×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Cleaning Flux from Stainless Welds

Cleaning Flux from Stainless Welds

Cleaning Flux from Stainless Welds

(OP)
I have had good success welding stainless with oxy-acetylene technique using high temperature flux all around the weld site, but the flux around the weld remains as a tight black fluoride "glass" coating that is unsightly and a real bear to remove with such techniques as wire brushing. Is there a safe, effective chemical approach to cleanup of this type of material?
The metals used are Types 304 and 316 (sometimes 304 welded to 316), welded with Type 308 filler rod. The weld zones are coated front and back with flux (powder suspended in water) and allowed to dry before mounting and welding. Also, I heat the filler rod end and dip it into the flux powder to keep it coated during welding. Slightly carburizing flame is maintained, to avoid oxygen impregnation.
Any suggestions appreciated. Please note that this is a "one man shop" with limited resources, not a modern production facility.
- Larry Cottrill

RE: Cleaning Flux from Stainless Welds

McMaster-Carr has some stainless steel cleaners that I hear work pretty well.

RE: Cleaning Flux from Stainless Welds

(OP)
rysep -

Thanks -- I'll check that out. After a while, I wasn't sure anyone would EVER answer that post! Not many out there are gas welding stainless (and I don't do much -- this is basically miniature pulsejet development; small stuff, but slow work).

Larry Cottrill

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources