welding rods

[lotus 30]

I have ben given some rods can any one identify them from these numbers.
ALI ROD M4043
ALI ROD 1050A
SIFALUMIN No 15
ALI ROD 32245
STAINLESS ROD 316 592
MY NEXT CHALLENGE IS S/STEEL 3/4 SOLID ROD TO 2MM PLATE WHAT SETTINGS SHOULD I START OFF WITH, I HAVE NEVER TIG WELDED S/STEEL
I KNOW NOTHING. ANDY B. (the above is a rudder for a speed boat)

 

[hotrodder]

I have ben given some rods can any one identify them from these numbers.
ALI ROD M4043
ALI ROD 1050A
SIFALUMIN No 15 a tradename for 4043
ALI ROD 32245
STAINLESS ROD 316 592
MY NEXT CHALLENGE IS S/STEEL 3/4 SOLID ROD TO 2MM PLATE WHAT SETTINGS SHOULD I START OFF WITH, I HAVE NEVER TIG WELDED S/STEEL
I KNOW NOTHING. ANDY B. (the above is a rudder for a speed boat)

The ones i've highlighted in bold are the alloy designation, 4043 is ally + 5% silicon, 1050 is commercially pure ally and 316 is a common flavour of stainless often informally known as 'marine grade' or 'hygienic stainless'. The marking on the stainless is more likely to be 316 s 92

The speedboat rudder... if it's your speedboat then nothing much to lose but if it's for someone else (favour/paying you to fix it) and you've got zero experience i'd pass if i were you. Despite it's reputation stainless can rot VERY quickly in some environments if it's not done right. Marine stuff (especially if it's gonna see brackish water) falls into that category. Have a search of the TIG forum for 'stainless' and check out the TIG tutorial for more in depth info

 

[lotus 30]

Thanks Hotrodder brill. It is my rudder i am restoring a 1960 albatross speed boat, with coventry climax engine . I will admit i have no idea what grade of s/steel bar i am using (from my stock of bar)But it does machine nice i have had it for years and it shows no sign of corroding or staining i think i will give it a go If it fails just make a new one in a better grade. Mind you the boat is only used a few times a year for a couple of hours. So armed with that what settings would you recommend. andy b

 

[hotrodder]

Can you expand on 'machines nicely'... if it's a free machining grade (303) it's pretty nasty to weld and has lower corrosion resistance as a result of the sulphur that's added to improve machinability. The lower corrosion resistance ain't something that'd show up with bar kept in a damp outbuilding for years

There's an amperage chart etc in the tutorial that's as good a starting point as any. The speed you weld at, arc length etc all effect things hence starting point (practice on an offcut)... as with any thick to thin joint you typically need slightly higher amps than you'd use for thinner part and bias the heat slightly towards the thicker piece. If the bar is 303 it'll undercut like mad given the chance, vid here that shows welding of free machining grades... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1svgqqjLQs

 

[lotus 30]

Thanks very much yes it has welded like the video with lead so back to the drawing board
for more s/steel rod mind you i found easier to weld than my 50 year old ali petrol tank
thanks again a great forum for us new to tig the adr is now behaving itself again thanks to the forum. andy b

 

[TechnicAl]

Is your boat going in salt water or freshwater?

 

[lotus 30]

Thinking about that. I suppose it's a "boat" so one would think If i am restoring it do it once for both salt and fresh. andy b

 

[TechnicAl]

Usually fresh water boats have stainless propellers and salt water boats have bronze.

 

[Drains]

Usually fresh water boats have stainless propellers and salt water boats have bronze.

Most outboard engines have plastic, aluminium or stainless propellors. Stainless gives best performance due to the thinner sectioned blade possible as a result of it's greater strength.

Most shaft driven boats have bronze props. You'll have to look hard to find an inland waterways boat - eg a narrowboat - with anything but a bronze prop. I imagine the main reason for this is that shaft drives are usually slower so the props are larger, and bronze will be far more economic to cast.

Shafts are invariably 316 stainless, but I've seen bronze shafts on older sailboats. De-zinctification seldom seems to be an issue and galvanic corrosion doesn't seem to happen between the two. That's what a steel hull is for .

What is definitely different between salt and freshwater is the material used for sacrificial anodes - magnesium for fresh, zinc for salt. Aluminium for a mix, apparently. I believe magnesium will bubble away to nothing very quickly in salt water and zinc develops an impermeable oxide in fresh water - so stops working.

 

[lotus 30]

The prop on the albatross is bronze two blade and the stainless drive shaft is S80 (i looked in the manual i ant that clever believe me) It states that it can be straightened several times.The hull is all aluminium and riveted bulk heads. There is no paint on the bottom of the hull to aid cooling to the heat exchangers in the bottom of the hull allowing the use of a closed engine cooling system. andy b