Welding Tips and Tricks

Jody just did a great video on 309 filler. My question is this they make three different kinds of 309 filler when would I use one vs another? or is it more a personal preference on how the metal flows? I have a chart for what filler to use based on welding stainless to another grade of stainless is there a chart out there for stainless to steel and the different types of 309?

kblenker,
Welcome to the forum.

You use 309L over 309 if you need to minimize carbide precipitation, it contains less than .03% carbon if I remember correctly. This would also be used if you're welding stainless to a low carbon steel. This helps minimize cracking.

The 309LSi has about 5/8-1 % Silicon added to make it wet out better. I've never seen it first hand in a tig rod, only mig, I'm not sure if they even make it.

These things are of little consequence to most people who are using 309 to weld dissimilar metals, but there should be a WPS for any critical weld that requires 309 that will call out one over the other.

Len

308LSi and 316LSi is much more common. I too have yet to see it [309LSi] in TIG rod form, but I'm sure they can manufacture it if you order a few thousand pounds of it.

309Lsi TIG rods are not that hard to come by here in europe. Small (german) overview from Air-Liquide ('WIG' is german for 'TIG'):

http://www.oerlikon-online.de/download/ ... 18_web.pdf

I like 'em when welding new stainless 304/316 bits onto existing older car exhaust parts of unknown material properties. Eg. new cones onto an OEM cat converter core which is likely 409, but may well be some other alloy.

The increased fluidity of the molten metal for me makes it easier to flow and close gaps and fill in irregularities that are unavoidable on old parts are cut out and need to be fitted with new bits. Fitup is always is umm.. 'interesting' in these cases

Bye, Arno.

They are not that hard to get. Online welding supplies from IOC, $32 a pound and ships anywhere in the lower 48.

kblenker#22 wrote:They are not that hard to get. Online welding supplies from IOC, $32 a pound and ships anywhere in the lower 48.

quite right. Good to know they carry a wide variety.

I just picked up some 1.2mm 309l rods for an exhaust job I have to do.

The part in question is a motorcycle exhaust muffler, the front of which appears to be carbon steel, the body of it is stainless. I did some experiments and practise and decided that the 1.6mm filler I had was a bit too thick and would call for too much heat. Hopefully the 1.2mm stuff will let me back the amps off a bit.

Will post pics once I have made a start on the job.


Kym