Stainless Steel beating...and welding

[DVD3500]

A guy is selling a stainless steel bumper for  a Spitfire for real cheap...

Catch is the bumper has a dent on the top on the "far side" aka driver's side LHD.

I did some searching online but most of the tips are for thinner metals like stainless steel doors on fridges or door trimming that is much thinner.

I know you can buff scratches out of stainless steel but I am wondering if you can get the dent out by beating it lightly after heating it with a heat gun?

The dent is almost 8 mm proud of the surface.

One of the rear brackets has also twisted and I am guessing welding is nigh on impossible, or is it?

I am only familiar with soldering and stainless steel is a pain to solder to...

 

[RogerH]

A Metal Finisher (plating shop) should be able to sort out the dent and remove the scratch.

You can easily 'silver solder stainless but you need the correct flux.

I'm sure you can soft solder (with the correct flux)

 

Roger

[DVD3500]

I was hoping to not have to go to a specialist. If I can maybe get the price down further it might be worth the effort...

[Bfg]

Stainless steel panel beating is quite similar to normal good quality ferrous steel except that it tends to have a bit more spring in the metal.  If it were an ordinary steel bumper then would you be able to beat it out nicely enough to have it re-chromed ? if so then you would be able to do the same in stainless.

I made a stainless steel collar and also the doors on a small stove I created and used my mig welder for that ..with ordinary ferrous-steel wire.  It worked fine, and because the welds were mostly not seen once assembled then I just painted over them with cold-galvanising (zinc) paint and/or silver HT paint.  The doors hinges are made of ferrous steel and again zinc and then silver painted. I'll dig out a picture and post it here so you can judge for yourself.

Pete.  

[JohnD]

Stainless steel undergoes work hardening, so will be stiffer for having been pressed into the bumper shape, and the event that raised the bump.

Annealing it, by heating to bright red heat will remove that hardening and make it easier to work.  Not to say work it while at red heat. You might have to repeat that in the course of flattening the bump, as your wotk hardens it again.

Use a suitable dolly or stem under the work, and beat all around the bump.  You're trying to shrink the metal, which has been stretched into the bump, so don't use excessive force that will thin and stretch it further.

The heat and beating will mark the surface, so you would need to polish it after for a nice finish.

All this is moderately skilled work, so the finish that will satisfy you may be beyond yours.   Or not!   If you want the best, get an expert on it!

John

 

[Bfg]

19 minutes ago, Bfg said:

I made a stainless steel collar and also the doors on a small stove I created and used my mig welder for that ..with ordinary ferrous-steel wire.  It worked fine, and because the welds were mostly not seen once assembled then I just painted over them with cold-galvanising (zinc) paint and/or silver HT paint.  The doors hinges are made of ferrous steel and again zinc and then silver painted. I'll dig out a picture and post it here so you can judge for yourself. 

Pete.  

^ reclaimed stainless steel from an commercial cooker / oven.

^ mig welding using my usual ferrous wire. This chimney is at the back of the stove (with the welds facing a wall when installed) so I wasn't too worried to do it more neatly.

Note the doors also made in stainless

My welding is far from beautiful, but for a coal burning stove it's OK  ..and better than I've seen on a Triumph chassis

^ welding on the back face, in the corners and for captive nuts which secure the glass.

I think even in close up detail it's come out OK ..for an amateur designed and built coal-burning stove (for my boat).   

Pete.

 

[DVD3500]

OK. I will ask around ...