[C320-list] Companionway Step Weld Failure

[John Zienda]

Brian,You need to weld stainless steel material with a stainless steel wire.  My recommendation would be to take the stairs to the local weld or fab shop. By the time you find a portable welding machine, buy the wire, and rick insufficient weld. You will have it doe correctly. The challenge you will face is post welding heat discoloration.  What will help is to wire brush the weld immediately after the welding. Use any brass (not steel) wire brush and clean the weld as good as you can.  You can finish it up with a Scotch -Brite pad.  Applying light coat of WD-40 or any other light oil on to the welded area will slow down the rusting process.  There are some chemicals that you could get to eliminate rusting all together, however, since this welded are will not be visible, I  would not bother, unless the weld shop would have something like that.
Good luck with your project.
John Zienda#691 "Zooza" Chicago, IL
       From: Amiraults Family <amiraults at sympatico.ca>
 To: C320-List at Catalina320.com 
 Sent: Friday, August 28, 2015 7:56 AM
 Subject: [C320-list] Companionway Step Weld Failure
   
At the conclusion of last night's races (results not yet posted but I remain
hopeful) the largest crew member came down hard on the front of the top step
and it gave. Examination reveals that the metal strap to which the step is
bolted disconnected from the stair frame at the aft weld. The repair
solution is to re-weld the strap at that point.

 

Has this happened to anyone else on-list? Is the material stainless steel
requiring special welding, or is the fix something any fool with an
inexpensive electric welder can complete?

 

Brian Amirault

797 Waltzing Bear, too

 



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