[TheForge] Shrinking Stainless Sheet metal

[James Binnion]

Stainless has a 25% higher thermal expansion rate than mild steel.  
This is why it is such a pita to work when you are welding  it in  
thinner sections it will warp at the drop of a hat it is also a poor  
thermal conductor, much worse than mild so the heating is localized  
more than with the mild and the thermal expansion is acting on a  
smaller area resulting in greater warping.  If possible keep beads  
short and move to a different area to do next bead and keep working  
different areas around whole perimeter till the complete weld is done  
to keep from getting too much heat in one area. This will help but it  
is still likely to warp.

Jim

On Jan 17, 2007, at 1:38 PM, Ries Niemi wrote:

>
> Theoretically, it should move much like mild steel, but its so damn  
> hard to get to move, ever, that it seems to be harder to heat shrink.
>
> ries