Welding thin metal

pcmeiners · Wednesday at 3:13 PM

Alright, just partially setup my welder, a Miller XMT 350 MPa, the MIG part not setup.
What I need is to weld a trigger bar for my HK CC9 after I cut it and increase the length by less than a 1/4" to decrease trigger pre-travel, bar is 3/32" thick, 1/8" wide alloy steel.
Will I get away with stick welding with 1/16" E6013 / E7018 rods?. Tig and Mig capability regretfully months away.

liliysdad · Wednesday at 3:39 PM

I’d be somewhat surprised if that part wasn’t stainless.

No way I’d stick weld that, regardless of material. I’d find someone with a Tig.

stickshift · Wednesday at 4:21 PM

pcmeiners said:
What I need is to weld a trigger bar for my HK CC9 after I cut it and increase the length by less than a 1/4" to decrease trigger pre-travel

I would not modify the trigger on a carry gun. Too many potential issues if you have to use it in self-defense.

If it's a range toy, go for it, but definitely advise any future buyers that trigger has been modded.

pcmeiners · Wednesday at 5:03 PM

liliysdad said:
No way I’d stick weld that, regardless of material. I’d find someone with a Tig.

Yes I am wonder what alloy is used, but it is a trade secret. Damn, I have all the TIG equipment needed but the tanks/gas, but tight for time in the next couple months. Maybe I should wait but I have a spare trigger bar.

stickshift said:
I would not modify the trigger on a carry gun.

Already know the legal ramifications of my proposed action.

liliysdad · Wednesday at 5:06 PM

pcmeiners said:
Yes I am wonder what alloy is used, but it is a trade secret. Damn, I have all the TIG equipment needed but the tanks/gas, but tight for time in the next couple months. Maybe I should wait but I have a spare trigger bar.

I would.

pcmeiners said:
Already know the legal ramifications of my proposed action.

It wouldn’t bother me a single bit as long as it proved reliable.

pcmeiners · Wednesday at 5:44 PM

liliysdad said:
t wouldn’t bother me a single bit as long as it proved reliable.

Same here, as is the modification does not remove all the extra pre-travel manufacturers engineer into hand gun triggers because of possible liability from "lottery inspired" juries. I purchased the gun at Europtics, when I was there I checked out some of the trigger upgrades for high powered rifles, basically most of the triggers were hair triggers, NO pre-travel what so ever, extremely light,smooth pull.

zimman · Wednesday at 9:13 PM

probably chrome molly (sp) and has to be TIG. The wire size would be really small tho, like not even 3/32.
Going to be difficult. It also may be titanium. Even harder. LOL
Zim

pcmeiners · 2026-05-21T09:14:37-0400

Definite not Titanium, could be chrome moly, but it does not require super strength/rigidity but the more I think about it the more I believe it is closer to stainless than carbon steel.

zimman said:
The wire size would be really small tho, like not even 3/32.

3/32, that was the thickness of the trigger bar not the proposed rod size.

Jackfre · 2026-05-21T10:39:23-0400

Not to go completely off the rails, but I just can’t deal with the striker fired weapons. I claim dinosaur status as a result, but due to early training and the bias that has gone with it I prefer an external safety. I’ve tried the Glock’s in the past and being kinda simple, this one has a safety and this one doesn’t kinda scares me. My Star PD still fits the bill and it has held together for 46 yrs now. Surprising given the known weakness.
PC, respectfully, what is the problem the take up on the trigger causes you? Any answer up to an including, “I want it because I want it” is cool with me.
Tig only on the experiment side. That is delicate work and seeing what is going on as you roll on the heat will be critical to a clean job.

pcmeiners · 2026-05-21T12:36:04-0400

Same hear as to a manual safety. As to striker fired weapons, most of the issue is the crappy triggers they design into them. Example, Glocks have a simple dinosaur era trigger design from 1980s, the internal parts are stamped metal without "cleanup", agreed the parts work every time but it took me >2 hours to debur/polish every part to get a smooth, none creeping trigger.

As to the pre-travel, I have essential tremor, not great for shooting a gun but with excess pre-travel it is an issue, remove the pre-travel it is not an issue. Have a Glock 43x, was able to remove the pre travel with a Lone wolf adjustable trigger, nice and simple, along with a full “polish” a very smooth trigger. With the CC9 there are no customized trigger out there at all. As to trigger polishing HK did a remarkable factory polish, something Glock could learn from; took the firing unit apart there was nothing which required work.

