What Are the Best Methods for Stainless Steel Welding?
Stainless steel welding requires a bit more finesse than welding mild steel or aluminum. When welding stainless steel, heat is an enemy. There are three methods of stainless steel welding which are preferred over the rest by many welders. Metal inert gas (MIG) welding, tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, and shielded metal arc welding (SMAW)or stick welding. Stainless steel welding fumes are very harmful and great care must be taken to avoid breathing them.
Stainless steel welding requires a bit more finesse than welding mild steel or aluminum. When welding stainless steel, heat is an enemy. There are three methods of stainless steel welding which are preferred over the rest by many welders. Metal inert gas (MIG) welding, tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, and shielded metal arc welding (SMAW)or stick welding. Stainless steel welding fumes are very harmful and great care must be taken to avoid breathing them. MIG stainless steel welding uses a wire containing a flux core along with a shielding gas to make the weld. The shielding gas is commonly 100 percent carbon dioxide or a carbon dioxide/argon mix. This gas prevents oxidation and promotes a stable arc while the flux core of the wire allows stainless steel welding to be performed in all positions. A mixture of 20 to 25 percent of argon with the carbon dioxide will allow a lower heat setting to be used when MIG welding, resulting in a weld with less distortion and discoloration.
