Sucky welding rod was not my imagination....

Awl --

Or me, or my machine.....

Previously, I had posted to rcm about fresh new welding rod that was just about unusable, 3/32 6013, Anchor brand from my welding supplier, Lincoln stuff from HD. Both unusable. I couldn't figger it out, cuz the rod I had previously was super-old, but not flakey or anything, and worked just fine. On a 1996 Econotig, DC reverse.

The new crap I had (have) wouldn't strike right on any setting. It was unusable in the sense that the arc was so hard to strike -- a very hard flux formation over the tip, not allowing the arc to strike.

So, in my meanderings, a couple of steel suppliers also carry fence supplies and rod, so I said, Hey, gimme a rod or two to try.

Both rods were just like I remember the old stuff to be, orders of magnitude more usable than the new crap that I bought. One, however, was even better than the other -- if you just *touched* the metal, you got a nice arc!!

Both have a "buttery" arc, at about 75-80 A, while the new crap rod crackles much more, and seems less stable. The good sample rods hold the arc up to 1 1/4" long!! The new crappy stuff can hold mebbe 5/8" arc.

Inyway, there really IS a difference in run-of-the-mill rod! And I'm sure the samples these suppliers gave me was not Eutectic et al, so what is this shit that Lincoln and my welding supply house are carrying?

I can't speak on the fundamental metallurgy or weld quality, but from a usability pov, it's night and day.

Just glad this nightmare is over. I literally have avoided welding for many many months, except in dire need.

Oh, another interesting tidbit, these fence/steel houses also carry cast iron rod at fraction of the price of a welding supply house. Seemed to work great. When I was buying the stuff, the diff was $1/lb vs $10/lb !!!

Reply to
Existential Angst
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I almost do not believe this, as I have never seen 6013 that was hard to strike or restrike. That's weird. Are you sure that there was not something else?

With 7018, I just drag the tip of the electrode on cocnrete to get rid of the glaze.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus19925

Are you using a dc rod on an ac machine?

John

Reply to
john

Ive got hummmm..somewhere around 1200 lbs of various rods of all sorts, from N99, to Aluminum stick, Cetainium Cutting Rod, to 8018 and everything in between. From 1/16" to 3/8th"

I recently tossed about 10 lbs of bag sealed "Lincoln" rod Id picked up one day at HF when I was out at a customers and needed to do some welding for them.

It was alleged to be 6013...and it was the most miserable, nasty globby shit Id ever used in my life. It got the job done..but Id damned sure never sign my name to it and was an utter pain in the ass to use.

No idea of where it actually was made, or by whom...but it was pure and simply..utter shit.

Gunner

Reply to
Gunner Asch

6013 is ac/dc

And even DC rod can be used on AC..if you know what you have.

Try it sometime. Its not optimal by any means..but it WILL work, not that its easy.

Gunner

Reply to
Gunner Asch

I am impressed. I have only about 300-400 lbs of welding rod. (but 600 lbs with wire included)

Cutting rod, copper welding rod, brass welding rod, inconel, stainless of ALL kinds, steel, tool steel, pot metal,

Sounds kind of sad. I was using Lincoln Excalibur E7018 rod today, it lays like butter. Also HF 6011, which was kind of nasty, like all 6011.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus19925

Oh..I didnt include the tig sticks or wire. That adds a few more hundred weight..........chuckle...

Ive got about 50 lbs of "pot metal" filler/brazing material. Ive never tried it as of yet.

6011 lays nicely..if you dont mind the sound and do it properly.

Gunner

Reply to
Gunner Asch

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