rafezetter
Troll Hunter
no point leaving this here - I was merely trying to offer another alternative.
Last edited:
New Number 1 DIY disaster
- Thread starter Halo Jones
- Start date
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Sgian Dubh
Established Member
Level off the damaged area if required and cover the whole lot with another sheet of stainless steel, maybe including folded returns to also cover the wood edging? Slainte.
Hi,
A good TIG welder could repair it but at high cost and in Scotland are there any Tig welders locally?
TIG Welding
Pulse welding would keep heat down allowing it to cool rather than trying to weld it all at one go. I have Tig welding kit and it's a difficult skill to acquire; I've only ever used it for aluminium. Tig welding isn't cheap and for a home workshop is expensive; a decent Tig welder new for a home workshop will cost around £1,000 then comes gas needing a BOC or similar account for the cylinders; my welding helmet set me back around £400 then of course are the filler rods etc. which all bump up costs; it will be very difficult indeed to get the damage Tig welded then comes the finishing; the long term solution is to replace which I know will also be painful to your pocket.
Kind regards, Colin.
A good TIG welder could repair it but at high cost and in Scotland are there any Tig welders locally?
TIG Welding
Pulse welding would keep heat down allowing it to cool rather than trying to weld it all at one go. I have Tig welding kit and it's a difficult skill to acquire; I've only ever used it for aluminium. Tig welding isn't cheap and for a home workshop is expensive; a decent Tig welder new for a home workshop will cost around £1,000 then comes gas needing a BOC or similar account for the cylinders; my welding helmet set me back around £400 then of course are the filler rods etc. which all bump up costs; it will be very difficult indeed to get the damage Tig welded then comes the finishing; the long term solution is to replace which I know will also be painful to your pocket.
Kind regards, Colin.
Transit80
Established Member
You need someone with one of these.Well, it's a new year and I have probably just made my biggest DIY disaster to date!
Last year I posted about making an island unit with a stainless steel top Stainless steel for island.
Yesterday I was doing the final touches routing the oak lipping so it was flush with edge of the stainless steel. All was going well and was doing the final edge when I caught the corner and the router kicked up across the top causing:
Now, a huge part of me is just very happy and relived that it was the stainless steel and not any of my fleshy parts that got caught. My better half doesn't quite see it like that at the moment.
Scrapping the top and starting again is not going to happen so I have to try and minimise the impact. Does anyone have any ideas about the best way forward?! I have seen kits like repair kit, perhaps used in combination with steel putty. Or, if anyone knows of a company that might be able to fix dings like this and they are in the Edinburgh/Fife/Dundee area then please let me know! The last thing I want to do is take abrasives to the area and make a big patch that doesn't match the rest of the top. Perhaps we just live with the scar - at least we won't have to worry about making the first mark in the top
(edited to try and get images to show)View attachment 101340View attachment 101341
For my work, I make fancy metalwork for things where the finish needs to be perfect. Eg -
If the OPs metal work was mine, I'd junk it.
There's talk of Tig -
Assuming the filler used is an identical grade to the original, assuming the welder has skill enough for the job, and that it does not burn up the underside too much (it pretty much will) and assuming you can restore the brushed finish spotlessly... A lot of assumptions.... Anyway, if they all pull off, what's a call out from a skilled Tig welder going to cost you? It won't be cheap at all.
Put it this way, I can Tig weld. Welding isn't what I do for work (much) but stainless is only DC Tig work so it's the easiest of the lot. And I'd be looking at replacing the job, as I'd think I could mess about for ages with it and it still wouldn't look right.
If the job is glued down, heat may free it, and then adding a brushed finish to the other side (assuming the shape can be flipped) would be simpler.
Again, I'm not a professional Tig welder, however cosmetic metal work is what pays the bills here, and I would junk the part rather than burn time on a fix that is unlikley to be invisible.
I mention this to save you time and bother rather than just be pessimistic!
If the OPs metal work was mine, I'd junk it.
There's talk of Tig -
Assuming the filler used is an identical grade to the original, assuming the welder has skill enough for the job, and that it does not burn up the underside too much (it pretty much will) and assuming you can restore the brushed finish spotlessly... A lot of assumptions.... Anyway, if they all pull off, what's a call out from a skilled Tig welder going to cost you? It won't be cheap at all.
