Oh baby, where you been all my life?

dstig1 · May 21, 2011

Gary, I don't think anyone would argue with your points, but it is just unrealistic for most home hobbyists to buy and store 50# of 7018. I think I have used maybe 5# total of all welding rods since I got my welder last year. I don't have the space or any real need for a rod oven, so 7014 it is!

Gizmo2 · May 21, 2011

dstig1 said:
Gary, I don't think anyone would argue with your points, but it is just unrealistic for most home hobbyists to buy and store 50# of 7018. I think I have used maybe 5# total of all welding rods since I got my welder last year. I don't have the space or any real need for a rod oven, so 7014 it is!

X2, 50# of rods is a lot of welding rods regardless of which rod it is.

eastexan · May 21, 2011

I learned about 7014 about 25 years ago.

I used to do emergency repairs in all kinds of weather, and was talking to an old man one day who owned a local welding supply shop.
I told him that some of the employees of the company I worked for had been using 6013 for thicker material and the company had completely banned it's use altogether. So during inclement weather I couldn't use low hydrogen rod and so was using only 6011 or 6012.

He told me that 7014 would be a good choice since they were easy to use, strong, and could be used in all kinds of weather.
He said they had used 7014 rod in building ships, back in World War II.

I was impressed by what he said and it has been one of my favorite rods ever since.