This morning nothing reasonable on Ebay ot FB for large inert gas tanks in my area.

zimman · 2026-05-21T14:27:01-0400

pcmeiners said:
Definite not Titanium, could be chrome moly, but it does not require super strength/rigidity but the more I think about it the more I believe it is closer to stainless than carbon steel.

3/32, that was the thickness of the trigger bar not the proposed rod size.

So what size 70s2 are you going to use?
Zim

Firebrick43 · 2026-05-21T15:30:02-0400

They make 1/16 inch welding rod for sheet metal. I love tig welding but in the last job we had an older mechanic that didn't want to learn TIG and could due an adequate job with the small "pencil rod" as he called them. Since his skill with them was better than some of the other guys with tig, I entertained his desire to continue and bought him the rod he desired. He prefered 7014 and 7018 rod depending on the application.

strength_and_power · 2026-05-21T15:49:58-0400

A simple test with a magnet would answer the stainless question. Definitely seems like TIG would be the best option, if the need isn’t immediate, I’d wait it out.

whateg01 · 2026-05-21T15:55:04-0400

strength_and_power said:
A simple test with a magnet would answer the stainless question. Definitely seems like TIG would be the best option, if the need isn’t immediate, I’d wait it out.

Unless it's ti, or something else op doesn't recognize

welder4956 · 2026-05-21T17:02:47-0400

pcmeiners said:
...bar is 3/32" thick, 1/8" wide alloy steel.
Will I get away with stick welding with 1/16" E6013 / E7018 rods?. Tig and Mig capability regretfully months away.

1/16", or even 3/64", E6013 could work with overlapping spot welds on something this small. Use a copper or brass bar against it to pull some of the heat away and provide a backer to build up the weld so it can be filed to size. If you had TIG capability, 0.023" or 0.035" MIG wire can be used as TIG filler. The "ER" in ER70S-6 means it is classified for use as either MIG electrode (E) or TIG rod (R).

pcmeiners · 2026-05-21T17:07:45-0400

Just had my spare trigger bar delivered, it is strongly attracted to a magnet, so I can pretty much rule out stainless.

To TIG or not to TIG that is the question....... Do I drive more than 80 miles each way to pick up a filled T tank( $425)) of argon gas mix or take a chance with a 1/16 stick. More and more I believe I would have less aggregation and expense if I just drive the 80 miles for a filled tank..... Besides it gets me closer to getting my MIG also setup.

"Use a copper or brass bar against it to pull some of the heat away and provide a backer to build up the weld so it can be filed to size"

Sounds like a good idea even with TIG, a piece of copper on both sides of the bar.

Thanks Guys

Hank11 · 2026-05-21T17:23:54-0400

My answer would be to send it to a guy who does micro welding on a daily basis. Micro tig or laser is the tool for this. It can be perfect. Obviously, you will have to send a jig to hold the parts in relation to each other.

pcmeiners · 2026-05-21T18:48:46-0400

Here is the thing. I have a shop 12 miles away who could do it, that is if I create a transportable jig for this 3"small piece of metal and pay $150. and hope the piece does not warp. Can't image how much time i would spend making a transportable jig.... I have much more faith that I will do a better job.

Dagny · 2026-05-21T19:06:48-0400

I think silver solder would work ask someone who makes jewelry.

pcmeiners · 2026-05-21T19:21:18-0400

Dagny said:
I think silver solder would work ask someone who makes jewelry.

Tempting but not sure, I have about 100oz of 56% silver, but not sure of it strength, welding of any sort is going to be stronger than braze.

welder4956 · 2026-05-21T19:58:08-0400

pcmeiners said:
Tempting but not sure, I have about 100oz of 56% silver, but not sure of it strength, welding of any sort is going to be stronger than braze.

The problem with silver braze is heat. It has to be heated to 1150-1250°F or so to flow properly, and that much heat will destroy any heat treatment properties of the alloy steel. Same with welding, but at least the heat affected zone is not so large.

Dagny · 2026-05-22T00:06:46-0400

The silver solder i'm talking about comes in sheets and you cut very small pieces off and lay it on the crack of the pieces you want to join I learned it 50 years ago in high school art class making a ring. Most of my ss experience is on refrigeration discharge lines. But have used it many times on small intricate parts.

Welding thin metal

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