Put it this way, I can Tig weld. Welding isn't what I do for work (much) but stainless is only DC Tig work so it's the easiest of the lot. And I'd be looking at replacing the job, as I'd think I could mess about for ages with it and it still wouldn't look right.
If the job is glued down, heat may free it, and then adding a brushed finish to the other side (assuming the shape can be flipped) would be simpler.
Again, I'm not a professional Tig welder, however cosmetic metal work is what pays the bills here, and I would junk the part rather than burn time on a fix that is unlikley to be invisible.
I mention this to save you time and bother rather than just be pessimistic!
...all that said.
I would burn a small amount of time with a da sander to try and get it as smooth as possible and then a hand held belt sander to see if the grain could be restored in a resonable way.
You might be lucky, but, if it can't be done in a quick and simple way, then I would cut my losses and replace.
I would burn a small amount of time with a da sander to try and get it as smooth as possible and then a hand held belt sander to see if the grain could be restored in a resonable way.
You might be lucky, but, if it can't be done in a quick and simple way, then I would cut my losses and replace.
clogs
just can't decide
I work with this stuff.....
sorry to say, it's a throw away......I have had to scrap items with less damage than that....
marcross it quite right it'll drive u nuts......it's a learning experience.....
once the money is spent on the new sheet u'll soon forgive ur'self....
sorry to say, it's a throw away......I have had to scrap items with less damage than that....
marcross it quite right it'll drive u nuts......it's a learning experience.....
once the money is spent on the new sheet u'll soon forgive ur'self....
novocaine
Established Member
I've already said all of that Julian and I'm in complete agreement with you. The OP has accepted it an come up with a solution, but as is often the way of this forum, it falls on deaf ears of others who have to show how high they can water or wave the tackle around.
I'm not a professional welder, in fact I never finished my grading, instead deciding to finish uni and make less money. I can use TIG to an acceptable level as I can with MIG, Arc and gas (or at least I could, haven't done a whole lot in recent years and the muscle memory has gone). I stand by my original comments, no way, no chance, not a hope. all this carp about pulse welding it doesn't make a jot, it will burn, it will warp and it will not finish nicely, to get a weld it has to get hot full stop end off. it's so thin that it will not sit back, so you'll either be on a hiding to nothing trying to shrink it (remember that father ted episode with the dent in the car?) or you'll have a bulge.
not mention finishing it. I'm not about to let someone start grinding and linishing in my fresh new kitchen.
but hey, good to see I was right on the last page, it's at a page and half more discussion after the OP has made his mind up and I'm sure it will continue a pace for the next few days. starting to see why folks fecked off.
I'm not a professional welder, in fact I never finished my grading, instead deciding to finish uni and make less money. I can use TIG to an acceptable level as I can with MIG, Arc and gas (or at least I could, haven't done a whole lot in recent years and the muscle memory has gone). I stand by my original comments, no way, no chance, not a hope. all this carp about pulse welding it doesn't make a jot, it will burn, it will warp and it will not finish nicely, to get a weld it has to get hot full stop end off. it's so thin that it will not sit back, so you'll either be on a hiding to nothing trying to shrink it (remember that father ted episode with the dent in the car?) or you'll have a bulge.
not mention finishing it. I'm not about to let someone start grinding and linishing in my fresh new kitchen.
but hey, good to see I was right on the last page, it's at a page and half more discussion after the OP has made his mind up and I'm sure it will continue a pace for the next few days. starting to see why folks fecked off.
Ttrees
Iroko loco!
I Take it the top can't be flipped over?
aebersold
Established Member
Halo,
Sorry for your accident there. On the hot side of my kitchen I have done like you with 316 stainless. Of course, initially you’ll be gutted as I would, but a couple of years on and it will be covered in very light scratches and still look fine. If it were me, I would sand out the less deep scratches with a power sander keeping it as flat as possible finishing by hand with 240g (or what the factory has used) and live with the small deeper section. I use a tig welder and I would not go anywhere near that for fear of distortion and I’m guessing you’ve bonded with a contact adhesive to a combustible substrate which would be ruined also. Let the frustration settle then go at it fresh. Good luck, looks great !
