> Can mild steel and stainless be welded together? Any special
> requirements for that welding?
Yes and yes. Check Lincoln Electric for suggestions on consumables.
You don't always need to butter the carbon steel with high nickel
electrodes but sometimes it helps. If this is architectural
stainless, you may also have problems with discoloration in the
stainless at the HAZ.
> If we wanted to hot-dip galvanize the mild steel would it be a
> concern that part of the assembly is stainless? Is stainless
> compatible with galvanizing?
Probably a galvanic corrosion issue
> I'm assuming that stainless is at least as strong as A36 steel, so
> I'm using that as the basis of my design. Is that reasonable?
No. Typically you'll be using 304 stainless or maybe 316, both of
which have a yield strength of 30 ksi in the annealed state or after
welding.
> This isn't a hugely critical structural, but we would prefer that
> it not rust for a few decades.
Contrary to what you might expect stainless actually does stain. Sea
salt vapor and road salt vapor both can spoil the finish of
stainless. It also will show rust stains from nearby carbon steel
which rusts.
Christopher Wright P.E. |"They couldn't hit an elephant at
chrisw@skypoint.com | this distance" (last words of Gen.
.......................................| John Sedgwick, Spotsylvania
1864)
http://www.skypoint.com/members/chrisw/
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