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JoshStratton
03-20-2006, 12:11 PM
Can anyone tell me what kind of bolts I can weld to 20 gauge steel? The Big Orange Box just carries Zinc coated or stainless and I am worried about rust. I can paint the heads, but the threads have the potential to get hit with water.

Any ideas?

parsonsj
03-20-2006, 04:27 PM
I'm not sure what you have in mind, but stainless seems like an easy choice. Just remember that stainless bolts are usually unrated, meaning they have less tensile strength than grade 3 hardware.

jp

Matt@RFR
03-20-2006, 04:30 PM
Or just use the zinc coated bolts and grind the coating off where you'll be welding.

JoshStratton
03-20-2006, 04:46 PM
Thanks guys! Can you weld stainless to cold steel?

Can you weld zinc plated with the coating since zinc is supposed to be a deterant for rust? or will the welds just be brittle with the extra crap in it?

Matt@RFR
03-20-2006, 05:12 PM
You can weld stainless to mild steel as long as you don't mind it rusting, and you can use mild steel wire.

Fumes from welding over any zinc coating are VERY bad for you. Just grind it off and it'll be fine.

JoshStratton
03-21-2006, 06:05 AM
Ok. Zinc coated it is! LOL. Thanks!