Stainless Rod Question

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revrnd
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Location: Ontario, Canada

Stainless Rod Question

Post by revrnd »

Can someone tell me what polarity & amperage I should use as a starting point for the following rod?

It's Air Liquide's Blueshield 620-308L, 3/32" or 2.5 mm dia'. I've contacted Air Liquide but haven't gotten a reply yet.

Thanks in advance.
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warmstrong1955
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Re: Stainless Rod Question

Post by warmstrong1955 »

DC reverse for SS electrodes.

I'm not good with amperage...I learned how to weld on machines that the numbers were worn off the dials. Kinda a braille thing....
....but I'd say about 65-75 amps would be a good place to start.... if you can believe what your machine says.... :) I was taught that the 'real feel' is always better than dials, and even digital readouts....I've run 'identical' machines, that as far as amp settings....weren't.

Bill
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steamin10
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Re: Stainless Rod Question

Post by steamin10 »

Stainless is a diferent animal to weld with. It tends for me to run a bit hotter, that willl fool you into too hot, because the puddle is sticky an doesnt flow like steel rod. You have to put it where it needs to be. My stainless welds are kinda ugly and not even. Tig is a diferent matter and is favored for stainless.
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ken572
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Re: Stainless Rod Question

Post by ken572 »

One must remember.
The best learning experiences come
from working with the older Masters.
Ken.
redneckalbertan
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Location: South Central Alberta

Re: Stainless Rod Question

Post by redneckalbertan »

As has been mentioned before reverse polarity and run what 'feels good.' That being said I would probably be running that rod somewhere about 70-80 amps depending on what I was welding.
Carm
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Re: Stainless Rod Question

Post by Carm »

To expand on Steamin's comments about running too hot, understand that all stick electrodes suffer from resistance heating, where the rod gets hotter as it runs with no increase in plasma transfer or "bite" into the work.
Stainless is worse than steel in that regard; think nichrome elements in an electric stove (nickle chromium).
Many welders up the heat to get a better flow which can lead to alloy loss across the arc, parent metal damage from too large a HAZ and carbide precipitation.
For a home shop user, too hot just wastes rod. You'll have long stubs dripping out of the stinger. The alloy loss can end up in your lungs as hexavalent chromium.
If welding light gauge, straight (-) polarity.
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