bad welding rods arggggg.

[muddstopper]

Got started back to my processor build after almost a year and half of surgeries and rehab. I had bought a box of hobart 1/8 7018 several months ago, but hadnot opened the box. Knowing I was going to be doing a lot of welding yesterday, I opened the box and laid them on top of my wood stove the nite before, just to make sure no moisture. I couldnt get those rods to run right at all. Rods would stick, flux would flake off, slag had to be beat off. I adjusted the welder up and down and even tried dc negative. I fought thur it until I had burnt the whole 5lb box. I had a few old rods that had been laying on top of the wood stove since last winter so i grabbed them and finished up. Those rods ran like they should, no sticking, no flux flaking off and you can certainly see the difference in the bead where I ran out with the new rods and started back with the old rods. Well, I had also bought another box of the hobart rods yesterday morning. I have been running those rods today, they seem to be doing better than the other new box of rods I bought months ago. Any ideal what could have been the problem with the first box of rods. Just a bad batch maybe??I will have to buy more new rods before the project is finished, but I think I will go to the welding supply and by what ever they sell, even tho the box I bought yesterday seem to be running ok. I usually dont buy over 5 lbs at a time because I dont use them all and it can be months before I fire up the welder again.

 

[CincyFlyer]

I've had rods that got wet (unbeknownst to me) and were then dried; they never worked right, and sometimes tapping the tip to get a good strike point would flake off the coating. They must have had a rust layer in there. A new box fired right up. One thing that I've found is that damp rods take a couple of days to really dry (unless you bake 'em in the over at 200°F or so, that still takes hours.)

 

[muddstopper]

I kind of figured they had gotten wet sometime. The seal of the box had not been broken and they where stored in a dry area. I usually store y open rods on top of my wood stove, Temps exceed 400 degrees when I have a fire in the stove, which is most of the winter. I have had pretty good luck drying wet rods this way. The rods i had on the stove since last winter welded great. I suspect the unopened box had gotten wet at some point and like you said, must of had rust under the flux. Is what it is, I bought a box of lincoln rods this evening that I will be using tomorrow.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

I've had rods that got wet (unbeknownst to me) and were then dried; they never worked right, and sometimes tapping the tip to get a good strike point would flake off the coating. They must have had a rust layer in there. A new box fired right up. One thing that I've found is that damp rods take a couple of days to really dry (unless you bake 'em in the over at 200ｰF or so, that still takes hours.)

I would respectfully tend to disagree with you.
Per Lincoln, 7018 re-dry temp is 650-750 deg F for 1 hour ("...1 hour is satisfactory")
Storage temp is 250-300 deg F.

They note specifically that longer periods at lower temps are not equivalent and not to go over re-dry temps.

The specifics for a non-chemist like myself are that 7018 doesn't get wet like a sponge, the flux bonds with the moisture - that's why it needs such high temps to remove.

Storing and Redrying Electrodes

 

[yomax4]

Got started back to my processor build after almost a year and half of surgeries and rehab. I had bought a box of hobart 1/8 7018 several months ago, but hadnot opened the box. Knowing I was going to be doing a lot of welding yesterday, I opened the box and laid them on top of my wood stove the nite before, just to make sure no moisture. I couldnt get those rods to run right at all. Rods would stick, flux would flake off, slag had to be beat off. I adjusted the welder up and down and even tried dc negative. I fought thur it until I had burnt the whole 5lb box. I had a few old rods that had been laying on top of the wood stove since last winter so i grabbed them and finished up. Those rods ran like they should, no sticking, no flux flaking off and you can certainly see the difference in the bead where I ran out with the new rods and started back with the old rods. Well, I had also bought another box of the hobart rods yesterday morning. I have been running those rods today, they seem to be doing better than the other new box of rods I bought months ago. Any ideal what could have been the problem with the first box of rods. Just a bad batch maybe??I will have to buy more new rods before the project is finished, but I think I will go to the welding supply and by what ever they sell, even tho the box I bought yesterday seem to be running ok. I usually dont buy over 5 lbs at a time because I dont use them all and it can be months before I fire up the welder again.

Like to see the Processor when you get a chance.

 

[dragoneggs]

I would respectfully tend to disagree with you.
Per Lincoln, 7018 re-dry temp is 650-750 deg F for 1 hour ("...1 hour is satisfactory")
Storage temp is 250-300 deg F.

They note specifically that longer periods at lower temps are not equivalent and not to go over re-dry temps.

The specifics for a non-chemist like myself are that 7018 doesn't get wet like a sponge, the flux bonds with the moisture - that's why it needs such high temps to remove.

Storing and Redrying Electrodes

I am wondering if the rods were exposed to moisture for a long period that any amount of drying will never fully recover them if rust gets under the flux? :confused3:

 

[muddstopper]

I am wondering if the rods were exposed to moisture for a long period that any amount of drying will never fully recover them if rust gets under the flux? :confused3:

Wont ever know, I used them all up, nothing left but stubs.:confused3:

 

[muddstopper]

Like to see the Processor when you get a chance.

Not much to show yet. A few picks of the beam I am boxing and the splitter wedge. Its been sitting for a year and a half, waiting for me to get back to it.

 

[CincyFlyer]

I would respectfully tend to disagree with you.
Per Lincoln, 7018 re-dry temp is 650-750 deg F for 1 hour ("...1 hour is satisfactory")
Storage temp is 250-300 deg F.

They note specifically that longer periods at lower temps are not equivalent and not to go over re-dry temps.

The specifics for a non-chemist like myself are that 7018 doesn't get wet like a sponge, the flux bonds with the moisture - that's why it needs such high temps to remove.

Storing and Redrying Electrodes

I didn't have any way to get them that hot (as the "owner" of the oven would have objected.) That's really hot, for a really long time!

 

[muddstopper]

I can load my stove and open up the drafts and get those 750degreeF temps, but I havent needed to, nor would I on purpose. One hour isnt that long. I keep open rods on top of the stove all winter at lower temps. This is the first bunch of rods that didnt respond well to a overnite stove treatment.