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Up Topic Welding Industry / Technical Discussions / Using 316L filler metal with 304 SS
- - By Lonnie Date 12-09-2001 03:22
Are their any concerns as far as color matching when using 316L filler metal with 304 SS. Besides the tensile strength not matching, reduced carbon content and the addition of 2-3 % moly. I can not see that there is that big a difference. This is being used on handrails employing the GTAW process and the handrail is being polished after welding. Any input would be appreciated.
Parent - - By - Date 12-09-2001 18:54
For a handrail, I can not see a problem, but why not just use the correct filler? (being 308)

Regards
Niekie
Parent - - By Lonnie Date 12-09-2001 20:08
It was a rush job and the only rod we had on hand at the time was 316L in 1/16 GTAW rod. We were attepting to make the welds as small as possible so that we did not have to polish them all the way out. We were originally going to use 308 flux core on the rail but it did not accomplish what we were looking for, it made the welds to big and caused way too much clean up. We starting using the 316L and it did a very good job, so we used it. I did not see a big difference other than the tensile strength when i looked in D1.6 which really does not really apply to this since it is gauge material. I just figured using GTAW and such small amounts of filler would help the base metal pick up in the welds and help allievate the diffrence between the 2. Also since it was low carbon I would not have to worry about corrosion at the weld boundries.
Parent - By thomas_1999 Date 12-10-2001 14:03
Not to change the subject but I was wondering how the joints were prepared prior to welding? Some companies permit handrail 1 1/2" pipe minimum sch 40 to be used as square-cut and butted tight.

I Inspected on a job a few years back that put a little weld on and after polishing most of the welds cracked posing a fall protection issue. They also tried to get away with large spotwelds and bondo. haha

Anyway I thought I'd throw that in about the small welds. If I have critical handrail I try to use chill-rings to guarantee weld joint penetration that you can't grind away.

Rush jobs usually come back to haunt you.
Parent - By jd369 (**) Date 12-11-2001 17:00
I wouldn't be concerned about the filler you used, for that application you're not going to have any problems at all. If you are an experienced welder and used a little common sense than I'm also sure that you're joint configuration was adequate for the job. We've performed similar tasks using 316L on 304 material with out any ill effects.
Up Topic Welding Industry / Technical Discussions / Using 316L filler metal with 304 SS

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