Welding stainless steel

[Clan Delaney]

I have 2 stainless steel sinks that I'm converting into evaporator pans. Does anyone know of anyone in the Western Mass area that could weld some patches into the drain cutouts? I'd like to patronize a business who's done work for one of us in the past, and who's quality you can vouch for. And if you know, what kind of price tag might I be looking at for a job this size?

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

Did you read this post?? http://www.mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=4622

I would change the stainless in for scrap, and buy a few sheets of stainless and have a good pan made.. whats the dimensions you are looking for? can you get a syrup pan from a bigger rig and use that??

[tessiersfarm]

I made my pans out of the skin on an old stainless refridgerator, I got from the local transfer station. I cut the sheets off and folded them like gift wraping, no welding. I got two pans 20" x 27" x 6" deep and the only cost I had was the $5 they charged me to dump it the second time.

[RickinFarmington]

I just had a local welder here in Maine weld the covers in my SS sinks. He charged $20 each. Speaking from experience, after he welds the patches in, you will end up with a terribly warped pan. That is just a by product of welding a circle inthe middle of a formed pan. I did what he told me by beatiing on the weld, which in effect stretches the metal back out. Like magic, the pan slowly returns to the original unwarped shape.

That $40 is the total investment I have in my pans. Last I shopped for 20 gauge SS in 4x8 sheets, it was running about $240. I will keep looking for a used 2x4 pan, but for 2009, my SS sink pans will do fine. I will be doing a test boil this week so I can report on my evaporation rate.


Rick

[peacemaker]

clan take atrip to bascoms and check out there used pans u should find a pan to fit

[Clan Delaney]

clan take atrip to bascoms and check out there used pans u should find a pan to fit

I'd love to have a proper pan or pans, and I will eventually, but it's all about low cost right now. Gotta use what I've got.

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

clan, whats the size of the pan you are looking for?? if you ask, look around you mite be surprised at what you can find... I have a float box, and float I would give someone creative if it would help...

[markct]

clan did you get my private message about welding the sinks?

[TapME]

f there is a tin knocker around you can have him solder some patches on. If you are handy there was some post on here about soldiering stainless with a hot iron.

[Clan Delaney]

clan did you get my private message about welding the sinks?

Got it, Mark. Check for reply.

[royalmaple]

You can look around and get some buffet pans, just check a restaurant supply place. I've bought them years back for roughly 15-20 bucks each. There is a place here in so. maine that has tons of them.

[maplecrest]

clan email parker he will find you some pans

[KenWP]

I have a old SS sink here that I would like to use as a pan. I was wondering if its possible to some how rivet the patch on and then solder it. As long as I never allowed it to get dry when boiling would the solder hold the patch. I finally found a old small SS pot that I can cut the bottom out of the patch the sink. I find it almost impossible to find any kind of materials to work with metal in this part of the country.

[Bucket Head]

Forget the rivit's. It will be nearly impossible to seal them.

Just solder the patch on. That will hold without the rivits. There are no rivits in the factory made pans.

You can't find a scrap of stainless steel anywhere? I'd hate to ruin that pot for patch material.

Then again, boiling takes priority over eating. Butcher the pot!

Steve

[Big maple]

Clan, What size is your arch? Or are you building around your pans, I have a flat pan I made about fifteen years ago, it ain't great but it does make syrup. I think it is 24"x36" 1/8" sheet. It is up in one of the barns, if you can use it let me know and I could actually go find it. We can dicker about how close to free you could have it for then. Merry Christmas

[KenWP]

The pots pretty old. There is a old house next door that the people just moved out of when one of them died and left everything almost. There is a lot of crap a guy can use to make other stuff.

[KenWP]

Okay I broke down and hauled the sink to town and had the bottom welded with TIG. It is a bit rough and I need to know if I should smooth it out some. Also will the weld rust more then the SS will. I will do a test fire once a find out how smooth it should be.

[ericjeeper]

Okay I broke down and hauled the sink to town and had the bottom welded with TIG. It is a bit rough and I need to know if I should smooth it out some. Also will the weld rust more then the SS will. I will do a test fire once a find out how smooth it should be.

If it was indeed Tig welded. There should be nothing in the weld to rust.If it was mig welded it might tend to rust if he used steel wire. As for the smoothness, can you grind it without making a leak?That is the main question as to the smoothness.
Seeing how you are saying it is rough. I am betting they used a mig welder. I say this because a good tig well should lay smoother than a zipper between the edges.

[Bucket Head]

Even if welded with the correct process, it will rust if the welder wire brushed the surface and/or the weld with a regular steel bristled wire brush.

The brush leaves particals behind that rust quickly. A stainless steel bristled brush should only be used on stainless.

Steve

[WMF]

If the metal wasn't back purged and got hot enough to "sugar" or turn black it will burn off the nickel and chrome and will be more likely to rust.

I wouldn't worry about it being a big problem though.

[Haynes Forest Products]

One more thing about Tig welding SS did he weld the patch from the inside or out side? if he cut the patch big and put it over the hole and welded from the outside then leave it. If the weld was from the inside then grinfd it smooth. The problem with tig welding SS is the oposite side of the weld will be rough and bumpy due to not having gas on that side as its being welded. Its called Sugering because it looks like burnt sugar. During the welding prosses oxegen with Carbon will contaminate the weld and it can rust due to the changing of the alloy. Its the weld inside or out?

[KenWP]

He welded it from the inside out. The bottom has that sort of burnt suger effect. And it is not all that rough. I wondered if I could smooth it much with out causeing a leak. I might try it for the first batch and see how it works.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I would go easy with the grinder if the weld looks good on the inside just give it the quick once over and call it good.

[brookledge]

How does a manufactuer like Leader tig weld pans and not have any sugaring on either side? I have seen alot of home made stuff and the welds are ugly and black. So what are they doing different?
Keith

[Haynes Forest Products]

They add gas to the back side as they weld and they do grind at times. I have seen them weld both sides also. Its the lack of the gas on both sides during welding.