William, you probably already know by now that one does not use stick welding on stainless steel for this application. Instead, we utilize the TIG Process. William, TIG is an anacronym for Tungsten Inert Gas. I will break down the processs for you. These 1/4" fnpt plugs were cold welded at mid range / DC straight, high frequency start, at 90 amps plus or minus 5 depending on the pedal usage. We used pure argon shielding using .035, 316 stainless steel wire for corrosion resistance. The cold weld process was utilized as per US Navy Requirements to reduce overheating and distortion.
Sandblasting was NOT used. William, as you probably already knew before asking the question, sandblasting is a surface cleaning process. Sand is a contaminate. Sandblasting is usually used for surface preparation. Our assemblies are GLASS BEADED. William, glass beading is a surface conditioning process. It adds durability to the surface aiding in corrosion resistance.
William, do you now understand the process? I can get a bit more detailed if needed. I learned to stick weld when I was nine years old.
Thanks for the questions!
Lori