Welding Stainless Steel (Emergency)

[ronzo]

I've got a sailboat (currently on the water) and during a race last week I broke off a stanchion on the stern. There are still 5 stanchions that are attached and the piece is too big to take off (or I'm too lazy). The parts are made of stainless steel and needs to be welded together. What are my options here and can I get away with using a standard gas torch (ya know the cheap disposable kind you get at Home Depot). This is a race boat and the weld doesn't need to be pretty, just strong. I've called everywhere and can't find anyone in the Minneapolis area with a portalble TIG that can come out and weld this. I don't want to drop $300 for something I'll never use again and to top it off I'll probably do a really crappy job. What are my options? Any help would be great. I you live here you've got the job!

Thanks

[Guest]

Can you post a picture? Silver braze might be an option. Stick the other option, with 308 rod.

[Scott V]

Rent a tig welder from a welding store.That's if you know how to weld with it?That would be the cheapest option.


Opps looks like Rocky has the cheapest.

[chip hayden]

i'm guessing the tube ripped away from the base plate. if so, like Rocky D said, you could silver braze or sil-fos a plug in the bottom of the tube. drill and tap the bottom of the plug[before or after brazing in place. then drill slip hole in bottom of baseplate and countersink. then install countersunk head screw from underside of baseplate and loctite in place[about a 1/4-28 or 5/16-24]. you might have to cut off a small amount of the bottom of the tube so it's round again before installing plug but will go unnoticed because the adjacent stanchion is a distance away[usually].

[ronzo]

Chip, I'll go with what you said. I'm going to take some time to break down what you posted in terms I can understand, but I'll manage. I will post a picture before I start the process. I'm considering taking the base plate off so I don't melt the fiberglass. In case anyone wondered it's a J/24 boat. I'll attempt to fix this after a race this weekend. As far as renting a tig welder, I'd do more damage (to myself and the boat) than it's worth. I look forward to some more input from you guys as I'm more apt to burn my fingers off than actually make this work. I'm actually willing to pay for this service but can't even get a nibble. Business must be booming. Glad I found this site.

[Franz]

After reading this twice, I have to think the weldors you are calling are having a good laugh after they hang the phone up.
Welding anything that is attached to a fiberglass boat without removing it from the fiberglass is definitely going to change the name of the boat to "Blaze of Glory" because that resin burns HOT.
The welding part ain't difficutl, it could probably be done with stick, the hard part is having a boat left when the welding is done.

[bjdenommee]

Franz
You do have a way with words to get your point across.

Yea the best way would be to remove it and have it repaired.

Brenie

[chip hayden]

Franz is right being concerned about a fire and i know it sounds unsafe but, it can be done on the boat, and safely with gtaw. Heres why:
the heat is so concentratated on such a small area and stainless is such sluggish conductor of heat that the fiberglas never gets hot.
the cured gel coat is what the mounting plate is against not the glass mat so no little fibers to reach the kindling point.
what causes more problems than anything else is the 5200 [bedding/sealant] on the footmount. it fumes and gets in the way of the shielding gas.
keep a wet towel handy to cool off the heated stainless and surrounding area. this will also help prevent carbide precip if it's a non "L" stainless.
i was thinking, if it's the standard 1" or 7/8" round stanchion just turn the plug for a light press fit then cross-drill,pin, and peen over pin so no welding at all.

[Sberry]

I can fix damm near anything with a handfull of self drillers and a battery drill. We could get Red Green to do the finish work with the duct tape.

[morpheus]

Originally posted by Sberry27
I can fix damm near anything with a handfull of self drillers and a battery drill. We could get Red Green to do the finish work with the duct tape.

I hear ya man ... like Red always says, if they don't find ya handsome they at least outta find ya handy

[Arbo]

Ronzo,

If you buy me a portable TIG unit, I will come right out and fix ya up!