Welding D-rings To Backplate

[deadend]

TIG it on and grind it off if you don't like it!

 

[mike_s]

TIG it on and grind it off if you don't like it!

"Monster Scuba Garage!"

 

[ChrisA]

Has onyone welded d-rings to the side-bottom edges of their plate? I saw it and thought it would be great for backup reel, bug bag, john line etc. Keep things out of the way but within reach

Very hard to weld stainless in a way that will not rust. The heat does something to the metal and it becomes less rust resistent. Yes it can be done but it require a very skilled welder who knows about the exact types of alloys involved.

I've got a boat in saltwater and I'll tall you. Anytime a stainless fitting fails it is always the weld that goes.

 

[Night Diver]

Very hard to weld stainless in a way that will not rust. The heat does something to the metal and it becomes less rust resistent. Yes it can be done but it require a very skilled welder who knows about the exact types of alloys involved.

I've got a boat in saltwater and I'll tall you. Anytime a stainless fitting fails it is always the weld that goes.

I agree and although I am not a metalurgist (nor do I play one on TV) I recall from my younger mechanical days that we were never allowed to weld to the flanges of tempered, bent steel because of the increased danger of cracking the steel. So it was the belief at that time (and remains my belief) that welding to the edges creates the chance of not just the weld itself breaking (even though some will swear up and down that a weld itself never breaks, it does) but also the chance of the plate forming a crack from that point. Just seems like a risk for little benefit.

 

[pipedope]

Welding stainless is not that big a deal.

You do need to pick the right alloy filler so that you keep a good condition in the weld metal and heat affected zone (HAZ) but this is nothing new. Look at all the stainless towers on fishing boats.

Then it is a good idea to passivate the plate after welding.

Remember too that the stresses on a BP and D-rings are very low compared to most other uses of the metal.

One concern is to locate and attact the rings so that there is very little chance of catching a line or better yet, no chance at all.

A welded ring is going to be stronger than a zip tie or a hose clamp.

 

[HNITSUJ]

Well, I did it, dove it and love it. They don't rust nor get in the way. The only modification I made to my orig idea is that I put a slight (say 25 degree) bend in em before welding. The beauty of the TIG, is that I used no filler metal. I just got a pool going and fused what was there for a pretty much, perfectly smooth weld on both sides.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I agree and although I am not a metalurgist (nor do I play one on TV) I recall from my younger mechanical days that we were never allowed to weld to the flanges of tempered, bent steel because of the increased danger of cracking the steel. So it was the belief at that time (and remains my belief) that welding to the edges creates the chance of not just the weld itself breaking (even though some will swear up and down that a weld itself never breaks, it does) but also the chance of the plate forming a crack from that point. Just seems like a risk for little benefit.

The 300 series SS used for plates cannot be heat treated, and therefore would not be either hardened or tempered. Welding should have very little effect on the properties.
Passivation is a good idea. If you lack the heated nitric acid bath, glass bead blasting will provide a measure of mechanical passivation.

Welding to heat treated steel, such as the the frame rails on a truck, will casue localized annealing. This localized softening can lead to cracking.

Welds shrink, and depending on the joint design, this shrinkage can induce very high local stresses. Peening the weld, or reheating the entire area post welding can relieve the stress. Can welds crack? You betcha! Is it a concern in this lightly loaded application? I doubt it.


Tobin

 

[HNITSUJ]

The 300 series SS used for plates cannot be heat treated, and therefore would not be either hardened or tempered. Welding should have very little effect on the properties.
Passivation is a good idea. If you lack the heated nitric acid bath, glass bead blasting will provide a measure of mechanical passivation.

Welding to heat treated steel, such as the the frame rails on a truck, will casue localized annealing. This localized softening can lead to cracking.

Welds shrink, and depending on the joint design, this shrinkage can induce very high local stresses. Peening the weld, or reheating the entire area post welding can relieve the stress. Can welds crack? You betcha! Is it a concern in this lightly loaded application? I doubt it.


Tobin

Stress relief is definately not a concern here. In fact on mild steel roll cages and chassis', stress relief is not required at all. In chromolloy and such, it is recommended but is also not an absolute requirement unless the entire chassis is chromolloy tube. So I think my reel hanging on a welding d-ring should be ok.

 

[ajames54]

Has onyone welded d-rings to the side-bottom edges of their plate? I saw it and thought it would be great for backup reel, bug bag, john line etc. Keep things out of the way but within reach

I don't have any in-put to offer as a diver but as someone who has more than a passing familiarity with corrosion testing of steel I would advise against it unless you know that both the plate and D-Ring are the same alloy AND they are done by a GOOD welder. Different alloys, even different stainless steel alloys can have a galvanic reaction that causes or speeds corrosion, aluminum is much worse.

(really the odds of this happening are slim but not so slim as to be discounted)

 

[DEEPLOU]

Don't weld the D-ring directly to the plate. It will make the ring "rigid" and non-moveable.

THAT'S the whole idea of welding the D-ring to the plate!!!!!

It does work, I have seen it on other divers' plates before. They love it.