Welding 304 SS Warping
Welding 304 SS Warping
(OP)
When welding 304 SS or other stainless steel structurals like tube and angle how do you keep the material from warping so bad. For example if I weld a "T" shape from 1" x 11ga square tube the top of the T will droop quite alot after the weld cools. I have tried welding in short bursts with some cool time but it still warps... I have tried GTAW and MIG welding. The MIG is the worst it splaters bad and is hard to get a small weld to look pretty. The GTAW is by far the easiest to control. Any tips???
Thanks
John
Thanks
John





RE: Welding 304 SS Warping
RE: Welding 304 SS Warping
Did you try straight TIG or pulsed TIG? Maybe pulsing would help. Any chance of using a chill from second side. Just thinking out aloud! I see you have already tried intermittent welding to reduce heat.
What IFR posted as a method to minimise distortion ( Remember you can minimise distortion but not eliminate or avoid it completely)is called presetting.
Metalguy,
Can one use 100% CO2 for ss welding? I have used Ar(98%)+O2(2%), Ar+He and Ar+ He+CO2 mixtures.
Or did you mean a CO2 containing mixture?
Thanks and regards
Sayee Prasad R
Ph: 0097143968906
Mob: 00971507682668
End of all knowledge is the attainment of immortality!
RE: Welding 304 SS Warping
RE: Welding 304 SS Warping
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The length of 1-2,3-4 should be approx ~2". I still feel pulsing the TIG would help because you can then use a low background current as well as longer background duration to allow the base/weld metal to cool down before starting the next pass.
Thanks and regards
Sayee Prasad R
Ph: 0097143968906
Mob: 00971507682668
End of all knowledge is the attainment of immortality!
RE: Welding 304 SS Warping
IFRs has given you sound advice but there are a couple of more/other things to try.
1. Make sure you have a tight fit if you’re applying a fillet weld and the use the smallest gap you can stand if you are using a groove joint.
2. If you use a clamping system as IFRs suggested as I do also, chamfer the weldments if possible. That is, pre-stress the “T” when you clamp it down by putting something under it such as a shim. You’ll figure out the appropriate thickness of the shim by experimenting so you’ll have a straight “T” after the weld cools.
Understanding the principles of what your weld does when it cools will help you figure out the best way to minimize distortion. The first and most important thing to understand is that a weld cools from its edges to the center and when it cools, it contracts. It therefore contracts toward the center and pulls the ends of the “T” inward.
Seldom
"There's no such thing as a welding problem, just welding puzzles of assorted sizes!"
RE: Welding 304 SS Warping
I'm guessing here that one would jig up the "T", square everything up tack it well then put some pre-stress into the joint then weld....
I have a Miller Syncrowave 180 TIG welder. What is Pulse Welding? Is my machine pulse capable of that?
Thanks
John
RE: Welding 304 SS Warping
Thanks and regards
Sayee Prasad R
Ph: 0097143968906
Mob: 00971507682668
End of all knowledge is the attainment of immortality!
RE: Welding 304 SS Warping
Thanks and regards
Sayee Prasad R
Ph: 0097143968906
Mob: 00971507682668
End of all knowledge is the attainment of immortality!