TIG Welding a pan

[packrat]

Anybody in this forum welding their own pans? I intend to weld my own. I am just concerned about how to overcome warpage. Maybe stitch welding or maybe I am worrying for nothing. Any help will be welcome. Thanks

[MapleOak]

What is the material & thickness?

[Bucket Head]

When I welded my pans I did the stitch method, but that was with a MIG welder and the stainless was thicker gauge than what a standard pan is made of these days. I recently bought a TIG welder (Lincoln 175 Sqaure Wave) and spoke to a pan maker who has the same machine. He has had great success (I have seen his work) with just fusing the metal (20ga. stainless), no filler rod. Butt the pieces up very tight, absolutely NO gaps, and fuse them. You have to run the bead pretty quick. It will take some practice- do a lot of practice runs on some scrap pieces. Good luck.

Steve

[packrat]

I think mine is about 20 gauge also. I also intend to use either solar flux or purging with argon. Thanks Harold

[MapleOak]

The guy who welded up my pan used the purging method... I had 22 gauge, which was a bit difficult (easy to blow through). He said with 20 gauge it would have been a bit easier. Tight fit up was also key...

[MFarmall]

When I welded my pans up, 18 ga., I used TIG with a pulse control on it. Bucket Head is right, fusing is the best way to go, still move around while welding it. With good tight fit it welds good and looks real nice when done. If putting dividers in make sure to have a small lip bent on the bottom edge and top. Easier to fuse the bottom lip edge than try to corner weld that thin material.
Mel

[b116757]

tight fit, backpurge for sure, chill bars, use a gas lens on TIG torch, stitch weld, use bends to your advantage, 1 amp per thousandth i.e. 20 gauge=.035=35 amps on your machine. I'm making a parallel flow preheater out of 3/4" 20 gauge stainless tubing and the catch pan out of 24 gauge stainless right now. good luck and rember to control the heat input to the weld and I can't stress backpurging enough.

[packrat]

B115767. How much good is a gas lense? I can only turn the old 250 idealarc down so far and that is it. A chill bar, is that on the back side used along with purging? I do have a problem with this thin stuff and my welder. I may have found a way around it tho. If not I may have to use the pipeliner and idle her down a bit. Harold

[sponge]

I use a peice of aluminum angle to help draw the heat so that thin ss does not warp.

[wegnerwelding]

Aluminum and brass are great heat sinks. Perfect fitment..no gap, and a steady hand are a must. A gaslens set up should be about $10-15 check your LWS..airgas, praxair..etc.

[b116757]

a gas lens is cheap and does help, chill bars can be used back and front to control the heat zone but fitup needs to be perfect to help with carbon presipatation (back sugaring) your better off back purging with argon to weld a outside corner I use painters tape to dam off the backside and run my second argon hose under tape I leave the far end a little loose to give the air somewhere to go check this out it will help

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz2ZmA4O5SQ

[chanced21]

how does the solar flux work? seen it but never used it ,

[packrat]

Google solar flux and it explains all about it. Harold

[Mark]

I use an aluminum angle on the inside clamped with flat aluminum strips on the outsides. I file off a little of the the aluminum angle near the weld and drill a hole through the angle to hook up a tube for the argon.