second hand store cans of electrodes

How do you know there are 35# left? Can be deceiving.

I got given an open 50 pounder of 7018 once, way before I got rod ovens. I used it all up. It welded pretty well, just wasn't low-hy anymore. It had been open for *years*. Fine for noncritical stuff. But if it's anything critical I wouldn't even think about it, I'd buy new rod. Get five pounds at a time and some of those Rod Keepers, they work fine at keeping rod dry.

In the end, the cost of the welding rod, no matter how you buy it, will be a very small part of the cost of whatever you make.

Grant

Unless that is E 7018 rated for AC you will have a difficult time with it.

25 dollars for 35 pounds of used/junk rod is a fair price but not a great price. Randy 3/16" 6010 and the other is 1/8" 7018. The price is about $25 for each can. Been there at least two or three months. I can't use the 6010 because I just have an AC machine, but the 7018 I am interested in, I just don't think that $25 for about 35 pounds of unknown (Lincoln) rods is a good bargain. Most tools and such in this store are overpriced anyway, and supposedly not subject to any kind of bargaining or discount. Knowing I'm going to have to bake them anyway (my wife will love that!) so is this worth it? I'll take a long time to go through 40# of rod. Should I go ahead and get the 7018 or not? If anyone in the Everett WA area is interested, I'll let you know where it is after I've decided what to do and/or purchased the can I want. I'd hate to tip off someone who got what I wanted out from under me!

If you've just got a AC machine I'd skip on both cans. Most likely that can of 7018 is the DC version. If it was AC then you'd see it on the end of the number printed on the rod. It depends on the AC welder but most non commercial AC welders will not run standard 7018 well at all.

Wayne Cook Shamrock, TX

i dont think its a matter of weather or not they get wet, just being exposed to atmospheric humidity for a full day takes the lo-hy out of

7018. cant remember the exact procedure for baking them, seems like a coule hours at 600F(your kitchen oven wont get there unless you have it in self cleaning mode) then into the rod oven at 250 to 300 untill use.

$25 isnt a bad deal if all the rods are in great shape. if they are not, it dont sound as good

I used to live on Whidbey island, nice area.

When I run into a situation like that, I ask the dealer to let me take a couple of rods to test. I have never been refused. Since the stuff has been there for a few months, you might ask him to sell you 20# or so for a reduced price. If he says no, you might just keep an eye on it for a while--might get all of it for a reduced price later on.

(I don't like haggling, but I love using strategy.)

According to what I've read the minimum threshold is 700 degrees for a few hours in order to resurrect 7018.

That is way beyond anybody's cooking oven.

VT

"Vernon" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com... | According to what I've read the minimum threshold is 700 degrees for a | few hours in order to resurrect 7018. | | That is way beyond anybody's cooking oven. | | VT

Then that comes as no surprise. FWIW, and for those who are interested, they're at a second hand store near the Everett, WA Harbor Freight at 52nd and Evergreen Way. They've got a trashed Sears AC welder and of course they want way too much for my taste, but it does have long cables and disconnects. The two igniters hanging off the handle pointed out the ignorance of the owners, which I won't hold against them. I think all their stuff is from storage units that foreclose on payments. Some nice stuff, some crappy stuff. The "free bibles" and local Christian music piped through the store always put my bullshit detector on alert, as every time I've dealt with places like that there's a raw deal to be had. No offense to Christians, as I'm one myself, but it seems that too many places do that to try and convince themselves and the customers that they're moral people. I call 'em convenient Christians, and I've been burned too many times. (Sorry about the rant, but a fair warning to those visiting.) They did have a decent pile of milling bits for dirt cheap, though. I don't think that folks in the know generally frequent stores like that, since some of those items are there every time I stop in.