Think about why companies make stuff like this:

http://www.industrialtool.com/walter-surfox.html

...notice the first sentence: "Welding of stainless steel produces a discoloration of the surface that MUST BE REMOVED TO RESTORE THE CORROSION RESISTANCE OF THE STAINLESS STEEL...."

The colors may be pretty, but I can tell you that in the food service industry, in military applications (Military Specification 248-D), and generally in all piping industry, they require that you brush off or otherwise remove the discoloration.

Now consider how many companies that weld exhaust pipes don't remove the color. Why? cause it's what the public likes...not so much what is best.

This is what they should really look like:



Yes, I know it's for a completely different industry, but stainless is stainless (at least within certain limits). In all these applications, corrosion resistance is a desired trait...otherwise you'd not use stainless.

Food for thought....

 

no comments, thoughts, theories?

 

I never cared about color. I am more interested in strength. I may take some welding classes for fun.

 

I wish you were around at Honda Tech to tell those exhaust ricers that the pretty colors dont say anything about strength.

 

Straight from Miller
http://www.millerwelds.com/education...Book_Chpt6.pdf
"Bluing indicates an immediate lack of post flow"

 

 

but does this mean that grey contaminated welds still suck?

 

The color of the weld can be a pretty good indicator of the amount of heat it was welded with.

 

its gotta be jdm guys, everyone knows that

 

yeah you see quite often people asking how to make my welds have more color