Storing GTAW filler

Guys,

I have a bunch of tubes of 36" filler rods for all sorts of different materials and I'm not going to be using my gear for a while due to an upcoming back surgery in Jan. I am thinking of just making some 6" dia PVC pipe with a threaded tops and a capped bottoms and sealing them well. What I'm wondering is should I put desiccant packs in the tubes and/or put Schrader valves on them and vacuum evacuate the air out or purge them with nitrogen gas or another gas to prevent or slow down degradation of the filler. I sometimes see that I have dulled filler and I just wipe them down with steel wool or MEK on a shop towel. Just looking to protect my investments. Any ideas or things you use to protect your fillers? I am not about to dump $15.00 on the store bought cute little 36" containers for rod when I can make it for pennies on the dollar and do it better.

Thanks gang,

Rob

Fraser Competition Engines Chicago, IL.

PS: I'm still going to be in CA on the 11th so let the good times roll before I get chopped up again.

Reply to
Rob Fraser
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For storing 7018 rod, I used a rod oven that doubles its duty as a foot warmer. For TIG rod, all you need is to keep rust away, so anything that would keep humidity down would be fine. For example, an old fridge with a light bulb.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus24248

For steel GTAW filler, it's copper coated so rust isn't an issue. If he has stainless or AL rod humidity again isn't an issue. Flux coated rods for SMAW are of course a different matter.

Reply to
Pete C.

I meant a little fridge, like those that fit under a countertop or some such.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus24248

I have some oil hardening and air hardening TIG filler rod that isn't coated.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus24248

If only that were true of the aluminum filler. I put mine in storage while building our shop, and ruined it from moisture. Understand that we live where we were getting about 60" of rain annually, and the filler was in storage, in an aluminum ocean going storage container for about 4 years. I still have it, but it's coated fully with aluminum oxide. I've yet to try cleaning it, or even using any, but I expect it's worthless.

Protecting any TIG filler is a good idea, even stainless.

Harold

Reply to
Harold and Susan Vordos

Desiccant is a good idea for aluminum rod storage. Uncooked rice makes a good cheap desiccant for short term storage, as in under a year. The downside to rice is that if any significant moisture gets in it will eventually cause it to rot. I am not sure how much silica gel costs to buy in bulk.

Potassium permanganate also works well. When it is dry it is deep purple. As it absorbs moisture is loses it's color. Just bake it and it goes back to purple. We used it at a lab I worked at in college for protecting underwater laser systems.

A vacuum or protective gasses might work if you can really get a good seal. I am not sure how permeable PVC or ABS pipe is to Argon or Nitrogen.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

I luckily live alone and my girlfriend laughed her ass off a few weeks ago when she went to put dishes into the dishwasher. I had a set of new pistons and rods hanging from the top where you would put glasses. I had a bunch of wrenches and a crankshaft from a 426 Hemi that I had to cut a second keyway in for a blower hub and some opening on the oil passages and I just tossed it in to get the cutting fluids and steel fuzz off before final cleaning. It's not the first time something from the shop wound up in the dishwasher at home. Too lazy to run it to the shop and hot tank it.

Rob

Reply to
Rob Fraser

If I recall, the OP is an engine guy, so he probably isn't dealing with any sort of hard facing rod.

Reply to
Pete C.

Last I knew, pretty much all AL surfaces are fully coated with AL oxide unless they are cleaned and kept in an inert atmosphere.

Reply to
Pete C.

Make up your tubes, then stick an argon hose in the tube for a couple seconds. Close and seal.

Will be looking for you.

Gunner

Reply to
Gunner

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