Wet 7018.

[mikehaugen]

I am not necessarily looking to do code work, nor do I care if I am doing things to code. I just want to make sure that I am not sacrificing in my weld quality for not having "perfect" rod. I have not noticed anything yet, but I obviously don't x-ray my welds or even do a bend test.

 

[Shield Arc]

I built these two gooseneck adapters, first one for a buddy, the second one for my self. My buddy wanted his welded up with 7018, I had him buy a new can never been opened, when he got here I through the rod in the oven. My gooseneck adapter I mostly Mig welded everything.
Now it may make some of you members nervous that these go down the hiway, but I'm not worried!
My point is, if you are going to build a trailer, or something that someone could get killed if a weld failed, by all means buy new 7018.
But can you imagine the loads that are placed on that bridge falsework? I don't think I've ever been on a job that didn't have at least one engineer on it, they never seemed to have a problem with us welding in the rain, as long as the office roof didn't leak they could care less what we did out in the field!:laughing:

 

[Scooby074]

There is a little more to it than that, but close enough for now, but this is for code work! How many of us here are doing code work now?

Oh yeah, more to it for sure, just wanted to give the Readers Digest version (not that I remember the finer points anyways) But it's a bit moot for me, anything "critical" being fabbed (production) that Ive been involved in was run MIG. SMAW was maintenance only except for a couple welds that couldn't be done any other way.

 

[Piperflyer]

Not so much on these tractor forums, but on the welding forums you can get into serious trouble mentioning you use 7018 that did not come right out of an oven. Well that's fine, if you're doing code work. But not all of us are doing code work 100% of the time! I can't tell how many times on the job site I had to pour water out of a can of 7018 because some carpenter type left the lid to gang box open. Even though I was building bridge falsework, never did any testing with wet 7018 until this morning.:laughing:

I worked on jobs where they would fire you if the rod was not in a rod can and plugged in.

 

[Shield Arc]

I worked on jobs where they would fire you if the rod was not in a rod can and plugged in.

For about 3-years I worked in a shop building nuclear tanks, we had a NRC inspector with us every minute we worked. I bet you can imagine how picky an NRC inspector can be!

 

[firemanmike69]

That's it! Your banned from welding forever, now just drop off your sa-200's at my house and we can put this whole mess behind us


Nice job :thumbsup

 

[Shield Arc]

That's it! Your banned from welding forever, now just drop off your sa-200's at my house and we can put this whole mess behind us

OK, but would you at least cover the diesel? That should be about $10,000.00!:laughing:

 

[Gary Fowler]

I just leave my 300# oven on all the time along with lights occasionally by accident. Once it and its contents are hot, it uses very little electricity and besides that, my shop is on its own meter and minimum bill is $30+ tax so unless I do a lot of work there, it just minimum charge anyway. Winter time it puts a little heat into the shop too.

 

[mikehaugen]

so, am I correct in assuming that 70xx is the only rod that really needs to be in an oven? I also use 6010, and on a very rare occasion 6013, and I have a little stainless laying around, but it is my understanding that at least 6010 is fine moist.

 

[Shield Arc]

Here is a good article by Lincoln.
Soon as my 6010 or 6011 welding rods start finger nailing, or running erratic I dip them in water, and let them air dry for a day or two. Then they run perfect.

Storing and Redrying Electrodes