stainless steel

I am bidding a slate job 0n a college building which has built in gutters. If I do the slate, they want me to install 22 gauge SS built in gutters, premaid 20' lengths, all joints at end caps, laps, expansion joints, and outlets soldered. Man lifts and forklift onsite. Can you solder this or should they be welded. I have been getting conflicting advise here. All 54' off the ground, 7/12 roof, 4 sides straight shots, 320' Building built in 1906. Has a sloped wood running track on the 3rd floor

I think I would measure 3 times, and do all cap work in the shop, capping each section relative to a downspout. Leave a 1/4-1/2" between each section, then at the butt joints of each section, just install a cap over the joints. No field seaming this way, and the shorter lengths won't cause so much expansion problems. But I'm not a great metal guy.... which might be why I would want to do it this way.

Twil, how come we are not rich since we are so smart?

Old School Said: Tell the GC to go up there and do it then. He would sing a different tune in a hurry.`

Yeah if there is so much money to be made, why isn't he doing it? :laugh:

Tell the GC to go up there and do it then. He would sing a different tune in a hurry.`

max Said: $50/ ft is what my buddy suggested as well. GC called that crazy. I think he has that assbackward lol.

I get that a lot too. GC bids job, then calls for an estimate of what it'll cost. I don't mind too much. I make 3-4 times that later on the repair work.

$50/ ft is what my buddy suggested as well. GC called that crazy. I think he has that assbackward lol.

Max, each joint could take 2 hours of more apiece. Not to mention all the other issues. Metal that thick, if not tapered so the ends fit together could really cause issues. You're right not to bid $10. a foot. Labor only, all scaffold already in place, I'd be $50. a foot easy. Maybe more after seeing the job and meeting the people involved.

It would be fun ifin they would pay what it is worth. Tied off 100% of the time, non-smoking campus, I dont but 2 on crew do, all for the great price of 10/ft.labor. Probably will not get the job anyway as the other work, I priced at my price.

If your going to do this in 22 ga. you wont be able to nail through it. Design it to float in cleats so it can move freely No penetrations through the metal to lock in in place. Pre-solder the laps and re-solder after riveted together. Make sure the rivets are 100% stainless including the mandril. Your going to need a powerful rivet gun and gorilla hands to pop them. Don't use to small a rivet or they will shear off with the expansion. Have fun

:(

I see Follansbee was only offering SS up to 24ga.

I thought that those of us not using their material had finally put them under. I've only had to make one small order of tin in the last 15 years or so. I only offer copper and some steel to my clients. Last I heard, they were only filling previous orders before final closing. It was in some newsletter I got a few months back.

Information central, great knowledge base, that's all igot to say,,, Oh, ps, I now have information to share.

Yes you can solder stainless. Like tinner said though you will lap and rivet every inch double row. 20 ft. will move way to much and the joint will self destruct in a few years. Back to the soldering part. There is a special flux for stainless, can't think of it off the top of my head but its works well. You will need special shears with carbide inlays otherwise figure on buying a few pair. Bull dog snips by malco are a good choice but not user friendly because of the short cut range. How about using TCSII from follenbee steel. cost would be better and its a little more user friendly http://www.follansbeesteel.com/products/tcsiihttp://www.globalindustrial.com/p/tools/welding/solder-alloys-fluxes/1-qt-m-a-stainless-steel-flux-liqui?utm_source=google_pr&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Solder-Alloys-Fluxes-google_pr&infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=CNfYyO_7tbECFcHPKgodgAIATA

22 gauge is going to be a bitch! I would probably lean towards welding it. They have wire welders for that and I know that my brother has one. It is in the shop though, so it is not a "portable" thing. There is a learning curve on doing it too. Good luck and make sure and up charge the crap out of it. It is going to be a job, but when you are done, it will last for at least another 100 years.

Not sure. I know that once you get to 24oz. copper and thicker, the solder is only a filler and not structural. The joints have to be lapped, pop-riveted every couple of inches, then soldered. No flat-locking.