Welding stainless

[N2ae86]

Sorry if this has been covered previously ... I have done a few searches but couldnt find anything - probably due to my weak searching powers!

I need to weld a crack in my stainless exhaust manifold and was going to use my Mig welder and get some stainless wire.

I was just wondering if I need a different gas or will CO2/Argon be ok?

Cheers

James

 

[shenion]

Many here use Argoshield light. Welds get a little black, but work fine.

 

[Hitch]

A mix such as Argoshield light/coogar 5 will be acceptable.

 

[ttoks]

you can actually get specific stainless shielding gas (imaginateivly called stainshield, you can get light, universal and heavy just as you can argoshield), however argon/CO2 mixes should be alright for non critical welds, if strength was a partiuclar issue i'd sugest going for the specific shielding gas.

 

[N2ae86]

Thanks for the responses!

Machine Mart do a small bottle of Argon which they list for stainless welding - would this be ok? Sadly cant get to the local welding shop to buy Argosheild, however seems that the CO2/Argon stuff might be ok going on ttoks?

The welding will be sealing up a hairline crack in the exhaust runner - whilst it dosnt have to be strong tensile wise it needs to hold up to 20+ laps around a track.

I suspect 15 mins on sat with my welder will make a nice manifold look like crap!

 

[pedrobedro]

If it's only a make do job you could weld it with mild steel wire and it will last 20 laps, I've done stainless bike exhausts with mild and they're still running years later but they do rust.

 

[BillJ]

Machine Mart do a small bottle of Argon which they list for stainless welding - would this be ok?

Yes, for best appearance from a small bottle, use pure Argon. You'll get away with Argon/CO2 (similar to Argoshield) but the welds will look a bit black.

Personally I would use stainless wire if I could since I wouldn't want rusty welds to develop on otherwise rust-free work but mild would probably do the job.