Best filler metal chart, or do you just ask your LWS?

I was wondering if anyone had a resource for a filler metal chart or if they just asked their LWS each time?

Off the bat, I'll be working with regular hot rolled in non-critical applications, so I figure a good 'general purpose' steel filler is in order. Is there a specific that's better for hot rolled than a general one? I'll also be doing quite a bit of 316l, and I know there's a specific wire for that. Aluminum, well, not frequent but I have a handful of things I'll want to be fixing, I'm guessing a general purpose (most are cast, like intakes and automotive cast brackets and whatnot) would work, a specific if I get a new order of a specific alloy.

Do I need to match brass to alloy, or is there a general purpose? I have a few alloys on hand I'd like to try working with after I'm up and running.

ESAB offers a filler metal handbook online here:
http://www.esabna.com/EUWeb/FM_handbook/577fm1_1.htm

It's specific to ESAB products but includes the AWS classification, and contains a ton of information. So for your hot rolled steel applications, for instance, it looks like MIG wire ER70S-3 is the most general purpose wire while the -4 wire has better rust and scale tolerance. (I just learned all this- I'm sure you knew it already.) The handbook gives chemical descriptions of the ER70S-2, -3, -4, and -6 varieties along with some application guidance.

You can also get a whole diskful of filler metal info (along with a lot of other info) free from ESAB for the asking:
http://www.esabna.com/us/en/educatio...al-Request.cfm

Trip, you posted under the TIG section but from your posts I've read and your signature line you've got a MIG. Do you have a spool gun, or a TIG machine you haven't told us about?!

DaveO

General purpose mild (CRS and HRS) MIG wire is ER70S6
General purpose mild (CRS and HRS) TIG wire is ER70S2

there are higher strength alloys, such as ER80** or the 4130/4340 alloy rods. the latter can stress-crack without post-weld heat treatment, which is why you'll often see people recommend welding 4130 with ER70S2 or ER80S-D2

308L is used for 304 stainless
309L is used to weld 304 to something else, or to weld most other dissimilar stainless alloys together.
316L is used on (drumroll...) 316.
the 'L's stand for low carbon to reduce the formation of carbides in the weld pool.

general purpose aluminum filler is 4043
5356 is a magnesium containing rod, I happen to like it quite a bit.
1100 is basically straight aluminum, very ductile.

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that you can't braze very well with tig because it tends to vaporize the zinc. I have never tried it, though.


if you're welding anything out of the ordinary, google it! there's a lot of information you won't find unless you're looking for something specific. often times you'll find a good resource in the process.

arc-zone.com has little blurbs about the general usage of the tig rods they sell, which also comes in handy(I had to look up whether it was ER80S-D2 or -B2 that's used on 4130): http://www.arc-zone.com/index.php?ma...8h1ru5k2nmtf44

I'll second DaveO on this one. Dave gave you some links from esab. Here's another one. http://www.esabna.com/us/en/support/...alog_email.pdf

This one covers just about the whole spectrum of filler rod and more. It all depends on what you are up to. Most of the LWS's have the basic rods that you will need.

Since I weld race car stuff and my brother or some other living being is riding around in it, I stopped trusting the guys at the LWS long ago. Nothing personal of course. Remember that they are in the business of selling stuff and I'm in the business of making sure everybody goes home safely.

Knowledge is a virtue that everybody should strive to achieve. I just don't trust anybody that calls them self an expert.

If you are armed with the required knowledge, the guy at the LWS will be better able to help you. I would also suggest that you arm yourself with the catalogs from Airgas, Praxair, and ESAB. That way you can give them a part number that they can enter in their magical computer so they can look good while they tell you that they don't have it.

Some on this forum have had bad experiences with Airgas in their area, I haven't. Usually when they don't have what I'm looking for, they can look into their computer and tell you which store it is located, or order it for you.

Best Regards!

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Originally Posted by DaveO

ESAB offers a filler metal handbook online here:
http://www.esabna.com/EUWeb/FM_handbook/577fm1_1.htm

It's specific to ESAB products but includes the AWS classification, and contains a ton of information. So for your hot rolled steel applications, for instance, it looks like MIG wire ER70S-3 is the most general purpose wire while the -4 wire has better rust and scale tolerance. (I just learned all this- I'm sure you knew it already.) The handbook gives chemical descriptions of the ER70S-2, -3, -4, and -6 varieties along with some application guidance.

You can also get a whole diskful of filler metal info (along with a lot of other info) free from ESAB for the asking:
http://www.esabna.com/us/en/educatio...al-Request.cfm

Trip, you posted under the TIG section but from your posts I've read and your signature line you've got a MIG. Do you have a spool gun, or a TIG machine you haven't told us about?!

DaveO

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Ah, well... I have a MIG now, but there's the contest, and if I don't win that, I'll be ordering a TIG within a week. It just so happened that the contest timing and my finances lined up, else I'd have bought one already and hoped to win another :)

That said, my wife got hit yesterday and I may wind up with the TIG $$ going towards a deductable, the kid is trying to get out of his liability, so it's up in the air and stressful as hell for now.

The good thing at the ultimate outcome of all this, I did bare minimum MIG welding in the Navy, but TIGed my brains out. Steel, stainless, aluminum, chromemoly, etc. structural, sheet, sockets and other pipe work, etc. all the way out through the nuke welding training. I'm still getting used to MIG but can lay stick like no one's business and hopefully the TIG will come back quick.

Thanks guys, I'll check out ESAB and the other resources, thanks for the list Ogorir. The 316L relates to the tattoo equipment, all the parts I do are surgical, so 316L or LVM

I'm actually keeping an eye out for a heat treatment oven, missed on on Clist a few weeks back for next to nothing and have been kicking myself since.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trip59

my wife got hit yesterday and I may wind up with the TIG $$ going towards a deductable, the kid is trying to get out of his liability, so it's up in the air and stressful as hell for now.

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Yikes- I hope she's OK!

Yeah, she's ok, just pissed the kid that hit her is playing games. I tell ya, I'm starting to lose faith in humanity. It's rare you see the younger generation acting responsibly (wow, I'm starting to feel old).