is it difficult to weld stainless steel by oxyacetylene

derwen1959 · Apr 16, 2018

I want to make a new fuel tank from stainless steel and I cant justify spending a lot of money on a new welder and I want to do the job myself, I have done oxyacetylene welding for along time but only mild steel so can it be done .. welding stainless steel with oxyacetylene, somebody might suggest using mild steel which is ok but I have decided that it will be stainless thanks in advance

RESLLS · Apr 16, 2018

Mig tig or stick. No ox/ac,never tried or seen it done. Can braze with nickel silver brazing rod though. See link. I have done that.
Brass stainless

Steve@Advance · Apr 16, 2018

My concern would be warpage and stress.

I had a stainless tank made once for the TO35. Had a connection in the business, so all it cost was the material, 316 if I recall.

This was professionally sheared, broke, TIG welded, looked beautiful.

Within a couple years it began to crack along the welds. Not the welds, beside the welds.

Don't think it was so much vibration, as it was rubber mounted.

I blame it on internal stress from the metal warping during welding.

Whatever the reason, it ended up in the scrap, replaced with an aftermarket tank.

So far so good.

markct · Apr 16, 2018

What kind of welder do you own now, mig or a dc stick welder and tig torch could be used with much better results than oxy fuel, stainless is very sensitive to overheating and oxy fuel would be a lot of heat

Cliff Nelson · Apr 16, 2018

In tech school they had stainless filler rod for oxy welding but we never tried it as it was only a related class for us as mechanics. I DO know that stainless filler on mild steel is impossible to make a good weld. Someone switched the rods by accident one time.

North Gower Al · Apr 16, 2018

Stainless steel cannot have any carbon in the environment when it is red hot, oxy actelene produces lots of carbon (both carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide). The chromium in the stainless steel combines with the carbon to form chromium carbide, a black granular mess, and a usless weld inclusion.

Bob - MI · Apr 17, 2018

The chrome in the alloy will oxidize if you don't have a shielding gas present which is why Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) is the preferred welding approach. Chrome oxides are brittle and they set up initiation sites for mechanical failures. Once these oxides are present the only way to eliminate them is to grind them out and re-weld.

You can tell good welds by a shiny appearance. Dark porous welds are not as good.

Don't know how much fuel you are planning on putting in this tank but I would suggest that you reconsider the welding approach.

Our company makes aircraft and food-grade cast components in a variety of stainless alloys and all welding is strictly TIG.

is it difficult to weld stainless steel by oxyacetylene

derwen1959

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RESLLS

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Steve@Advance

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markct

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Cliff Nelson

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North Gower Al

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Bob - MI

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