Got the water pan to hot when welding. thought i could pop it back into shape when secured down but didn’t work. Any ideas on fixing it or better to just get a new one? Going to get some Pictures when i can.
You’re in bad shape.
Pounding that thing as straight as you can and living with it.
I would definitely try to make sure it’s flat before you tack it to the frame so it’s not putting any stress on the framework geometry.
It may be too far gone though
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cut out weld and tube thats welded in. work everything back in place (should be pretty easy with weld gone). re weld back in colder or purchase a sink drain that screws together to avoid the welding. something like this…
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I agree with what was said and if you could, cut out the HAZ around the drain weld.
Unfortunately, stainless has a memory, so you will never get it perfectly flat.
So, the only other option is to have new pieces bent. You don’t have to stay with the S201, 303/304 would work. Just don’t get the 400 series stainless.
The memory part is killing me. Tried pounding the warps out but just changed how it was bent. couldn’t get it any ware close. So said screw it and am going for broke. Screwed it back down and welded the pans together with a fan underneath to help with the heat, warped a little more but have the seam even at this point. Possible stupid question but if i would hang a 75 or 100 lb. weight from the drain hole with the edges of the pan supported then heated the pan up could I take advantage of the memory to have it stretch and flatten itself out that way? Might be dumb but it makes sense in my head. Anyone tried this or something similar before? Just wondering and putting this out there just in case. If i end up getting a new one made will probably try it anyway but figured i would ask first.
So, I’ve been in the welding/ fabrication industry for 30 years and did all kinds of crazy things with metal. 10 years of pharmaceutical and food grade SST.
Stainless can be very forgiving or very stubborn.
Things that you know are supposed to work don’t, and the other way around.
To answer your question, yes you could do that but, like you said, the warp is just moving around.
If you heat it up, start small. Have a hand held temp gun and heat at gradual temps. Heat it up to say 300 degrees and put cold water on it right away. Wait until it is completely cooled then try again at a different temp or a different place if you noticed it working.
Just my 2 cents but TinWhisperer and mootyfabrication hit it right on the head.
Plus the slats are the only thing that need to be flat, no one will ever see the bottom of the pan.
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true on the slats. I am more worried about draining the water. Kinda regretting putting the drain ports on first now but needed to kill the month i was waiting for my frame.
Could you move the drains to a different location?
Weld up the original holes.
I use 1 amp per .001 thickness for welding. Plus or minus depending on practice weld.
I am going to get a new pan made. have a local shop that will bend up a 10ga pan for me. will be 300 bucks but will be deeper and regular steel so easier to weld. Going to put in a center drain and a few fill holes for the pump system i am going to add. Next just need to get casters and the shelf on this. will probably go with some Unistrut then put some plywood on top.
If you’re running a 180 machine torch watch out you’re going to end up running out of z axis unless you have stanchion risers.
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