keeping welding rod dry?

bitternut · Oct 6, 2011

The other day I needed some 7018 rod and the smallest amount I could buy was 10 lbs which was quite a bit more than I needed at the time. Since I don't have a rod oven the chances of it staying dry till the next time I needed some more of it seemed remote.

Well I bought it anyway since I felt it was the right rod and I thought that possibly I could preserve it by sealing it up in a vacuum freezer bag. I split up the remaining rod into smaller lots and used my food freezing vacuum sealer. Has anyone ever tried this before to keep welding rod dry? If so how did it work and for how long?

Here's hoping its a winner

k0ua · Oct 6, 2011

Sounds like it would work.. Let us know. Never thought of it.

James K0UA

Baby Grand · Oct 6, 2011

Dang! That should work. Why didn't I think of that? My wife has one that she uses to put up the veggies from the garden for freezlng that didn't get pickled or canned. I wonder what she'll say when she sees me drying the rod in her oven, then sealing it up with her bagger .... hmmm .... gotta play this one carefully.

Great idea - thanks for sharing.

-Jim

easygo · Oct 6, 2011

I have one of those twist lock tubes and I tossed in a bunch of moisture absorbing packages that come with any electronic item these days. I have used that method for a few years and the 7018 rods "fresh" out of there work very well for me.

SandburRanch · Oct 6, 2011

editt

JB4310 · Oct 6, 2011

So as long as you keep them airtight there should be no need for drying them?

I have the storage tubes also, but the last 7018's I got, I just left in the container they came in, folded up the plastic good but I doubt they are air tight.

Do they dry themselves if the ambient conditions are dry will they dry as well even if exposed to high humidity earlier?

What's the time and temp if you have to throw them in the oven (when the wife's at work of course) ?

That would be perfect, she's always complaining why I don't try cooking a meal. She comes home from work and sees me in the kitchen with the oven on and thinks I must of got all sensitive or something

Then looks in the oven and sees "metal sticks" I better run before there's a serious pincident (rolling pin assault)

:laughing:

JB

ihuntbear · Oct 6, 2011

I have an old bar fridge that doesnt work anymore.I installed a 15 watt light bulb and leave it on all the time.Rods stay warm and dry.I wait for rods to come on sale and store them

kf4uda · Oct 6, 2011

ihuntbear said:
I have an old bar fridge that doesnt work anymore.I installed a 15 watt light bulb and leave it on all the time.Rods stay warm and dry.I wait for rods to come on sale and store them

:thumbsup: Same setup here also

slowzuki · Oct 6, 2011

Plastic lets a fair amount of moisture travel through it. I'm never good about keeping rods dry but I try to buy fresh ones for a big projects. Unfortunately I used to blow through boxes of rods in no time while now I might have the same box for a year or more. You sure notice when using a wet rod.

grsthegreat · Oct 6, 2011

I have a small rod oven myself, but i also have a vacuum food storage unit.....hmmm, why didnt i think of that. I bet it would work also.

Short Game · Oct 6, 2011

If you reuse the desiccant packets, bake them first to restore them to an anhydrous state where they can again absorb moisture from the air.

Tractor Seabee · Oct 6, 2011

I buy rod by the 10# box also. Comes in a nice plastic box with lid sealed w/electrical tape. I just put back in the box reseal with nbew tape and keep in the house not the garage (unheated). Never had a problem with moisture contamination. Oh; I never leave the box outside opened during work, take out only what I am using. If the rod gets damp put it in the oven at 150-200 degrees for awhile, then back in the box after it gets cool.

I have an old Wards 225A AC/DC machine. Always use on DC.

Ron

grnspot110 · Oct 7, 2011

I've store mine in plastic pipes w/slip caps with no problems. You could always seal the caps with grease or tape if you desire, too. ~~ grnspot

CalG · Oct 7, 2011

When I grab some filler rod that has been sitting out. (all of mine ;-)

As long as the flux coating is still in good shape, I set the weld power very low, and hold the rod to a a piece of scrap. No arc, just hold it down. The current flow heats the rod rapidly, and the low power setting keeps from blowing off the shielding material. It doesn't take much of this to heat up the rod, you can just tell when the coating starts to take on a little color. time to pull the stick off.

After the heating, I give the rod a few moments to "dry off"" while I reset the weld power. Then start in welding.
This is no good for any job that requires a fair amount of filler rod, but the original post did mention needing just a small amount.

A "make do" for back yard welders ;-) I've not heard this kink done by others, and it probably does more harm than good, but the rod seems to like it. At least for me.

Other than that, a toaster oven set to 450 for 1/2 hour works great.

better is to keep the rod dry in the first place, but....

JB4310 · Oct 7, 2011

CalG said:
When I grab some filler rod that has been sitting out. (all of mine ;-)

As long as the flux coating is still in good shape, I set the weld power very low, and hold the rod to a a piece of scrap. No arc, just hold it down. The current flow heats the rod rapidly, and the low power setting keeps from blowing off the shielding material. It doesn't take much of this to heat up the rod, you can just tell when the coating starts to take on a little color. time to pull the stick off.

After the heating, I give the rod a few moments to "dry off"" while I reset the weld power. Then start in welding.
This is no good for any job that requires a fair amount of filler rod, but the original post did mention needing just a small amount.

A "make do" for back yard welders ;-) I've not heard this kink done by others, and it probably does more harm than good, but the rod seems to like it. At least for me.

Other than that, a toaster oven set to 450 for 1/2 hour works great.

better is to keep the rod dry in the first place, but....

Wow, I never thought of that, if it really works that's a great tip, quick and easy. I gotta try it next time I do some welding.

Thanks, JB

elginfarm · Oct 8, 2011

Does anyone see any problem with drying rods in a propane grill set at low heat for a few hours rather than using the oven in the house? I would rather do it outside and then put the rods in a sealed container or use some of the other tips I have read here. Thanks for the input.

JB4310 · Oct 8, 2011

elginfarm said:
Does anyone see any problem with drying rods in a propane grill set at low heat for a few hours rather than using the oven in the house? I would rather do it outside and then put the rods in a sealed container or use some of the other tips I have read here. Thanks for the input.

Don't see why it would not work, anything that heats them should dry them.

Water is a byproduct of fossil fuel combustion, but I doubt it would play a role in the equation.

You might get hungry though, smelling the grill burning

JB.

chopped · Oct 8, 2011

I like the toaster oven
cheap.
Walmart.com: Rival 4-Slice Toaster Oven, White: Appliances
or even better maybe a yard sale or a re-use business..

k0ua · Oct 8, 2011

JB4310 said:
Don't see why it would not work, anything that heats them should dry them.

Water is a byproduct of fossil fuel combustion, but I doubt it would play a role in the equation.

You might get hungry though, smelling the grill burning

JB.

I kinda think that the water given off constantly with the propane combustion might hurt. I think the electric toaster oven is a better idea. Cooks like a propane oven for the "moist heat" it gives off.

James K0UA