Tacking stainless with mild steel setup

[vtechnician]

Hi I'm new to welding and need to repair a stainless exhaust. I will be chopping off the flexi pipe and replacing it. I only plan to tack it in a couple of places then pay someone who knows what they are doing to finish it. The problem is my welder is set up with mild steel wire and co2. I dont want to fork out on stainless wire and gas for such a small job.

Will this work? I understand the tack welds will be poor but as long as they hold I'm going to ask the welder to grind them out and tack his own.

 

[Paul.]

Its not best practice, but I have a customer who does exactly this, he tacks them up using a buzz box brings them to me and I tig them, cleaning out the tacks as we go. over the years I have done dozens of them and have had no problems at all.

 

[vtechnician]

Thanks Paul!

I noticed you said you would TIG weld it. The guy i was going to use said he would MIG weld it. Will there be much difference in the finished product?

 

[madkayaker]

TIG is neater and easier for thin stuff to a decent welder but modern mig especially pulse mig and the like its very comparable just doesn't give as nice a looking finish sometimes.

 

[vtechnician]

Thanks. As long as the weld is strong i dont mind! But i guess thats down to the skill of the welder in this case.