I need some advice guys. I've got a favor to do for a friend, nothing big or dangerous. He has a crawfish boiling rig, and the 2 1/2", 90° elbow at the bottom of the pot is cracked. This is for draining the pot. He is telling me that the 90 is brass and the bottom is 10ga stainless, and I was wanting to know is this doable with stick what type of rod is used for this. I only have a stick machine that is available, a lincoln sa200, and a torch.
Would brazing work?
I would braze it. Grade 5 silver. Make sure to clean it really well, and make sure you use the right flux and a slightly carbeurizing flame. Very slightly, just a little extra lick of blue. Good luck.
By OBEWAN 
Date 03-12-2013 16:50
Edited 03-13-2013 06:42
I would suggest a silicon bronze filler for arc welding. But, I don't think is is available for stick electrodes (it might be worth checking). It would be easy with TIG. One of the popular trade names is Everdur. I had good success with TIG brazing copper to stainless using Everdur.
Clean it up and braze it. Any other way you will burn holes or distort the metal. Its got to be real clean though! Try cleaning it with viniger before you start.
Thanks for all the information. I went look at the pot this evening, and the elbow is stainless not brass, so this will be an easy fix. I didn't get to talk to him, so I don't know how he thought it was brass.
It was probably discolored from the fire.
Al
Heliarc it with silicon bronze. I do this all the time putting hose bibs on stainless piping. Garden hose pressure only!
Tig silicone bronze 110k tensile strenght. Used it on race cars
Although I am one of Silicon Bronze's biggest fans, I would doubt that it is an approved FDA filler metal.
Most culinary stainless cooking and tableware is 304 so, I would assume a 308 would suffice.
I recommend keeping some 304 S/S wire (0.045"?) that the pipe insulators use in the refineries. Works great for light gauge S/S fab and repair. Slip a cheater in the hood (back when my vision was good!) and made some really nice 1/16" fillet welds
That's a great point about the bronze not being food grade spec, Superflux. You could tin it afterwards, I suppose.
If it is for a drain what are the chances it would contact food?
Or, is it better to be safe than sorry?
I will admit that I did not think of this at first though.
I appreciate all the advice, and I learned a lot from ya'll about how to weld stainless to brass that I didn't know, thanks. Got it welded up. It was all stainless no brass,( 1 1/4" crack ) so it was an easy fix. I used a lincoln sa200 and some 308. It's welded on the outside of the pot, so it doesn't come in contact with any food, but the pot is only used to boil crawfish. About 750 pounds to 1000 pounds at a time, depending on the size.
Thanks for all the help.
You're making me hungry.
I had some Cajun style crawfish for the first time when I was working in Houston a couple of years ago.
It is amazing stuff.
I have some Lobster Bisque coming out of the microwave for lunch. That is the best I can do here in FL.
By cajun welder 
Date 03-17-2013 22:07
Edited 03-17-2013 22:16
I haven't had any yet, they're still small due to the cool temperatures.
He has a catering business and needs to boil several hundred pounds at a time. He does a few boils for school fundraisers, several oil field companies, and festivals etc.
He has two rigs and I'll try and post a picture of one that I worked on.
I'm not having any luck posting a picture.
