7018 with a AC buzz box.

[Shield Arc]

Had my almost 40 year old buzz box dug out of the back of the barn. Oh that thing did not like being woke up:laughing:! I thought it was going to blow up when I turned it on! It sounded so bad I wouldn't touch it without welding gloves on:shocked:. But she moaned and groaned her way through a few welds. 1/8 inch ESAB 7018 right out of the oven, and a weld on DC for comparison. Then a weld with Hobart 335A 1/8 inch 6011.

 

[crash325]

Some day If I live long enough, I will weld almost as good as you do. The DC looks a lot better to me.

Having just switched from AC to DC it has been a trial by fire. First to cold, next too hot. Wrong angle of rod that you corrected me on.

After a nasty start today, blowing holes, etc. Did get it right, amp setting, angle, and moving speed. Ended up with some nice looking welds. Went over some of the ugly ones and even made them look pretty.

Thanks for all your efforts and trouble, most all of us hackers appreciate it.
Jim

 

[Shield Arc]

Thanks for all your efforts and trouble, most all of us hackers appreciate it.

Thank you!
I enjoy helping, little pay back for all the help I got when I started out.

 

[charlz]

Since I weld fairly infrequently I find it helpful to write down my settings (and rod for stick welding) and what I was welding when I find settings I like. Helps with setup the next time.

 

[Shield Arc]

This is how I do it. :laughing:

 

[rankrank1]

Love it. Truly nice to see what an entry level consumer grade vintage welding machine can do. Also, I would be willing to bet that 40 year old machine still works 40 years from now too.

Do you still happen to have a rod or two of that Messer 80TAC left? Wonder if you would like this rod any better on the little Century buzzbox as compared to your dislike for the rod when used with your normal pro-grade welders? I still see reports that various people love that 80TAC rod with the little AC buzzboxes. Unfortunately, I still have not burnt enough of it to have an informed opinion yet.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[k0ua]

Alright, you got pretty good results with a DC rod on AC, sure, they were better on DC, but still pretty good on AC. Far better results than I would have got I can guarantee you. Now tell me this, is it worth it for me to spend the money on the rod oven for the 7018,? I keep them now in just a sealed with a rubber gasket plastic rod holder. So not really sealed from all moisture. They do well, but will I really see easier/better/prettier welds by keeping them in a rod oven..? I figure you have the experience to really know..Thanks

James K0UA

 

[Shield Arc]

I still see reports that various people love that 80TAC rod with the little AC buzzboxes.

You know I would have bet big money against this statement! But I would have lost! I never imagined a little 40-year old POS like this would out weld my $6,000.00 Miller machine. Way less splatter, and less than half of the smoke, now how does that work?:confused2:

Alright, you got pretty good results with a DC rod on AC, sure, they were better on DC, but still pretty good on AC. Far better results than I would have got I can guarantee you. Now tell me this, is it worth it for me to spend the money on the rod oven for the 7018,? I keep them now in just a sealed with a rubber gasket plastic rod holder. So not really sealed from all moisture. They do well, but will I really see easier/better/prettier welds by keeping them in a rod oven..? I figure you have the experience to really know..Thanks

James K0UA

Jim I sure got a surprise this morning. First thing, I walked over to the work bench where I store my welding rod, and grabbed a hand full of ESAB's Atom Arc 7018 that has never seen the inside of a rod oven. Flipped on the machine and ran a pass, can you believe the cold 7018 ran much better? I don't know if it is because I ran several rods yesterday and kind of got a feel for what to do, but I couldn't believe it! But I also got a rude awakening, I grabbed some Lincoln Excalibur that has never seen the inside of a rod oven also. What a PITA! Very hard starts, and if I even blinked I lost the arc. Now with the ESAB I did loose the arc once, but only because I was moving my hand because it was starting to burn. I shake so bad now a days I have to hold the rod very close to the end or I'm all over the place.

Far as a rod oven, warm rod is a lot easier to deal with, but come on how many of us here are doing code work? Remember me saying back when I was doing bridge false work I'd have to pour water out of the can of 7018 because someone left the lid of the gang box open? I suggest if you find a good deal on a small rod over buy it, but only turn it on the morning you are going to need the 7018. Why give the power company anymore money than you have to?

 

[k0ua]

You know I would have bet big money against this statement! But I would have lost! I never imagined a little 40-year old POS like this would out weld my $6,000.00 Miller machine. Way less splatter, and less than half of the smoke, now how does that work?:confused2:






Jim I sure got a surprise this morning. First thing, I walked over to the work bench where I store my welding rod, and grabbed a hand full of ESAB's Atom Arc 7018 that has never seen the inside of a rod oven. Flipped on the machine and ran a pass, can you believe the cold 7018 ran much better? I don't know if it is because I ran several rods yesterday and kind of got a feel for what to do, but I couldn't believe it! But I also got a rude awakening, I grabbed some Lincoln Excalibur that has never seen the inside of a rod oven also. What a PITA! Very hard starts, and if I even blinked I lost the arc. Now with the ESAB I did loose the arc once, but only because I was moving my hand because it was starting to burn. I shake so bad now a days I have to hold the rod very close to the end or I'm all over the place.

Far as a rod oven, warm rod is a lot easier to deal with, but come on how many of us here are doing code work? Remember me saying back when I was doing bridge false work I'd have to pour water out of the can of 7018 because someone left the lid of the gang box open? I suggest if you find a good deal on a small rod over buy it, but only turn it on the morning you are going to need the 7018. Why give the power company anymore money than you have to?

Thats interesting for sure!.. Well of course I don't do code work, I just glue things together and I am having good success with my 7018. So guess I will stick with it.. Thanks much for your opinion.

James K0UA

 

[Shield Arc]

Jim I'm sure somewhere along the lines I've welded 7018 on AC, but I don't remember doing it. Yesterday when I started out, I only got a few inches and realized I had to hold a longer arc gap than I'm use to. It also reminded me of Tig welding aluminum with helium gas. Very small window to start the arc and maintain it. So in my opinion when running 7018 on AC you need to hold a longer arc gap, almost like spraying it in, and you have a very small window for error with the arc gap, so get comfortable. The ESAB Atom Arc seemed to work best, I just wonder if ESAB's new Acclaim would work even better?

ESAB 7018 Electrodes