Alex
Sorry for your accident there. On the hot side of my kitchen I have done like you with 316 stainless. Of course, initially you’ll be gutted as I would, but a couple of years on and it will be covered in very light scratches and still look fine. If it were me, I would sand out the less deep scratches with a power sander keeping it as flat as possible finishing by hand with 240g (or what the factory has used) and live with the small deeper section. I use a tig welder and I would not go anywhere near that for fear of distortion and I’m guessing you’ve bonded with a contact adhesive to a combustible substrate which would be ruined also. Let the frustration settle then go at it fresh. Good luck, looks great !
Alex
What happens is, you start reading, then start skim reading, and miss that the original poster had settled on a solution.
This is then compounded by replies being recent (of which mine was also, so I'm not blaming anyone, just saying how it is)
Sure people, Inc myself, should read every post properly, but somtimes you just think "the chap is going to be wasting a load of his time doing all that I have read, I'd just like to warn him off doing so"
Halo Jones
Established Member
As the OP I don't mind the banter going back and forth - as long as no one is offended if I stop replying.
Also I've done as Julian has said a few times. It is easily done once a thread gets over a certain length.
Also I've done as Julian has said a few times. It is easily done once a thread gets over a certain length.
novocaine
Established Member
It is a qwerk if this particular forum especially and often leads to bun fights.
this wasn't a dig at any one individual, I simply find it decidedly annoying and view it as someone in the pub (remember those) stepping in half way through a conversation and suggesting something that was spoken about some time previous, the difference here is that the conversation from previous is available for your viewing pleasure. I'd find it equally irritating in the pub, especially when it involves the "you don't wanna do it like that, you wanna do it like this" type of person.
this wasn't a dig at any one individual, I simply find it decidedly annoying and view it as someone in the pub (remember those) stepping in half way through a conversation and suggesting something that was spoken about some time previous, the difference here is that the conversation from previous is available for your viewing pleasure. I'd find it equally irritating in the pub, especially when it involves the "you don't wanna do it like that, you wanna do it like this" type of person.
A good TIG welder could fill the worst of those dings. When I used to weld sheet goods like 316 we only peeled the protective film back a couple of inches each side and the heat is so localised it does not melt the film. TIG is unlike any other type of welding and is often referred to as the Rolls Royce of welding techniques. So long as you do not penetrate right through the glue will melt and then reset.
Sorry to see this has happened to you. If its not repairable could you maybe make a butchers block or similar to cover that area, sorry doesn't solve the issue but just an ideaWell, it's a new year and I have probably just made my biggest DIY disaster to date!
Last year I posted about making an island unit with a stainless steel top Stainless steel for island.
Yesterday I was doing the final touches routing the oak lipping so it was flush with edge of the stainless steel. All was going well and was doing the final edge when I caught the corner and the router kicked up across the top causing:
Now, a huge part of me is just very happy and relived that it was the stainless steel and not any of my fleshy parts that got caught. My better half doesn't quite see it like that at the moment
Scrapping the top and starting again is not going to happen so I have to try and minimise the impact. Does anyone have any ideas about the best way forward?! I have seen kits like repair kit, perhaps used in combination with steel putty. Or, if anyone knows of a company that might be able to fix dings like this and they are in the Edinburgh/Fife/Dundee area then please let me know! The last thing I want to do is take abrasives to the area and make a big patch that doesn't match the rest of the top. Perhaps we just live with the scar - at least we won't have to worry about making the first mark in the top
(edited to try and get images to show)View attachment 101340View attachment 101341
Cabinetman
Established Member
I agree, this has been rehashed over and over ad nauseam. I agree it needs replacing, but I just wanted to mention that I have seen a fair few stainless steel welders/fabricators over the years and they use something that looks like a green kitchen pad, but it’s brown, to put a final patination on the stainless steel – a bit like grain on wood. Ian
cowtown_eric
Established Member
With the plethora of stainless kitchen appliances, which often get damaged stainless surfaces, you could phone around to retail appliance shops to see if they recommend a "stainless repairman" and if that draws a blank, contact commercial kitchen fols and see if they can make a recommendation.
I think the welding would cause a larger problem
Sometimes the cure is worse than the problem. True mark of a professional is how one recovers from mistakes.
Eric
I think the welding would cause a larger problem
Sometimes the cure is worse than the problem. True mark of a professional is how one recovers from mistakes.
Eric
Jonty
Member
Difficult to advise without seeing it in full. Maybe post a pic showing it in full. But you could mask off an area (square, round or whatever) and using a fine grit remove the obvious mistake and leave a different but uniform finish?
