What rod is which?

[AlanB]

The 7018 will close itself up and basicly the slag or glass will roll over the end of the rod after the first run, when you go to restart the rod you need to tap it forcefully to break that slag off the tip and allow the arc to initiate.

7018 is very moisture sensitive. I would pitch old 7018.

Most 7018 is for DC, you will find it a harder rod to run then either the 6011 or the 6013. (I was wrong on this, my apologies, again best to go back and read the specs, although I was always taught to run it on DC it is rated as an AC rod as well.)

http://www.mylincolnelectric.com/Catalog/consumableseries.asp?browse=104|2030|

If you are learning I would suggest strongly either spend some time in a Vo-tech or with another welder burning rods. Or just spend some time on your own burning rods. I would burn some 6011 and just do an hour or two a day for a bit till you develop some proficency. It really helps to have someone look over your shoulder occassionally and tell you what is going wrong, but you can just do it through trial and error.

Mad Ref and I disagree on this point, and I certainly respect his opinion, but I would buy high quality rod to weld with. I personally like Lincoln. I always feel that if I am doing the work / labor myself, I can afford to run the best I can get. Kind of have everything you can working for you and eliminate as many of the variables as possible.

Last time I was in Lowes I think I saw a Robert Finch book on welding. His and Ron Fourniers stuff is excellent, straight forward, easy to use and apply in the shop stuff that you will flip too again and again. About $15 and that is cheap for the amount of info you will gain from it.

Good luck, hope it works out well for you.

 

[RobJ]

My 7018 rod is all clearly marked 7018AC where the other rod does not specify AC leading me to believe that there must be a DC 7018 out there with some quality that makes it less suitable for AC welding.

Very true..I got some 7018 DC rods (not marked) and they popped, stuck, no fun at all. Got some Hobart 7018AC (as mentioned AC on the rod). Worked great. I also think the 70xx give a better weld. But in my bend I have 6011(welding crap), 6013(maybe best all round) 7014(reall nice and easy to weld) and 7018.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

...Most 7018 is for DC, you will find it a harder rod to run then either the 6011 or the 6013...

I've checked the new rod that I bought and it specifically states that it is AC. The brand is Forney.

I have noticed the "Hollow end" phenomenon that was mentioned, but early on I started flaking the extra flux of with my welding glove. There was no working with it otherwise.

One thing I have noticed is that the bead from a 7018 rod takes longer to solidify. Maybe there is some principle to it that I need to grasp yet.

From the sound of things, though, it sounds like I'll wait a while before I just give up completely on 7018 rod. It sounds like it's a little harder to use but puts out a really good weld. More practice.

 

[diggerjim]

I popped into a pipe welding class after taking combo welding. Almost bit off more than I could chew, anyway I learned that 7018 gives a very strong weld. I broke the front spindle on my case hoe, actually rebroke an old weld glob job. Cleaned it up and welded it like pipe, I think I used 6011 for the first pass and filled it with 7018 over and over. 2 and 1/2 years later and still holding.

Just as a side note I have 15+ years experience in Industrial Maintenance but very little personal experience welding. I do know you have to burn to learn and the key to a good weld is 3 things, preperation, preperation, preperation.......just my .02

 

[MadReferee]

Just as a side note I have 15+ years experience in Industrial Maintenance but very little personal experience welding. I do know you have to burn to learn and the key to a good weld is 3 things, preperation, preperation, preperation.......just my .02

Very good.

Most amateurs usually say penetration, penetration, penetration. But good penetration always comes from good preparation.

 

[Highbeam]

You must get the metal in the mood.....

 

[kossetx]

It is funny. I just saw an add for a welder (actually, for 69 of them) for a shipyard in Houston. The requirements were that the welder must be able to weld 3/4" plate with both 6011 and 7018 rods in both vertical and overhead positions.

That should tell us something about these 2 rods.

 

[Highbeam]

Can you imagine running a puddle with enough heat to weld 3/4" plate overhead? Better have good boots.

 

[GaryE]

Can you imagine running a puddle with enough heat to weld 3/4" plate overhead? Better have good boots.

It really is not that bad! You just better be wearing a good jacket or you end up with splatter down you arms and the front of your shirt!

Gary

 

[RobJ]

It really is not that bad! You just better be wearing a good jacket or you end up with splatter down you arms and the front of your shirt!

Gary

I would think the only way is grind out a chamfer and weld in several filling passes.

 

[kossetx]

grind a chamfer on 3/4" plate? it'd take a few disc huh?

 

[RobJ]

grind a chamfer on 3/4" plate? it'd take a few disc huh?

Cut/grind. About the only way to do it right. Otherwise a butt joint you would have to get at least 3/8" penetration...if you could get at both sides. If you look at the Hobart forum there is a thread of a guy fixing something like a 20t hammer weight, had to cut it in have to repair, then reweld. The rods were something like 1/2" thick, 3' long. Some serious welding.

 

[Soundguy]

I'll guess that you can get some serious penetration on a 1/2" rod... so what do you use that with? 400A ?

