clarke welding rods!!

[the artfull-codger]

Has anyone any comments on machine mart ark welding rods? my son bought a box & he can weld but couldn't make anything of them so he brought them up to me for a go, I'm not a "time served " welder but have a pickhill bantam which I've had/used for nearly 40 yrs so not a novice but they would not hold an ark despite upping /lowering amperage etc, wonder if they're faulty,only for the latest stick welders or our technique or maybe just rubbish.

 

[TechnicAl]

They are rebadged, as I guess you will know. Most of these rebadged products arent bought on the basis of performance, in fact, I would be surprised if Clarke has anyone even trying them. They will probably be the cheapest they could get........

 

[gordon stephenson]

I bought a packet of 6013 rods from Screwfix, Tried to use one or two, the rest got used for bending into S hooks for hanging things on to be painted.

 

[sardine]

I had a box from screwfix marked "SWP" they were not bad in comparison, and perfectly useable for bbq's and gas bottle projects. But as the supplier changes every time you go in there its not worth bothering.

I would never use anything Clarke or Machine mart unless it was out of a skip for free ( where most of it ends up )

 

[Bsmith]

I'm using a pack of clarke 6013s meantime, the inverter runs them ok but welds are very prone to having slag inclusions if welds are done on flat, best to use them on a slope so slag runs away from weld.

 

[chevy2]

Go to boc or your local welding supplies and get some decent branded rods, they aren't that expensive,
Isn't worth all that cursing to save about a fiver.

 

[Bill Edwards]

Cheap rods can give you what you paid for, and sometimes they're OK.

I tend to always advise people to get decent rods, though I must admit that I do sometimes buy cheap ones myself knowing it's not wise.

Trying to burn 5kg of horrible rods can be quite a job, and as above, it's just not worth it to save a fiver!

 

[migman123]

I've got some from ages ago and they are exactly like you say they won't hold an arc for more than a few seconds on AC but they will just about weld on DC. I bought them when I'd run out of rods once in a Sunday in the middle of a project. I sometimes use them for tacking stuff if I'm working outside to try to use them up.

 

[sardine]

Probably made out of fencing wire dipped in concrete.

 

[Kent]

I cant see the point in buying cheaply made rods that have been rebadged they are not even that cheap when you consider pack sizes.

 

[norlander]

Probably made out of fencing wire dipped in concrete.

pmsl

 

[TechnicAl]

Probably made out of fencing wire dipped in concrete.

Now the ultimate geek comment Concrete.........well Portland Cement actually isnt that far removed from a Low Hy type coating..........its got Al, Si, Fe and Ca Oxides pretty similar to the 7016............a bit of fluorspar and youre done

 

[norlander]

maybe they are owd wire coat hangers dipped in bonfire night sparklers mix then?

 

[TechnicAl]

maybe they are owd wire coat hangers dipped in bonfire night sparklers mix then?

Dont start..........done that one as well
Years ago we worked with Standard Fireworks to produce extruded sparklers instead of the tradiotional dipped. Now I understand most sparklers are extruded. You can tell the difference.........the extruded coating is smoother.

When we were doing the trials I added a bit of starch to help extrusion. The result was that you could light a sparkler with a match.........I thought it was an improvement......No, No, No they shouldnt be too easy to light.......health and safety apparently

 

[cianh91]

paint stirrers is all cheap rods are good for ya get what ya pay for iv boxes of aldi rods and other ****** ones people give me use them for hooks or stirring rods

 

[roofman]

i once tried to make a trailer chassis using cheap rods even using a DC inverter there was that many rods stuck to the steel it looked like pinhead from hellraiser...branded names only now when i stick weld.

 

[brightspark]

Has anyone any comments on machine mart ark welding rods? my son bought a box & he can weld but couldn't make anything of them so he brought them up to me for a go, I'm not a "time served " welder but have a pickhill bantam which I've had/used for nearly 40 yrs so not a novice but they would not hold an ark despite upping /lowering amperage etc, wonder if they're faulty,only for the latest stick welders or our technique or maybe just rubbish.

didnt u give him a few of your stash that u have in the airing cupboard instead of him buying clarke krap

 

[Liquid Metal]

Now the ultimate geek comment Concrete.........well Portland Cement actually isnt that far removed from a Low Hy type coating..........its got Al, Si, Fe and Ca Oxides pretty similar to the 7016............a bit of fluorspar and youre done

Well well, learn something new every day!!!

 

[sardine]

I heard some one saying they had to learn how to weld with the flux smashed off the rods, I thought he was talking bulls manure.

 

[brightspark]

I heard some one saying they had to learn how to weld with the flux smashed off the rods, I thought he was talking bulls manure.

or bovine diarrhoea