Rod storage

[MattF]

I'm guessing the answer to this is going to be a no-no, but would storing rods in an aluminium tube be feasible? I'm guessing not, as there'd likely be the possibility of contamination from aluminium oxide?, but thought I'd ask just to make sure.

 

[premmington]

I have experimented with allsorts of MMA rod storage over the years.

From ex army mortar cases to dead fridges with light bulbs in them.

After all this messing about the best solution is: http://www.rapidwelding.com/dynamic/DisplayItem.aspx?c=RG100&zl=1

Blue Rodguard canister's @ £12.82 + Vat

I have even tried cheap yellow SIF ones that don't seal! £10 ish plus Vat

Rodguard tubes are really good!

 

[PTvor]

Most of mine live in pieces of plastic drainpipe with a plastic coffee jar lid taped on the bottom, the other end open and are kept in the airing cupboard.

The LoHys, when I want to use them, which isn't that often, I just accept have to go in the electric oven.

Aluminium oxide is very hard and I wouldn't have thought enough would rub off to cause a contamination problem. I can't see there'd be a problem.

If you want a proper sealing rod storage tube, I think you should take premmington's advice as he's obviously been through it and found out what works.

 

[KemppiFrog]

Working in a Norfolk barn in the .... Well, a few years ago I screwed an old tin deed box to the wall and put a 40watt bulb in the bottom under a shelf. Kept the rods nicely dry.

As for aquired habits. I still drop the rod into my hand mask and pick it out with the torch . Didn't like the tingle if I put it in bare handed from those days. Floor was damp and I was the earth....
Actually, it was '69. or was that something else I remember from way back

 

[premmington]

Working in a Norfolk barn in the .... Well, a few years ago ) I screwed an old tin deed box to the wall and put a 40watt bulb in the bottom under a shelf. Kept the rods nicely dry.

I live in Norfolk....

 

[KemppiFrog]

I live in Norfolk....

Fine county... Very flat. More sunshine, but a bit colder than average. I was close to Sarf Lop'um, but latterly worked with airy planes at Shipdham. Went on 'holiday' in the mid '70s, to help a mate out in Iberia. Didn't get back. Is it still nervana?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Box of some sort, a vivarium heating cable - job jobbed!

 

[nickk]

theres usually a couple of 110v rod quivers for sale on e-bay for £20-40..

 

[Bill Edwards]

Rod guards are very good. Better yet (I think) are the ones offered by Safetube. I happily use them to keep my lo-hi rods, even the properly dry vac pac ones. I add a sachet of silica gel just in case, but I don't think it necessary.

 

[happy welder 6g]

most rods don't like the damp, it depends on the rods if your using mild steel rods just keep them in a dry place,if using low hydrogen(normally used for structural work...high carbon steels) you need to keep them in a pre heated cupboard(or some where warm) and transfer to a heated rod quiver to bake before welding(most diy sets wont run low hydrogen rods as a 56v open circuit voltage is needed.
so warm and dry is the best option.

 

[Rrunnach]

When I had my boat, I also had several dry boxes laying around. I would store rods in dry box, fill up any voids/space, with polystyrene loose packing material, purely to disperse excess air prior to closing up dry box, they work a treat, cheap, too.

 

[happy welder 6g]

buzzbox not heard that for yonks,inverter sets are a lot better now but duty cycle and inverter type????

 

[happy welder 6g]

When I had my boat, I also had several dry boxes laying around. I would store rods in dry box, fill up any voids/space, with polystyrene loose packing material, purely to disperse excess air prior to closing up dry box, they work a treat, cheap, too.

great idea

 

[MattF]

Cheers chaps.

Most of mine live in pieces of plastic drainpipe with a plastic coffee jar lid taped on the bottom, the other end open and are kept in the airing cupboard.

It was a similar thing I was planning for the alu' tube.

Aluminium oxide is very hard and I wouldn't have thought enough would rub off to cause a contamination problem. I can't see there'd be a problem.

Cheers.

If you want a proper sealing rod storage tube, I think you should take premmington's advice as he's obviously been through it and found out what works.

Just had a look at those. They look quite nice, and not a stupid price either. Going to have a look at those Safetubes which Bill mentioned too.

Currently, all of my rods are stored in their original boxes, and then those boxes are stored within thick walled cardboard boxes. Was thinking that something slightly more organised, and quite well sealed, might be handy though.

 

[Appyasme1]

Sick them in the oven in your kitchen,wonder what the wife would say.Beef ala Vodex.

 

[premmington]

Not sure drying rods out actually works that well.

I do have a portable thermostatically controlled oven for hi-lo's.

But when I dry out 6013's they never seem to be any good.

 

[PTvor]

I've often dried out 6013s which I've bought or been given and and which have been badly stored. Sometimes there's been a bit of rust on the ends and often the coating has been a bit floury. It's definitely improved them in my view. The instructions are usually something like 100C for an hour. If you get them too hot, they have a cellulose content and you can char it, thereby altering the characteristics of the rod.

To get the full low hy performance from 7018s etc, you either use vac pacs or there's a rigarmarole to go through with baking in an oven at 350C for a couple of hours, then they go to a holding oven, then to heated quivers.

I've found that if they are a bit damp you can get initial porosity and they aren't nice to use. For the good enough, non-critical stuff I do, it's enough to keep them in the airing cupboard and shove them in the oven for an hour at 150C if I feel the need to be a bit more scrupulous.

 

[123hotchef]

i have also stuck them in the oven too before my mate said when he use to weld they were given freshly baked rods every morning

 

[nickk]

YEARS AGO i had to repair lots of cast fireplaces in a stately home 1 fire in each room & half of them were needing welding ,so i took a portable grill ,put a lid over the top fitted a crude oven "door" & pre heated them each morning for an hour-they were nickel -ferrite "soudafonte" by soudametal.

 

[Bill Edwards]

There are rod ovens and rod quivers, different things! One for drying the rods, one for keeping them ready to use.

As to re-drying lo-hi's, I understand there are two kinds of moisture - loose moisture and chemically bound. The former is picked up from the atmosphere and can be removed at 110 C ish, the chemically bound needs 350 C.