Service
Aluminum & Stainless TIG Welding in Kansas City | KC Ironcore
Mobile aluminum & stainless TIG welding in the KC metro. Boats, trailers, tanks, ladders, equipment, food-grade stainless. The metal most mobile welders won't touch on-site. Send photos for a quote.
Aluminum & stainless TIG welding — Kansas City metro
I'm a mobile welder serving the Kansas City metro, and I run TIG — which means I can weld the metals a lot of mobile guys won't touch on-site: aluminum and stainless steel. Aluminum boat hulls and trailers, stainless tanks and railings, food-grade fabrication, equipment parts that aren't mild steel. {{CHRIS: confirm you run a mobile TIG setup with the gas to do aluminum in the field}}
Aluminum is its own animal — it pulls heat away fast, it doesn't change color before it melts, and a dirty or wet surface ruins the weld. Same with stainless if you want it to stay corrosion-resistant and clean. It takes the right setup and the right hands. That's what this is.
What it covers
- Aluminum — boat hulls and transoms, jon boats, aluminum trailers, fuel and water tanks, ladders, ramps, equipment parts, light fab
- Stainless — handrails and railings, tanks, hoppers, exhaust, equipment guards, brackets
- Food-grade / sanitary stainless — restaurant, brewery, and food-processing work where the finish matters {{CHRIS: confirm whether you do sanitary/3-A finish work}}
- Thin-wall and precision work where MIG would blow through
- Cosmetic welds where the bead has to look right, not just hold
- Cast aluminum repair where it's repairable (it isn't always — I'll tell you)
Who it's for
Boat owners with a cracked hull or transom; people with aluminum trailers, tanks, or ladders; restaurants, breweries, and food processors needing stainless fab or repair; property managers with stainless railings; anyone with an aluminum or stainless part that broke and a shop that quoted them weeks out.
What to send for a quote
Photos of the break or the part, a wide shot for context, and what the metal is — aluminum, stainless, and roughly what alloy or grade if you know it (most people don't, that's fine). Tell me what it's off of and what it has to do. Aluminum and stainless are always quoted — there's a minimum charge and then it's time plus the premium — because condition and contamination are unknowns until I see it.
What it costs
- Service call: $225 — travel anywhere in the KC metro + first hour on-site.
- $125/hr after that, plus the aluminum/stainless premium — these jobs run about 35% more than mild steel because of the filler, the gas, the prep, and the skill it takes.
- Aluminum repair (trailer, boat, equipment): $150 minimum, then time + 35% — quoted after I see it.
- Stainless repair / food-grade: quote only — the finish requirements drive it.
- After-hours / weekend / emergency: 1.5× rates, $300 minimum.
Aluminum and stainless are never flat-listed — always a quote off photos or a look. Full price sheet →
Questions
Frequently asked
Can you really weld aluminum on-site?
Yes — with a TIG setup and the right shielding gas, aluminum gets welded in the field. The catch is the prep: aluminum has to be clean and dry, no oil, no anodizing in the weld zone, and ideally not freezing cold. If I can get those conditions on your site, I can weld it there. If not, it comes to the shop. {{CHRIS: confirm field-TIG capability}}
My aluminum boat has a crack — can it be fixed?
Most cracked hulls and seams can be welded if the metal around them is sound. If it's corroded thin or it's a casting (some hull fittings are), that changes things. Send photos and I'll tell you whether it's a weld or a patch-and-replace.
What's the difference between MIG, TIG, and stick — and which does my job need?
Short version: stick and MIG are fast and strong for mild steel; TIG is slower, cleaner, and the only good way to do aluminum, stainless, and thin precision work. If your part is aluminum or stainless, it's TIG. There's a full breakdown here: MIG vs TIG vs stick — which does your repair need?
Do you do food-grade or sanitary stainless?
Ask me — it depends on the spec. Sanitary stainless has specific finish and procedure requirements (3-A, USDA) and I'll be straight about whether your job needs more than I'm set up for. {{CHRIS: confirm sanitary stainless capability}}
Why does aluminum cost more than steel?
The filler rod costs more, it takes shielding gas, the prep is fussier, and it takes more skill and time to get a sound weld. Across the trade, aluminum runs 30–50% over mild steel — I price it at about 35%.
Next step
Send photos, get a quote
Text or upload photos of the job — you'll get a straight answer on price and timing.