I have a commercial sink that is broken along a section of the edge of where the sink meets the counter on a commercial dishwashing station. This is a sharply bent corner that has probably worn through over the years of use.
I assume this was originally a welded product at the edge in question.
I’ve welded stainless before and know that where it is very thin, as this project is, when it becomes liquid, it tends to pool together instead of keeping its form. So I worry about turning a crack into a series of unsightly holes.
This crack travels the entire front of the basin and most of one side and a small protion of the other side.
Am I better off brazing this together? caulk?… lol
I will be using oxyacetylene torches.
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I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
Replies
I will be using oxyacetylene torches.
That's going to be tough. Know anyone who TIGs?
no, I don't.
I've had good results with torch welding it before but just not quite this thin and in such an obvious place.
I've welded equipment doors and stuff together using filler metal with torches but it didn't have to be that pretty because you couldn't really see the weld areas, normally.
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I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
Look at subing this out to a commercial kitchen fabricator.
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William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
make that two votes for TIG since you can control the heat better and the gas is inert
cuz when you use a oxy /acet torch you can get the heat too high and stainless ain't stainless no more
don't know if a pencil type butane torch and silver solder with some cadmium-free flux would work tough if the crack is that small it might
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I've been thinking about just buying a TIG for all that I do anyhow.
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I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
more votes for TIG. Mig will work w/ right wire, and is portable if getting the sink to a welder is an issue, as most TIG units are not portable, while migs are all portable to some degree. If its as thin as you say, they may want to add a fish plate on the underside to reinforce. Make sure stainless is used for that as well.
In my other life I am an ME w/ a welding macjor so ask any questions,
Dave
what do you make of a unit like this one for small projects and needs?
http://cgi.ebay.com/CT-520-3in1-50-AMPS-PLASMA-CUTTER-200A-TIG-ARC-WELDER_W0QQitemZ220340701288QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_2?hash=item220340701288&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A7%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
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I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
I was in charge of all tools and equipment for a large mechanical contractor. A machine like that is a joke. A good quality machine can be purchased that will do MIG, TIG, and SMAW (stick), but to add plasma cutting is pushing things a little too far. Most companies that make quality welding machines only make welding machines, that company seems to make everything in the world.
A synopsis of welding machines
1) MIG: Requires a constant voltage DC power output, normally about 22v.
2) SMAW: Either constant current DC, or AC
3) TIG: Either a machine set up for SMAW, which will often force one to scratch-start the tungsten, or a dedicated machine. The dedicated machines can vary the voltage and current dynamics to make starting and maintaining a arc easier. But many contractors use a standard heavy duty DC machine for SMAW, because many pipe and tube welds require a SMAW cap and fill after the initial TIG root and hot.
4) Plasma cutter: An entirely different machine.
Things have changed dramatically since I last had this position, but a quick search of the net showed no "super" machines like you linked to, made by a reputable American company. A fine forum for metal working is Hobart's
http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/
ESAB, Lincoln and Miller all have fine sites
Hi,
It is common for tigs to also do stickwelding, but I was not awre of a combo that did plasma cutting. If you have a decent dc stcik machine, you can buy a Tweco air cooled tig tourch and start tig welding using touch start, I have one at home, and would sometimes borrow a friends high freqency unit to eleminate the touch start, but not needed. I also did not have a foot pedal at home. but a foot pedal is desirable.
Look at Hobart, Miler Linde, Lincolin, for the better machines, but if you are just doing a small things, the ebay type deal may be ok for you, however th one you show seem more like a plasma unit adapeted , than a machine designed for stick or tig.
Dave
i would definitely get the tig welder for the stainless. i have looked on ebay and there are a few different choices available there from welding supply stores, and the occasional used setup as well.
really, did I ever tell you how I ALWAYS knew you were gonna my new best friend !!now you just go right out and buy us both a new Miller.......I'm right here if you get tired of it.
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Another option (I'm not sure it's a good one, but I'll throw it in the ring) is soldering. Not as strong as welding/brazing, but less likely to do damage to the existing.
http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
Maybe I am crossing the terms but brazing and soldering I thought were about the same in this instance.
My welding supplier carries a silver solder for brazing. 23 bucks for an ounce roll (about 38")... got to use it with white flux paste.... all cadmium free of course.
This is the way I am leaning to go as it requires less heat and should hold up well.
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I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
I found this:The difference between soldering and brazing is temperature. The American Welding Society defines soldering as metal coalescence below 800 °F and brazing as metal coalescence above 800 °F. Both processes bond adjoining metal surfaces by completely wetting the surfaces with molten filler metal and maintaining that bond until solidified. The bond is only as strong as the filler metal, but some braze metals can be very strong indeed.Stainless steel is difficult for solders and braze filler metals to wet. The surface oxides that protect it from corrosion also prevent the filler metals from wetting the surface. Special fluxes are needed to eat through these stainless oxides. The silver solder commonly sold for home plumbing with copper pipe will work on stainless, but a different flux is needed. Look for a flux containing hydrochloric acid or one that says it is for fluxing nickel alloys or stainless.http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
neat, thanks
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I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
One other possibility is epoxy. Could you scuff up the back side and use some type of backing rod or angle from the back side and slather it with epoxy and stick it up there? From my experience welding stainless, I am guessing that unless you are pretty accomplished with stainless welding, you will probably end up with something that is not as nice looking as you hoped. I would say that the project as you have outlined is not exactly the ideal situation for someone that needs to gain experience on welding stainless.
I've got a 120 volt Miller kit that does both tig and stick (dc). The power supply is the size of a large lunch box and fits in a molded carry case along with all the leads and a tube of welding rod. I've done quite a bit of 16 gauge stainless welding with the tig torch... works great. My machine is what is called a touch start. You touch the electrode to the work and then as you lift the arc forms. It takes a bit to get used to it. I'd prefer a unit that has a high freq. start. As a stick welder it is superb, although limited in capacity. It gives me very smooth welds on mild steel.
This unit is very nice to take to a job site because it's so small and you don't need 240 volt service.
If you get good with the tig, it will give the best product. If you're not good you can make a mess of it. But the brazing and/or high temp. silver solder way can also mess things up. Stainless really doesn't like to be overheated. It that happens, one must grind back to bright metal before trying again.