Soundguy

 

[RobJ]

I'll guess that you can get some serious penetration on a 1/2" rod... so what do you use that with? 400A ?

Soundguy

Here is the link with the help from a person at the Hobart forum. So you wanna weld something???

Big Welds 2 - Weld Talk Message Boards
And

Big Welds. - Weld Talk Message Boards

 

[Nomoregears]

Being a welder for 25+ years, 10+ on submarines, 5+ on nuclear reactors and being a trainer, I had to chime in here.

A lot of good advice given here and some not so good. If you plan on getting decent welds not gobs, match the right rod with the job. Read up, take a class, find a welder. I have never seen a welder that wouldn't show another person how to weld. I know a certain person who tried to learn on his own only to find out his welding machine was broken. After welding with a properly set up machine he was amazed. It took him 2 years to find out what was wrong.

Many manufactures make AC rods now. The numbers 6011, 7018, 6010 , or 7024 stand for something. the first two numbers stand for the tensile strength the third number stands for the position meaning a #1 would be good in all positions (flat, horizontal , vertical, and overhead). The low hydrogen rods should be kept dry or heated before use or you will introduce impurities that will promote cracking. I won't make generalizations on which rod to use where. Match the rod to the job (Metal type, position, AC or DC, thickness... etc.)
Some sound advice given to me along the way stands out.
1. Always make your next bead better than your last.
2. Your welds are only as good as their preparation.
3. The tip of a welding rod is 11,000 degrees and your skin melts @ 180
degrees.. COVER UP!

For your information, a welder generally uses a 5/32" welding rod to take a test. The theory here is if he can handle a 5/32" rod in any position than he be able to handle anything. Generally the largest width of the bead allowed is 1/2". Anything wider and the bead begins to trap slag.

Even after 25+ years I am still learning the art. It is an art. I could go on with war stories here but my point is learn how to weld correctly. Anyone can stick two pieces of metal together, it takes a welder to do it correctly.
So get out there and practice, don't be embarrassed to stick a few rods but make your next bead better than your last. Good luck.

 

[Soundguy]

I went to TSC to pick up a few bits of steel and a couple packs of rods.. I started reading ( uh-oh) the packages. i notice that the regular 7014 lists ac or dc.. then i see another pack that says 7014AC .. and it also lists ac or DC... what gives? why the 7014 and 7014 ac.. if they can both do ac??

Soundguy

 

[RobJ]

I went to TSC to pick up a few bits of steel and a couple packs of rods.. I started reading ( uh-oh) the packages. i notice that the regular 7014 lists ac or dc.. then i see another pack that says 7014AC .. and it also lists ac or DC... what gives? why the 7014 and 7014 ac.. if they can both do ac??

Soundguy

Never had any problems with off the shelf 7014s. 7018 off the shelf were really crappy for me. 7018AC work sweet.

 

[Nomoregears]

Soundguy, I know what you mean, I don't buy my rods there. I feel they are over priced in my neck of the woods. There is no "wonder rod" regardless of what the salesman tells you.
I don't keep a lot of rods on hand. I buy my rods from a welding supply house that has a good turn-over of stock.
The rods I do have are stored in containers made out of Waste PVC that keeps them dry.
Incidently, I have seen AC rods run totally different from batch to batch. If you're not happy with one manufacturer, try another. If you have problems running rods sometime, try moving the ground or hook up a secondary ground strap(jumper cables work fine). Most ground cables for welding machines are undersize. If they get hot, increase the size of the ground cable.

 

[Soundguy]

Can't argue with any of that advice. I normally don't get my rods from TSC either.. But I needed to pick up some specialty rods for a small project, an tsc had the rods and metal all in one stop.

I also kep my rods in sealed plastic containers that have a good gasket. Still.. I only have a couple pounds of each type that i use, unless i am working on a project, which i then might buy a 5#'er or so. Ditto on the extra ground. Sometimes if i have a complex project I will ground each piece with a jumper cable back to the main piece near the welder ground clamp.. seems to work much better.. especially when i work with my small stick welder.. Big one don't seem to mind as much.

Soundguy

Soundguy, I know what you mean, I don't buy my rods there. I feel they are over priced in my neck of the woods. There is no "wonder rod" regardless of what the salesman tells you.
I don't keep a lot of rods on hand. I buy my rods from a welding supply house that has a good turn-over of stock.
The rods I do have are stored in containers made out of Waste PVC that keeps them dry.
Incidently, I have seen AC rods run totally different from batch to batch. If you're not happy with one manufacturer, try another. If you have problems running rods sometime, try moving the ground or hook up a secondary ground strap(jumper cables work fine). Most ground cables for welding machines are undersize. If they get hot, increase the size of the ground cable.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I had to post the latest development in the saga.

I "splurged" and got the Harbor Freight Auto Darkening helmet. Now I can weld with 7018. I just burned up two 1/8" sticks on some scrap using about 60 amps.

Go figure that one out.