The selection of proper stainless steel fittings is often a tricky task, as stainless steel fittings come in various types such as stainless steel pipe fittings, stainless steel tube fittings, stainless steel compression fittings, stainless steel plumbing fittings and flare stainless steel fittings. Before you buy stainless steel fittings, inquire if your stainless steel fittings manufacturer (or stainless steel fittings distributor) provides any education and training for their customers.

You can also train yourself on the installation and replacement procedures that you must follow while assembling stainless steel fittings. Assembling of fittings also requires detailed knowledge about fittings and joining techniques. For assembling stainless steel fittings, you must have adequate knowledge about welding techniques for stainless steel fittings.

You can educate yourself and/or your employees on various aspects of stainless steel fittings such as:

1. Selection of appropriate stainless steel fittings
2. Installation and replacement of the fittings
3. Joining techniques for the stainless steel fittings

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find training seminars offered by stainless steel fittings manufacturers

Some stainless steel fittings manufacturers offer education seminars about stainless steel fittings, their installations and safe working practices. Such seminars are useful to understand the installation, operation and safe working practices related to stainless steel fittings.

I recommend: Hy-Lok, a reputable manufacturer of stainless steel fittings, provides standard and customized corporate training programs on various types of stainless steel tube fittings. Swagelok Company is a manufacturer of fittings, valves and regulators that offers seminars on stainless steel tube fitting installation and related safety measures.

Search training courses that contain stainless steel fittings education as a part of the curriculum

Some corporate training institutions offer courses that contain industrial stainless steel fittings education as a part of the curriculum.

I recommend: ASA (American Supply Association), a not-for-profit organization serving wholesale distributors and their suppliers in the mechanical pipe, valves and fittings industries, offers online training and testing programs on stainless steel fitting. TPC Training Systems offers various courses related to mechanical maintenance operations, including pipefitting maintenance.

Search for training courses on welding techniques for stainless steel fittings

For assembling stainless steel fittings, welding is a very important task. You can learn welding techniques useful for assembling stainless steel fittings by searching for various educational courses.

I recommend: Hobart Institute of Welding Technology is a welding training institution that offers a course on the welding of stainless steel fittings and sheets. Illinois Welding School conducts different training courses for the welding of mild steel, carbon steel and stainless steel pipe fittings, sheets and tubes. Welder Training & Testing Institute is another reputable training institution that offers a welder fitter program.

Stainless steel fittings provide corrosion and scaling resistance. Stainless steel's bright appearance and easy cleaning makes it suitable for aesthetic and hygienic reasons as well. Building code regulations require stainless steel for many indoor piping locations. Stainless steel in Types 304 and 316 remain the most popular for fittings. Type 316 generally costs more because of its suitable composition in industrial and chemical environments.

Each stainless steel fittings manufacturer, supplier or distributor maintains inventories for quick shipments. Some companies provide services and solutions to help you find the product needed. When viewing the websites, buy stainless steel fittings with the following in mind:

1. Save time viewing inventories by knowing the required dimensions and specs for your stainless steel fittings.

2. Consider your inventory needs for discounts with larger orders.

3. Work with a manufacturer for specialty fittings applicable to your business plans.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase stainless steel plumbing fittings from nice inventories

Find your plumbing needs for 45- and 90-degree elbows, hex locknuts, bushings, closed and barbed nipples to name a few.

I recommend: Buy stainless steel fittings online, including couplings, tees, unions, plugs, elbows and locknuts, at PlumbingProducts.com. Buy reducing couplings, threaded caps and other plumbing supplies manufactured by Merit Brass Co. online at SimplyPlumbing.com, Inc.

Order stainless steel pipe fittings online

These companies carry Type 304 and 316 threaded stainless steel fittings.

I recommend: Order online or call the number on the page to get volume pricing for elbows, tees, nipples, and caps at buyfittingsonline.com, a division of QMC Technologies, Inc. Select the stainless steel fitting you require and buy online at Murray Equipment Inc., or choose another stainless steel fitting from the dropdown menu bar and click “Go.”

Buy standard sized stainless steel compression fittings

These ferrule designed fittings offer easy installation and leak free connections for thin and heavy walled tubing.

