Post by jackrae on Sept 3, 2006 19:36:30 GMT
I'm endeavouring to build a wind turbine mast and just happened to lay my hands on a 75mm stainless steel tube, grade unknown, of 1.5mm wall thickness with a 12mm thick flange welded to one end. Great thinks I, but decided it needed some stiffening webs at the flange end to prevent the tube tearing off in the wind.
I'm in the process of buying some 50mm x 6mm 304 grade stainless to make the web plates from.
Question was how to fix webs to both flange and tube.
I've set up a test bench and tried scratch TIG welding on the tube using pure argon. The results were very erratic and I seemed to get flaring now and again as if some constituent of the alloy was rapidly burning. In the end the results looked rathger burned.
I decided my TIG skills left a lot to be desired so I set my MIG system up with 0.8mm stainless wire and again using pure argon I ended up with something that resembled the backside of a badger.
Next I broke out the oxy-actylene set and had a go at brazing. Using a bog-standard brazing rod I actually managed to lay down a half decent looking beed.
Question. Is brazing, using a proper alloy for stainless steel, likely to be strong enough. Also is the temperature necessary for silver brazing, although colder than welding, is likely to be more wide spread and liable to cause weakening of the parent metal.
Or do I swallow my pride and pay for a professional company to weld on the web plates. My only concern about the latter course is that thier rates will no doubt cost more than buying a mild steel tube and rebuilding the whole mast.
Comments appreciated
Jack
I'm in the process of buying some 50mm x 6mm 304 grade stainless to make the web plates from.
Question was how to fix webs to both flange and tube.
I've set up a test bench and tried scratch TIG welding on the tube using pure argon. The results were very erratic and I seemed to get flaring now and again as if some constituent of the alloy was rapidly burning. In the end the results looked rathger burned.
I decided my TIG skills left a lot to be desired so I set my MIG system up with 0.8mm stainless wire and again using pure argon I ended up with something that resembled the backside of a badger.
Next I broke out the oxy-actylene set and had a go at brazing. Using a bog-standard brazing rod I actually managed to lay down a half decent looking beed.
Question. Is brazing, using a proper alloy for stainless steel, likely to be strong enough. Also is the temperature necessary for silver brazing, although colder than welding, is likely to be more wide spread and liable to cause weakening of the parent metal.
Or do I swallow my pride and pay for a professional company to weld on the web plates. My only concern about the latter course is that thier rates will no doubt cost more than buying a mild steel tube and rebuilding the whole mast.
Comments appreciated
Jack
