work or not. If it is possible I will need to work it out prior to trying the bumper build.

Below is a crude illustration of part of the bumper. The dark represents regular weld steel in 3/16" and the silver represents the stainless area of unknown thickness for now.

Again, this is a crude representation and doesn't look exactly like what I have in mind but it should be close enough to give you the idea of what I want to do.

Is it possible to weld the stainless to the plain steel to make up what I have shown? Can it be done to where it is structurally sound?

What is the process necessary to achieve this?

[Country Metals]

You can mig it with 309 but why would you use 1/2 steel and 1/2 stainless anyways?

[MWalden]

Originally Posted by Country Metals

You can mig it with 309 but why would you use 1/2 steel and 1/2 stainless anyways?

Who said 1/2" anything? I said 3/16" steel and unknown stainless guage.

[NVW]

I don't think Country Metals meant inches but rather using each metal.

[MWalden]

Ahh! I apologize. Ok, well, the stainless is simply for a certain"look" that I want to achieve.

[MarkBall2]

Use 309 stainless wire/rod for stainless to mild steel. If you use a MIG, use Tri-Mix gas. Don't worry about the black soot, it comes off easy with a quick wipe or brushing.

[MWalden]

Originally Posted by MarkBall2

Use 309 stainless wire/rod for stainless to mild steel. If you use a MIG, use Tri-Mix gas. Don't worry about the black soot, it comes off easy with a quick wipe or brushing.

Can it be done with SMAW? I have access to a Miller Cricket mig but my Airco 250a will be readily accessible all the time at home.

[sn0border88]

For what your going to be using it for, you can weld it with any steel electrode just fine.

[Country Metals]

SMAW with a stainless steel rod needs a big learning curve. It is my last choice for welding stainless or any kind. If you have access to a DC stick machine, then get a tig conversion and a bottle of argon and Tig weld it with 309.

[MarkBall2]

True, but the weld may "rust" or discolor if you don't at least try to use a stainless wire/rod.

SMAW, you would have to find the rod. If I remember correctly, I saw 309 rod online, but don't remember where.

[gordfraser]

For that application id say you could use SMAW (which keeps it simple)

I did something similar with 316 lincoln red baron.

steel and stainless are very similar.
and if you are not so worried about the corrosion resistance then it i'll be fine.

you could probably use 7018.

dont forget the pics!

[gordfraser]

........ unless the stainless that you are going to weld is real thin.
16gauge might work with SMAW if you are careful, maybe a little thinner, but not much.

[MWalden]

Originally Posted by gordfraser

........ unless the stainless that you are going to weld is real thin.
16gauge might work with SMAW if you are careful, maybe a little thinner, but not much.

I don't know my steel gages very well but it will be about the thickness of the stainless steel food prep counters you see in restaurants.

I have access to a Mig but I would have to borrow it and get the proper wire. My Airco 250a AC/DC machine will be home in a couple of weeks.

[MWalden]

Originally Posted by Country Metals

SMAW with a stainless steel rod needs a big learning curve. It is my last choice for welding stainless or any kind. If you have access to a DC stick machine, then get a tig conversion and a bottle of argon and Tig weld it with 309.

I have an AC/DC stick machine but I have no idea what the cost of a tig conversion would cost me and I bet it is out of my budget anytime soon.

[SmokinPRanch]

SMAW 309 rod. Any LWS should have it. As stated before, stainless stick welding takes practice...it is a different animal.

If it is a one off project might be better off fitting it up and paying someone to tig it. A full tig set up is gonna cost a few bucks.Of course when you're done you still have the tig equipment.

I've welded stainless/carbon with 6010 in "gotta have it now", low stress situations. Works, but definitely not the way to go on a project without constraints.

Al

[MWalden]

Originally Posted by SmokinPRanch

SMAW 309 rod. Any LWS should have it. As stated before, stainless stick welding takes practice...it is a different animal.

If it is a one off project might be better off fitting it up and paying someone to tig it. A full tig set up is gonna cost a few bucks.Of course when you're done you still have the tig equipment.

I've welded stainless/carbon with 6010 in "gotta have it now", low stress situations. Works, but definitely not the way to go on a project without constraints.

Al

Well, this is a project for myself so its no hurry and no constraints. I definitely plan to practice a lot of this before I go for the final project.

[Country Metals]

Originally Posted by MWalden

I have an AC/DC stick machine but I have no idea what the cost of a tig conversion would cost me and I bet it is out of my budget anytime soon.

Cyberweld - Just rough pricing

WP17 torch - 95.65 http://store.cyberweld.com/db150ampairt.html
Tig/Stick adapter - 15.04 http://store.cyberweld.com/tigtopoad10.html
Free Shipping in US - 0.00

Total: 110.69

You will also need to buy, rent, or borrow a agron bottle and regulator from someone.

[SmokinPRanch]

If you think you will be doing work in the future that will use the tig it is a good investment. If you do much stainless at all it's definitely the way to go.

