7018 Break test.

[Shield Arc]

1/8-inch Lincoln Excalibur 7018, this rod has never seen the inside of a rod oven. Been setting on the bench in an open can. Took 18-blows with a 4-pound hammer to break the plates. Then I had to put the plates in the vice and beat the top plate back the other direction!

 

[AKwelder]

that is why we use it at work.

Any pre heat on the plates? It is crazy how much that does matter. but may only add up to one or two blows more

I wonder what new hot rod and preheat would come out as? Maybe try high yield steel and 8018?

Looks good.

Have a good weekend

 

[Shield Arc]

I did a break test with 7018 right out of the oven. Not sure if I posted the results on this site or not, but it seems as I remember it took somewhere in the low 20's to break the plates.

 

[chad22]

I really enjoy these threads on break tests. I finally picked me up a 5lb box of 7018's yesterday. Gonna try them out on my backhoe today.

Chad

 

[Gary Fowler]

Most welding procedures including AWS only require a minimum of 50 degrees F preheat for mild steel (A-36 plate and similar) and that is only to remove any residual moisture upon initial arc strike. Higher preheat on low carbon steel adds no value to the toughness. Chrome alloys require preheat to avoid hardening of the metal and thus lowering ductility. Some of the high manganese and high carbon steels also need preheating to around 200F to prevent root pass cracking. Most of the metals used in fabrication are A 36 grade and just dont require anything above 50 F to start welding on them. AWS welding procedures dont allow use of any 60xx series rods, only 70xx and higher.

 

[Gary Fowler]

i forgot to add that on mild steel in thickness above 3/4" you need to preheat to 150F minimum prior to welding. 3/4" thick and below stay with the 50F requirement and if welding a thick piece to a thinner piece, use the thicker of the sections as your go by.

 

[Scooby074]

7018 my favourite rod.!!

 

[Gary Fowler]

Mine too. You can weld a lot of stuff with 7018 including stainless and cast steel and it will hold together. You cant do that with 60xx rods.

 

[blueriver]

So for us that don't know .... 18 blows with a 4 lb hammer ... is that good?

 

[Shield Arc]

So for us that don't know .... 18 blows with a 4 lb hammer ... is that good?

That's not a bad question, but the real question is, would you walk out on something 200-feet in the air that I welded with 7018?



I will, and have many times.

 

[blueriver]

That's not a bad question, but the real question is, would you walk out on something 200-feet in the air that I welded with 7018?



I will, and have many times.

Thats if you welded it ... me welding it I'd have to let you test it!!

 

[Egon]

Get an x-ray on the weld.

 

[chad22]

Thats if you welded it ... me welding it I'd have to let you test it!!

Same with me. If I welded it. I wouldn't wanna be the one testing it. I'm still scared of my welds. Maybe soon I'll get over it. lol

I am getting better though. :thumbsup: Learning the right amperage setting, and, getting a good bead, and a strong weld.

I used the 7018 this time and I love them rods.

I had a friend that is a professional welder come by yesterday and said that the welds were looking good and that he'd trust them.


That did help ease my mind. So far there holding up, and I've pulled the backhoe down the road at 50 mph. I thought for sure she was gonna break doing that.

I did hear a clunking sound while towing it and slowed down, thinking oh **** a weld broke. Nope it was just my swing pin hitting the pavement as the backhoe bounced up and down. I need to raise that pin up and also add some bigger tires to bring it off the ground some more.


So hopefully that means she's gonna stay together. Also none of the welds broke when using the hydraulics.

Oh but my chipping hammer broke in half last night. I was knocking off some slag after finishing the last weld, and the chipping part broke off the handle. :laughing:

Now I get to weld that back together. lol

Chad

 

[Shield Arc]

We used these all the time. When the handle drys out, just place it head down in a bucket of water over the weekend. I like the one where the head is perpendicular to the handle, (one in the back).

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