how do you store your welding rods (7018)

[Texasmark]

Same as some other non-professional, BTO welding guys. Keep them in the blue plastic container they came in and seal the lip with duck tape. Other odd numbered rods are stored in an old igloo ice chest. Mine are getting used less and less after purchasing my HF 151 Mig half a dozen years ago. I just like it better.

 

[topbuilder]

+1 on the recycled refer. Works great.

 

[Whatswrong]

I prefer to store them in the shop and never buy any 7018 . If I have to use them it means I broke a cast piece ,then my tractor drive welder has to be put into use .

 

[bdog]

I keep them on the shelf. For code work you need the oven but for what I do they work fine without it. I do live in an arid area so that probably helps. I think the oven stuff is over hyped for farm type repairs.

 

[Shield Arc]

I think the oven stuff is over hyped for farm type repairs.

Living west of Seattle, building bridges, container ship docks, and ferry docks for a living. I can't tell how many times I had to pour water out of a can of 7018, because some carpenter didn't close the lid to the gang box.
Here is what wet 7018 can do!

 

[bdog]

My point exactly. For what the average member of this forum is doing an oven is a waste of money. Not just the purchase price of it but the never ending electricity draw.

 

[bigdeano]

If a 7018 weld has porosity does that mean the rods are wet? I bought some Lincoln 7018AC at Lowes and the welds are porous , mostly at the start. I hold a very short arc, but still does it. Thanks.

 

[Shield Arc]

bigdeano put your 7018 in the stinger and ground it out on some metal to dry the rod out. Then weld with them.

 

[Oldpath05]

If a 7018 weld has porosity does that mean the rods are wet? I bought some Lincoln 7018AC at Lowes and the welds are porous , mostly at the start. I hold a very short arc, but still does it. Thanks.

7018AC<<<The AC is half the problem, I've had the same the trouble with those, I wont use them no more. It's not really a low hydrogen rod, 7018 DC rod is a better/stronger rod, you wont get no porosity with those but you need a DC welder.

 

[Eric Salop]

This thread got me wondering all sorts of questions, such as -

How long can I leave rods on top of the bench before moisture gets into them ?

When I've finished welding, can I simply return unused rods to the air tight container until next time, or will that "spoil" the others, so should I be putting them in an oven first ?

Experienced welders will no doubt know the answers. Not me, I'm fairly new to welding, but fascinated by it. I am pretty sure the answers will also depend upon what the weather is like where you live and may even vary according to the brand of rod used.

If only we could measure the exact moisture content in a 7018 rod, it would be easier to answer these and other questions, which got me thinking... I reckon that any of us with a curious nature and some accurate scales, like those used for reloading, should be able to measure even small amounts of moisture in a rod by weighing it. Tried this a few days ago and so far it seems like it is going to work. If anyone else would like to give this a try, it could be interesting to compare results.