Go with the 309 for carbon to stainless if you go with SMAW. Check the manufactures sites for parameters and tips. Try to keep the stainless as close to the carbon thickness as you can to keep washing in to a minimum.

BTW nice drawing. What are you using to cut the stock?

Al

[MWalden]

Originally Posted by Country Metals

Cyberweld - Just rough pricing

WP17 torch - 95.65 http://store.cyberweld.com/db150ampairt.html
Tig/Stick adapter - 15.04 http://store.cyberweld.com/tigtopoad10.html
Free Shipping in US - 0.00

Total: 110.69

You will also need to buy, rent, or borrow a agron bottle and regulator from someone.

That is extremely affordable! I figured hundreds of dollars. I thought I needed some kind of "high frequency" box?

Originally Posted by SmokinPRanch

If you think you will be doing work in the future that will use the tig it is a good investment. If you do much stainless at all it's definitely the way to go.

Go with the 309 for carbon to stainless if you go with SMAW. Check the manufactures sites for parameters and tips. Try to keep the stainless as close to the carbon thickness as you can to keep washing in to a minimum.

BTW nice drawing. What are you using to cut the stock?

Al

Thanks for the advice and it is well appreciated!

I probably won't be doing much stainless at all. If this project goes south I won't mess with it much at all again. This is just a vision I have in my head, and if I could pull it off, I believe it would really look sweet. I would have a "one of a kind" item.

I have no idea what I will be using to cut the material. I am just trying to gather info on this first so I can get the things I need to do this with.

I don't have any real equipment yet as this is waiting on me to first get my welder home, get service to it and then set up a small shop area. This could be months and months till I start this project.

As you can tell I am a complete novice and a bunch of stuff I need to build. I have welded before. I started with stick and then to Mig, but I have no developed skills.

Adding Tig would be awesome. Just another thing to start learning. Last time I Tig'd I was burning up the tungsten

I am nearly 50 years old and just starting to learn this. Mechanic all my life with some fabbing under my belt but not enough to brag about.

[MarkBall2]

Humpf............. 50 years old is just gettin broke in.

I'm 54, just got a lathe last year, a mill 1 month ago................

Never too old to learn something new. Go for it with the TIG if possible, if not 309 wire in the MIG. A hundred bux isn't much to spend to learn a new hobby. And once you learn it, work on mastering it.

[welds4d]

You don't need a hi-freq box to DC TIG, that would only be needed for AC. If you go with TIG, remember to connect your TIG rig to the Neg welder terminal. Whatever process you choose, the 309 filler is the best for that application. Don't be afraid to try the Stick, just get some scrap and try a few beads before moving to your finished project. Mild steel scrap is fine for practicing on.

[MWalden]

Originally Posted by MarkBall2

Humpf............. 50 years old is just gettin broke in.

I'm 54, just got a lathe last year, a mill 1 month ago................

Never too old to learn something new. Go for it with the TIG if possible, if not 309 wire in the MIG. A hundred bux isn't much to spend to learn a new hobby. And once you learn it, work on mastering it.

Wow! Well, this is looking better and better! Thanks for the help!

Originally Posted by welds4d

You don't need a hi-freq box to DC TIG, that would only be needed for AC. If you go with TIG, remember to connect your TIG rig to the Neg welder terminal. Whatever process you choose, the 309 filler is the best for that application. Don't be afraid to try the Stick, just get some scrap and try a few beads before moving to your finished project. Mild steel scrap is fine for practicing on.

Understood. So, as you said, use the DC terminals for the Tig welding and plug the torch into the DC negative terminal and run a positive ground? This leaves me with the same amperage adjustments as if I were sticking it?

How will the starting be done? Scratch start?

Maybe there is another area of the forum I should look at for these answers.

[Country Metals]

"Field tig" (the adapter that I previously linked to) uses scratch start which is not a match strike, it is more of a touch and raise slightly. You only need to make a connection to enable amp flow, once started it will continue when you raise the tungsten off the metal. There are many sections on here and on the web about learning to tig weld. You will actually use less amps with tig then stick.

Stick - DCEP (electrode positive)
Tig - DCEN (electrode negative)

Your best bet is to get some steel 1/8" plate to run flat beads and flatbar to cut 6" lengths and start welding them together in a T joint, since this will be the same type of join you are showing in your picture.

Steel and Stainless Steel basically weld the same when tigin them.

[MWalden]

Originally Posted by Country Metals

"Field tig" (the adapter that I previously linked to) uses scratch start which is not a match strike, it is more of a touch and raise slightly. You only need to make a connection to enable amp flow, once started it will continue when you raise the tungsten off the metal. There are many sections on here and on the web about learning to tig weld. You will actually use less amps with tig then stick.

Thanks! Just got out of the Tig Welding forum and was reading a lot of the posts there.

I got plenty of time to practice once I get the rig set up.

[fordman]

If it is just a bumper I would weld it with your regular mild steel mig wire... I have done it a lot and it works fine. Same with tig, I usually just use er70s2..