Looking at TIG welders

[roundrocktom]

(07-08-2014, 05:18 PM)ieezitin Wrote: You cannot gas weld (flame) stainless, the chromium breaks down, and its hard to get or wont get wet.

you can braze or solder it though, maybe he meant that.

Anthony.

Don't tell my torch, it might think it can not be done. No luck with 400, but with 300 and the right flux, oh it can be done. 308 or 309 filler rod.

Went into a combo LWS/Hardware store down on the coast. Just curious what flux, rod, etc they carried. Explained I was looking for OA aluminum flux, got into a conversation with the owner who didn't think it was possible. Asked if he ever looked at a B17... all that aluminum welding was done by young women, with a day of training.... using a OA torch! He was told it was only possible to do it with a TIG! :) Guess how the stainless was welded. Oops. 75 years later it has gone from "we can do it, to I know they did it, to it is impossible to do it".

The one thing I haven't found.... Titanium Flux. Been searching for years, but the Russians have it, and do just that (look at a M14P radial engine). Very pretty manifold out of titanium tubing, all welded with a OA torch.

Back to the guys at the coast, there are a lot of boat owners with big fancy boats. Nasty salt water (lots of stainless and aluminum work), but hard to get a TIG out on a boat. Small OA bottles, little rod, right flux... I tell ya, I could retire and be busy till the end of my days with a little OA torch and "get 'er done". Personally I'd rather retire to Alaska, as if I get too lazy to chop firewood, I'd freeze to death. I plan to go out with my boots on, my Meco in my hand.

Tom