2.5mm E7018s From eBay...

[Muggins the Mug]

I got some 2.5mm 7018s from Oxford Welding Supplies, on ebay last week.

The are definitely harder to strike, that's for sure.

I ran this at 90 Amps on a quarter inch thick steel plate.

How does it look?

 

[addjunkie]

Your travel speed is inconsistent, causing weld size to vary.

 

[Muggins the Mug]

Your travel speed is inconsistent, causing weld size to vary.

I found it harder to control the arc length too. This may have contributed to the inconsistent speed.

 

[addjunkie]

Running 1 bead is a weld, but consistency only comes running bead after bead for a fair amount of time.

 

[Muggins the Mug]

Running 1 bead is a weld, but consistency only comes running bead after bead for a fair amount of time.

I'll probably just stick to the 6013s, for now.

 

[addjunkie]

I'll probably just stick to the 6013s, for now.

Even so, get a biggish bit of steel and cover it in runs of weld. Then turn over and do the same on the other side. Then cover it again, and again…till you dont need to think about it.

 

[harveyp6]

Even so, get a biggish bit of steel and cover it in runs of weld. Then turn over and do the same on the other side. Then cover it again, and again…till you dont need to think about it.

That's exactly what I've been doing all morning. With 6013 rods.

 

[Erie Fred]

Up to 7018's now ?
We seem to started a monster here.....

You need to get the basics down pat first.
1. speed consistent, and proper for the job
2. arc length control

FWIW 7018 is one you can drag (if you turned it up a bit more)

Restarting a partially used rod is where starting 7018 is hard, I crack
the coating that flows over the end of the rod, off with my thumb.

 

[Porkypine]

I'll probably just stick to the 6013s, for now.

I've used nothing but 6013s for donkey's years, perfectly adequate for any normal general welding work that I've done in the last 20 odd years !

 

[Muggins the Mug]

I've used nothing but 6013s for donkey's years, perfectly adequate for any normal general welding work that I've done in the last 20 odd years !

There in lies the lesson.

 

[BrokenBiker]

There in lies the lesson.

the way i look at it, the first 2 numbers of a welding rod relate to the tensile strength of the weld, in kpsi...so a 6013 is 60K psi, 7018 is 70K psi...i cant think of anything i would ever need to make as a home gamer that would need a stuctural standard weld and if i did need something to be that strong its probably important so id sub it out anyway...or tig it so i can see the root penetrating properly

 

[Turbo]

A 7018 makes life a whole lot easier if you have to do a vertical weld.

A bit of coarse sandpaper stapled to a bit of wood is handy for rubbing the end of the 7018 on to make them easier started.
You can use a file but if the file happens to be to be touching the material you are welding you get sparks and a damaged file. Don't ask me how I know this!

 

[Erie Fred]

A 7018 makes life a whole lot easier if you have to do a vertical weld.

A bit of coarse sandpaper stapled to a bit of wood is handy for rubbing the end of the 7018 on to make them easier started.
You can use a file but if the file happens to be to be touching the material you are welding you get sparks and a damaged file. Don't ask me how I know this!

Or used up angle grinder wheel, there is always a small patch left.

 

[tom2207]

That's exactly what I've been doing all morning. With 6013 rods.

lol ,,, takes about two years ,, give or take another twenty .... but your off to a flying start

 

[Muggins the Mug]

Or used up angle grinder wheel, there is always a small patch left.

I've got a few of them.

 

[harveyp6]

lol ,,, takes about two years ,, give or take another twenty .... but your off to a flying start

Thanks for that. I know I've got a lot to learn, which is why I spent another two mornings (yesterday and today) getting more practice. I found a couple of metal framed chairs that someone had started to make, tacked together, and thrown into the skip, so I retrieved them, seam welded all the joints, before throwing them back into the skip.
I was alternating between mig and stick, to get comparisons on exactly the same material at the same time.