welding ?

[budgie]

Is it possible to weld stainless steel to mild steel easily.

I am after a one piece stainless flange for an exhaust manifold for a xflow.Cant seem to get one.Some firms say they use a mild steel flange --is this correct?

[Paul D Jones]

Yes

 

Paul.

See My Car Here

[Peter T]

No, not really that easy, unless you are an experianced welder. What is the point of welding stainless to non stainless, it defies the object, stainless has better rust inhibiting qualaties than mild steels, but is brittle.

 

Carbon Components from K9 Composites

 

[budgie]

OK thats two conflicting replies 😬 😬 😬

I am only asking because there is a guy near me who makes up bike exhausts, he will make me a manifold up if i get a stainless flange.I have contacted some stainless exhaust makers who have told me they use a mild steel flange.Dunno what to do now *mad*

[Paul D Jones]

No, not really that easy, unless you are an experianced welder

 

Its easy enough if you are a good welder with TIG I have done this loads of times at work and at home

 

but is brittle

If you use 5% silicone filler rods you should have a strong weld that will resist cracking

 

 

 

Paul.

See My Car Here

[Joe 90]

I don't know if it's easy, but I once had an exhaust made with stainless tubes and mild steel flanges. It's possible.

 

SEP field working, not spotted in 103,300 miles. Some photos on webshots, updated 25 Jan

[Wightwash]

 

Other option is to get a stainless flaange made up. Just draw around the old one and find yourself a local firm that work with stainless to cut it.

[k.russell]

mild steel is used for the flanges because it is cheaper and more easy to work with, it can be flame cut, whereas s/s neads to be cut with a plasma or laser arc cutter( think this is why it is used most often), there are no issues with welding mild to stainless steel, the joint is usually welded with a welding rod of the same grade of stainless steel( usually a 304 or 316 grade for exhausts), as with all welding it is best for all surfaces to be free from rust or scale, tig process produces best results, if you find a fabricator in your area then they may have a laser cutter or will know a company that does, and will cut a flange to an accurate drawing.

 

 

kevin R

J457 DNU

black-ali HPC

[Sheds Moderator]

All these replies are technically correct. If you want a SS flange try local fabricators of food machinery, they can do this easily in 304, 316, 316L...any flavour of stainless that takes your fancy. Paul above is very familiar with the food industry and SS welding.

 

OT and sorry for hijack - Paul, has the Unilever closure happened yet? If so I hope you are back in work.

[I.Mupferit]

It can definitely be done. We often have fabrication jobs in which specify the welding of, say, a mild steel flange to a stainless steel duct or pipe.

 

The point of it in most of these instances is that the material being conveyed in the duct may be wet or damp but must not come into contact with conventional galvanised rustproofing surfaces so stainless is the only option.

 

However, seeing as most of my customers are also penny pinching cheapskates, they do not wish to pay the premium required for stainless flanged joints as well.

 

Brent

 

2.3 DURATEC SV NII OAW

R 417.39 😬

[Uwe]

For a joint weld of mild steel and stainless steel I wouldn't consider a 304 or 316 (L) as filler material. If the welding is not properly done you'll run easily into a partly martensitic structure, therefore you will receive a brittle welding bead.

 

Use 307 (18% Cr, 8% Ni, 6% Mn) or 312 (29% Cr, 9% Ni) as filler material. These are the usual filler materials for mild steel/stainless steel joint weldings.

[Paul D Jones]

OT and sorry for hijack - Paul, has the Unilever closure happened yet? If so I hope you are back in work.

 

Unilever closed its factory on the 25th of Feb and all but 15 people lost there jobs [605 people]

 

I was retained untill the sale of he factory site had tacken place and the factory now stands empty

 

I was give 90 days notice on the 2nd of March on the 6th of March I was mini bused to the Hull factory each day to work the remainder of the 90 days notice

 

I am now on the dole for a week and start at Corus steel works in Scunthorpe on the 3rd of May

 

24 years worth of redundance money will be in my bank on Friday

 

Trailler and an ELITE 5 speed suquentiual gearbox should be in the post very soon

 

But as Blatchat goes members only [if it does] its good bye from me

 

Yust a little plug for wheel carriers, welding, Duratec advice, fabrication and machining please note my E-mail paul.jones37@ntlworld.com phone 07970 916076

 

 

 

Paul.

See My Car Here

[Sheds Moderator]

Glad you are back in work Paul. Enjoy your week off!