Hi lads I often run hi.low rods . I have a rod quiver to keep them warm but should I be baking them iin an oven or would the quiver be ok
I don't know TBH I think that's enough for normal applications ,but for critical stuff I'd go with Esab vacpack and baked . Baking does mean put them into an oven set up for 360°C for 2 hours (that according with what is written on my Lincoln 7018 box) Once baked keep them in the quiver , they will "last" 8 hours open air . So you might vacuum seal them in small quantities
It depends on how they are stored, if left in a garage or shed they will absorb moisture through damp winters and it is best to bake them first, if you have any doubts then bake them anyway.
I once read that you can bake them multiple times but you have to watch how long and how big is the temp, but the boss where i sometimes work told me when he was working on a ship they had rods in the oven 24/7. It would be the best to contact that specific rod manufacturer and ask him the details about baking and storing while not in use
Bake 7018 means put them in the oven 2 hours at 360°C Store 7018 in the oven means store them in a oven at around 120 up to 180°C
See what the rod manufacturer states. More and more rods are classed as "R" (ie H4R) and shouldn't need redrying at all if used in a timely manner... but it all depends on what the specific manufacturer says you should do. A gas oven with open flame will put out humidity... I wouldn't have thought that would be any good? Electric oven is better.
Depends what you are welding. Baking at high temp is to reduce the Hydrogen content. Hydrogen can cause cracking in certain steels under certain circumstances.......If you dont need low hydrogen theres no need to bake.....If your welds suffer from start porosity you can "dry" them at 100-150 oC for half an hour (or until the porosity stops)
Holding them in a quiver at 75-100°C for a good 4 hours will reduce the hydrogen content to almost baked levels. It depends what Steel you’re welding really. If you’re welding ductile steel and it has a low amount of stress it would be unlikely to crack even if you soaked your rods in water. Rods from a quiver do run nicer though and as Al said you will see less porosity in your starts if your rods are baked or at least warm. Saying that with the correct start technique you shouldn’t see any porosity really.
100oc will only remove "loose" moisture.......you need 350 - 450 oC to remove the "combined" moisture..........the coatings are made from minerals, if you look at the chemical formula for some minerals it will include some H2O.......eg Al2O3.6H20 (I made that up)........this is moisture that is part of the molecule and doesnt give up easily.......this is the last bit of moisture that needs to be removed........manufacturers try to use minerals without it but sometimes you just need to accept it.....this combined moisture can be the difference between below 5 Hdm and below 10 Hdm. Warm or Hot rods run better as the temperature is nearer that where the volatile elements start to form a plasma......so its easier
