Originally Posted by DocRay
All those materials numbers are worth thinking about, but the real truth about application to bikes is vastly different after welding, and the ability to form ceratin shapes in those materials. You cannot extrude stainless for example.
"100% stainless" is a meaningless term, there are >50 alloys of nickel, chromium and steel with different properties.
One big weight adavantage of SS is that it does not have to be painted or coated.
Yeah, stainless fabrication is much closer to aluminium and titanium than traditional chromoly. It has to be TIG-welded with argon shielding gas on the inside and outside of the tubing. I'm sure the alloy they're using has some Ti in it to fight hydrogen embrittlement and carbide-migration at elevated temperatures. As with welding aluminium and titanium, the composition of the filler-rod has to be compatible with the base metals.
Depending upon the pre-heating, radius and thickness of the weld, and post-weld annealing, you can actually end up with a joint that's stronger than the tubing because it's thicker and has gradual and smooth blended contours which minimizes stress-risers. So welding stainless isn't any different than alloy or ti, you just have to know what you're doing. Some of the nicest stainless fabrications I've seen are custom exhaust headers for Harleys and race cars; simply works of art!
