Just for comparison, does anyone know how the factory pans are welded? I know they fuse the joints, at least for the most part anyway. I know they back-gas them. What else?
The back-gassing fixture is'nt really absorbing much heat, so the factories are getting away without any heat sink device. If I'm remembering correctly, there is a tungsten that is smaller than the 1/16". Its measured in thousanth's- forty thousanth's stick's in my head but I may be wrong. A smaller tungsten would help out. Once we all figure this out, all the TIG welding Mapletrader's WILL be artists at it!
As for my pans, their 16ga. stainless, MIG welded with .025 wire. Yes, thicker steel than most pans, but they boil! Don't get me wrong, I still had to stitch weld them and be VERY careful, but overall it went well and was not a problem for me. A good friend of mine sheared and bent the pieces to my specs. and I welded everything here. I would'nt hesitate to reccomend that ga. steel and the MIG process to someone that might build a pan and is not comfortable with, or does not have acess to a TIG welder.
Like I said, we'll get this thin stainless TIG stuff figured out.
Steve