tig welding cookware

[unfinishedsweet]

Hi folks, I need some help with selecting a filler rod to weld kitchen cookware. Basically I am building a kitchen tool to be used for food preparation and one of the components is a stainless steel kitchen pot or bowl or jar (not chosen yet) that I will need to weld a stainless temperature sensor pocket to. I will probably use some cheap supermarket bowl to start with for prototype and I do not have a clue what grade of stainless is used for production of this sort of stuff.

Does anyone have an idea what would work and would be food safe?

 

[Hitch]

Generally speaking, items fabricated for use in contact with food tend to be made from 316 stainless, the filler wire for that would be 316L.

Cheap cookware may well be other grades though. But without knowing, i'd use some 316L. It may not strictly be the correct wire depending on the unknown material grade, but it will stick.

 

[Richard.]

316 will work fine with most grades as said above. A lot of people use it for all there stainless work despite.

 

[unfinishedsweet]

Thank you all for quick reply, I'll have a go with 316L filler then.

Best

pat

 

[Paul G]

Lots of s/s kitchen stuff is stamped 18/8 , so 304 grade. 316 will weld it though.

Lots of s/s kitchen stuff is also very thin.

Cheers
Paul G

 

[unfinishedsweet]

In my initial research I actually found someone's article saying about 18/8 or 18/10 commonly used for cookware and 304 rods were my initial choice until I wrote up here. Now a bit confused which of 2 would work better. I believe both 306 and 316 fillers would weld though perhaps one would be preferred choice for this particular application?

 

[Paul G]

308 is the rod for welding 304. 316 rod will work just as well, if fact you won't be able to tell the difference.

The main thing is that you always use a rod with a little more alloying element than dilute the base metal by using less.

Cheers
Paul G