Stick welding questions

[Trailer Rails]

I live in a pretty humid area and I was wondering what I need to do to take care of my welding rods. I keep them in sealed containers but I have been noticing alot of splatter. Can I "bake" them in my kitchen oven to get the moisture out? I mostly use 6011 rods. Would a differnt rod be better for a AC welder doing 0.125" to 0.250" steel? Are there any good web sites for info for stick welding. I know how to stick weld, I just want some info on differnt rods and thier care and feeding.

[HalfFastFord]

an old mini fridge with a lightbulb in it. could just put those moisture absorbers in the tubes with your rods. Try Lincoln's site for welding info.

[my_samurai]

yeah you need to keep the rods dry at all times. and you might want to try a 6013 1/8 rod for med. grade steel that thick..even a 7018 3/32 for something around the .250 and up.Normal amps 100-125.. depending on what you are welding. make sure you are letting it fill the puddle thats it makeing as you weld. A good weld, the slag should crack and nearly pop off when cooling..

[CronusTRD]

I use 7018AC rod on pretty much everything with no problems...

[SirMrManGuy]

Since 7018 is a low hydrogen rod, it is much more sensative to humidity and damp storage than 6011, and dependign on your welding style, it may give you more problems. I like using 7018 on cleaned metal and 6011 on rusty/dirty/painted metal.

An old toaster oven in the garage is great for preheating rods, and your wife/roommates/dog won't get pissed when they go to cook dinner. An hour or so on 300deg before welding should be fine. Cheap toaster ovens can be found at Goodwill and yard sales all the time.

[GJC]

Since 7018 is a low hydrogen rod, it is much more sensative to humidity and damp storage than 6011, and dependign on your welding style, it may give you more problems. I like using 7018 on cleaned metal and 6011 on rusty/dirty/painted metal.

An old toaster oven in the garage is great for preheating rods, and your wife/roommates/dog won't get pissed when they go to cook dinner. An hour or so on 300deg before welding should be fine. Cheap toaster ovens can be found at Goodwill and yard sales all the time.
Thats a damn good idea

[Trailer Rails]

I like the toaster oven idea. What is the advantage with 7018 rods? I have only used 6011 and 6013. Does 7018 weld better but you have to do more surface prep?

[texascadillac42]

For another good AC rod, if you can find, try Fleetwell 57 or its equivalent in other brands.

[SirMrManGuy]

I like the toaster oven idea. What is the advantage with 7018 rods? I have only used 6011 and 6013. Does 7018 weld better but you have to do more surface prep?
Yeah the 7018 produces a cleaner looking weld, and is a bit easier to control, it works best when you pull it and drag the rod lightly accross the surface of the metal. More surface prep is needed or else the rod will sputter alot.

Here is a pic of a weld with 7018
http://img36.exs.cx/img36/4058/DSCN0416.th.jpg (http://img36.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img36&image=DSCN0416.jpg)

[Trailer Rails]

thanks. I'll try the 7018 rods on my next project.

[Hillbilly]

I also built an oven out of an ole dorm fridge. The compressor kicked the bucket, so it got delegated to being a rod oven. I wired up a simple 100 watt lamp fixture to a thermostat that keeps it nice and toasty. It's nice to have dry welding rods when you need them, especially living in such a humid enviorment.

[supernatural]

www.offroadfabnet.com

[kyle_22r]

6010 and 6011 are gonna spatter everywhere. just the nature of the beast. if you want good looking, strong welds, use 7018. 6011 is better for quick fixes and stuff where you need a fast freezing bead(bridging gaps etc)

[basketcasejeep]

How long is your arc length? With 6011 I like to burn the rods with a hot, short arc. If the arc length is too long, spatter is increased. 6013 is the same way, just not as bad. If you use the 7018's practice quite a bit before you weld on a project, they weld different than the others- require more heat(higher amps)- and it can be harder to see the puddle. I think spatter is usually less with these if they're dry though.

Andy

[GJC]

I also built an oven out of an ole dorm fridge. The compressor kicked the bucket, so it got delegated to being a rod oven. I wired up a simple 100 watt lamp fixture to a thermostat that keeps it nice and toasty. It's nice to have dry welding rods when you need them, especially living in such a humid enviorment.


I just talked with a guy the outher day that did this, says it works awsome. He lived in Oregon, used it for years :D

[MC]

usually too much spatter means 4 things

1. arc too long
2. amperage too high
3. material not clean
4. rods shot

One trick we used when we didnt have a extension cord was to pack them in a sealed container with silica sand bags. We used to burn 180 amps on 7018 rods to get a good weld on galvanized plates...nasty stuff

[glfredrick]

It sounds a bit out of the norm, but try US Forge's "Steel" rods. They weld like a dream - and are strong enough for suspension use.

They are a special purpose rod and don't carry a number designation, but they are the slickest rods I've used.

They also carry a difficult situation rod for joining dis-similar steels that works well - and it will even do some types of stainless.

[Trailer Rails]

How long is your arc length? With 6011 I like to burn the rods with a hot, short arc. If the arc length is too long, spatter is increased.
I usally try to keep my arc short and hot. I think I may have not been taking care of my rods properly and I might need to do some more metal prep. Will washing the areas with brake cleaner or something simalar be good enough to clean oil out of the welding area? If there is paint I usally grind or wire brush it clean and I try to wipe excess oil off but I might need to clean it more to cut down on splatter.