Weld a soldered pan

[Brent]

I have the mixed blessing of now owning a really super tig/stick welder. New solid state inverter rig. State of the art. But I have not yet learned to use it.

A question to the experienced members, could you buy an old soldered pan, clean the solder off and weld it with the TIG unit ???

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

That would take a lot of cleanning?

RICH

[tapper]

Both welding and soldering success depend very very much on clean joints. Solder is a contaminant to welding. You would have to clean off every ounce of solder not just what you can see but what is deep in the seam as well.

[Big_Eddy]

I have a lead soldered 4x4 pan that I picked up for free. I plan to use it as a source of material for a 2x2 syrup pan plus float box etc., but my plan is to cut out lead-free sections and TIG them together. I don't see how you could clean off the lead solder. I expect some would always remain. Also - my soldered pan is formed differently from how a welded pan would be. Don't know if it would be possible to weld it together.

But Stainless TIG on thin material is an art form that takes a while (forever?)to develop. An old pan is an excellent source of small pieces to practice on. May be cheaper than buying new material.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If you put it over a hot enough fire completely empty for long enough, all the solder should end up in the fire and then straighten out everything and welded it back together!

Sorry, I couldn't resist!

[WF MASON]

95% of soldered pans are not the grade of stainless that can be tig welded, try putting a magnet on the pan , if it sticks to the pan , most likley not. You could try hitting an arc on the top somewhere to find out. This is what I do if someone insists it 'can' be welded, if it pops and splatters like trying to weld galvanised ,its the wrong grade.

[802maple]

WFMASON is right as most pans prior to the lead issue in 1993 were built out of 430 stainless instead of the 304 stainless used today.

[Fred Henderson]

A magnet will end a lot of doubt.