new nudge bar.... dodgy installation

[transam]

If you think you have stainless continue living the dream!!!!!!!55555555555

Have a look at the pic from to original post. See the welded joint between the bar and bracket. It is stainless steel most likely Tig welded.

It is more than likely the lower grade 304 as opposed to the better marine grade 316L. However, it in NOT tin or anything else coated.stainless steel.jpg

If it was anything else like mild steel it would have been stick (arc) welded which results in usually much wider weld seams.

If steel I would have thought mig welded, not arc. Arc is too messy for that type of work.

[Pomthai]

If you think you have stainless continue living the dream!!!!!!!55555555555

Have a look at the pic from to original post. See the welded joint between the bar and bracket. It is stainless steel most likely Tig welded.

It is more than likely the lower grade 304 as opposed to the better marine grade 316L. However, it in NOT tin or anything else coated.stainless steel.jpg

If it was anything else like mild steel it would have been stick (arc) welded which results in usually much wider weld seams.

If steel I would have thought mig welded, not arc. Arc is too messy for that type of work.

Could be mig but in my experience Somchai doesn't bother with expensive equipment and the Argon gas needed for proper mig welding. Same as its rare to see Acetylene, they use oxygen and propane instead.

[tonytigerbkk]

If you think you have stainless continue living the dream!!!!!!!55555555555

Have a look at the pic from to original post. See the welded joint between the bar and bracket. It is stainless steel most likely Tig welded.

It is more than likely the lower grade 304 as opposed to the better marine grade 316L. However, it in NOT tin or anything else coated.stainless steel.jpg

If it was anything else like mild steel it would have been stick (arc) welded which results in usually much wider weld seams.

If steel I would have thought mig welded, not arc. Arc is too messy for that type of work.

Could be mig but in my experience Somchai doesn't bother with expensive equipment and the Argon gas needed for proper mig welding. Same as its rare to see Acetylene, they use oxygen and propane instead.

I was told that TIG welding was used on these bars but that would probably be dependent on which company made the product.

Pomthai, the highest grade SS that is used on nudge bars is T304.

Using any higher grade SS would push the nudge bar over the market price (especially at Thai SS prices).

The manufacturers of the nudge bars are already struggling to compete due to the sheer amount of copycat companies in Thailand who now knock out cheap versions in lean-to factories.

As well as that, the Chinese manufacturers are now beginning to make products with higher quality.

For example, 10 years ago I knew international part dealers who had whole rooms in their warehouses that were stuffed full of Wimbo (Chinese auto parts manufacturer) SS products that they could not sell as the quality was so low, and that they all stated would not sell Chinese any more

If I talk to those same dealers now they tell me that they have now gone back to buying from Wimbo, as there quality has improved so much and the products are cheaper than from Thailand.

Edited February 15, 2015 by tonytigerbkk