I have several stainless steel plates and I want to solder galvanized steel tubes to these plates.
Is this possible?
I ask because I have a guy that does all my soldering work, but he generally solders regular or galvanized steel to regular or galvanized steel.
Would he be able to solder or braze stainless steel to galvanized steel the same way he does this regular work?
YES You can weld or braze galvanized but first the zinc needs to be removed or it won't stick well with either method and welding on galvanized metals releases nasty vapors that if breathed affect the liver. I usually grind the zinc back about an inch weld and then use a cold process galvanizing spray to re coat, it works fine, I am in the process of building my grand kids a swing using galvanized pipe/ conduit and have made lots of things using this method.
Yes @rbhat, you absolutely can. I worked as a welder for years and worked maintenance at power plants and worked plant outages all over Texas and even at a refinery in Beaumont Texas and it is possible, but like Ed Beal said, you need to grind the galvanize off first. I've welded with it on, and with it ground off. Believe me, ground off is better, WAY better. That smoke will choke the heck out of you. LOL Ok, with that said, here's the deal, galvanized steel is usually just plain old everyday carbon steel that's been hot-dipped galvanized. So to weld plain old carbon steel to stainless, you HAVE to use 309 stainless welding rods that's either TIG welded or my favorite, stick welded. Stainless 309 is only for welding carbon to stainless. We've done it many, many times. Like Ed said, grind the galvanize back about an inch, and let a welder go at it. (-: Hope that helps, a welding shop should be able to hook you up. Just my opinion, I wouldn't TIG it though, those impurities from that galvanize will pin hole the crap out of your weld. Stick rod plain old arc welding it is better.