I recommend: Go to Small Parts, Inc., for Type 316 stainless steel compression fittings in common sizes of 1/16, 1/8 and 1/4 inch; order online. Get compression fittings up to 1/2 inch at OMEGA Engineering, Inc.; online ordering is available by selecting an SSLK part number.

Get standard or custom solutions with a stainless steel manufacturer

Find standard Type 316 stainless in many sizes and shapes. Work with the manufacturer for special designs.

I recommend: For a nice in-stock selection and discount pricing for online orders open an account by clicking “Click here to Fill out a Customer Application” at Midland Metal Mfg., Co., or, view inventory by clicking “Nipples & Fittings.” For industrial stainless steel fittings that include tube and flare stainless steel fittings contact Innovative Pressure Technologies, Inc. This company also provides custom solutions using Type 316 stainless.

Work with a stainless steel fittings distributor with good inventory mix

Choose a pneumatic, sanitary or stainless steel weld fitting among others in many sizes and shapes.

I recommend: Contact Stainless Piping Products, Inc. for a variety of in-stock inventory that includes stainless steel welded pipe fittings and stainless steel tube fittings; click “Products” or “Price Sheets” for photos and specs. Go to Power Aire, Inc. for pneumatic fittings, also in metric, that include branch Y, bulkhead, elbow, union and branch tee; order online with an account.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Sometimes, the finish of a stainless steel fitting requires a certain luster. For a mirror finish, consider super #8 or #10. This number represents the polishing grit used on the surface.

You can use stainless steel fittings in numerous applications across many building styles and business types. When you are setting your budget for stainless steel fittings for each job, it's important to consider many contributors in order to develop a realistic budget. Once you find a manufacturer of stainless steel fittings, you can account for the many players in your budget.

You'll likely need many stainless steel fittings for each job. Some large, some small, some jobs will need a couple fittings, while others will need hundreds. Consider the following factors of stainless steel fittings pricing and costs when creating your budget:

1. The size of stainless steel fittings directly impacts the price.

2. The way you plan to buy stainless steel fittings can save you money if you buy in bulk or at wholesale.

3. Replacement parts are inevitable, so it's important to leave extra room in the budget for extra stainless steel fittings.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Determine the size of stainless steel fittings to begin your budget

A major factor into the price of your customer's stainless steel pipe fittings is the size. Stainless steel tube fittings can range from $0.50 up to $50 depending on the size pipe that you need to fit with industrial stainless steel fittings. Factories, restaurants and corporate office buildings all have a wide variety of pipe sizes, creating quite a range of price for stainless steel tube fittings. It's likely that most of your clients will require numerous stainless steel fitting sizes.

I recommend: Murray Equipment sells hexagonal bushings ranging in price from around $0.80 up to about $37, depending on size. Buyfittingsonline.com sells half-coupling stainless steel tube fittings ranging in price from around $1.00 up to $55.

Factor in the quantity of stainless steel fittings that you will need for each job

It's important to factor in the quantity you will need for each of the many stainless steel compression fittings. One job may require several of the same fitting or a combination of different sizes. It's always a good idea to factor in a few extra stainless steel plumbing fittings in the event that something should happen to one of them during a job. Carefully planning the number of stainless steel compression fittings ahead of time can save you money in the end if you purchase in bulk from your stainless steel fittings manufacturer.

I recommend: Midland Metal Manufacturing displays the many different types of stainless steel plumbing fittings that you will possibly need for each job. Its prices range from $5.00 to over $200 per piece depending on the part. Innovative Pressure Technologies discusses its flare stainless steel fittings and non-flare stainless steel fittings. You'll have to request a quote to get an estimated price when working with this company.

Remember to allow for replacement stainless steel fittings in the event something goes wrong

It's important to factor in replacement parts into your overall stainless steel fittings budget. Stainless steel parts should last, but in the event that the fitting isn't properly adhered or there is another type of malfunction, your company may need to take responsibility for the replacement parts. Being generous in your initial budget for replacement parts will help you to avoid major overages or surprise costs.

I recommend: Power Aire displays the range of price and size in stainless steel branch tree. Its prices range from just over $20.00 to over $50. PlumbingSupply.com gives a comprehensive price list to help you determine your stainless steel welded pipe fittings budget. Its list starts at around a few dollars and goes up to around $25.