Biggest diameter rods ?

[CRS51]

Hello to everyone, this is my second post on this forum.
Been having a look through my mates "yellow cupboard" where all the rods are kept and have found some very old ones, aluminium rods, armex armour plate rods, various dissimilar rods, cast rods and a few packets of those with the wound string around them. Anyway in the bottom there are a few very large rods - the closest measurement I can get is 7.5mm without the flux and they are about 450mm long. Just wondering what is the largest diameter rod you can by nowadays ? Thanks in advance and will get some pics of the old packets/rods next time, maybe could go in the "antique rods section"
Cheers Chris.

 

[Omniata]

Be wary of the ones with string wrapped around them, could be asbestos

There was a post on here a while back about large rods, then again, those were 3/4" wide by about a metre long

Here's the thread:

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=16251&highlight=big+rods

 

[TechnicAl]

Those with the string are asbestos, maybe even blue asbestos which is very dangerous. As for diameters, we used to make 10mm dia for welding armour plate. These days 5mm are the nost common largest but you may find the odd 6mm.

There used to be some that were about 18 - 20mm for filling holes in castings but they needed fancy equipment to use them.

 

[decepticon]

if you can take some pics with out disturbing the string ones it would be good to confirm what they definately are, and to serve as a caution to anyone else who may accidently come accross these.
be careful though
the links from hotrodder for big welding rods are incredible-must see

 

[CRS51]

Ok thanks for the replys so far. Just wondering is there an on line chart with all the names / types of rod available and also vintage / antique ones ?
Some of the old boxes / names / round tins are quite interesting to look at I think, will get some pics next weekend of some of my mates. Hopefully of interest ?
Cheers Chris.

 

[CRS51]

Pics of old rods.

As promosed here are some pictures of some of the old rods. Couldn't get any closer as the camera was distorting. Hope they are of interest, the last three are the string coated ones.

Cheers Chris.

 

[TechnicAl]

wow...they ARE old

Even I have never heard of P&H and Im getting on a bit

I can see MUREX on one packet. Murex are still going but owned by ESAB. They might buy them off you so they can compare the modern product against them or have them as museum pieces.

If they are wound it WILL BE ASBESTOS they only discussion is will it be blue or white. The blue is more harmful than the white and they stopped using blue before they realised the white wasnt much better and stopped using that as well.

To be honest I dont think its a problem in use its during manufacture when its an issue. The asbestos gets "melted" into the flux.

Quasi Arc were taken over by Murex. I see NICREX and ARMEX (i think) the Nicrex are stainless and maybe still around, the ARMEX were for welding armour plate.

One of the boxes looks like EUTECTIC who are still going in Redditch

 

[runnach]

wow...they ARE old......One of the boxes looks like EUTECTIC who are still going in Redditch

Yep definite Eutectic brand colour box, there,s even a picture of that Oscar fella who invented arc rods!!

Interesting collection of rods.....................

 

[TechnicAl]

Yep definite Eutectic brand colour box, there,s even a picture of that Oscar fella who invented arc rods!!

Interesting collection of rods.....................

As far as I know HE said he invented arc rods and we only have his word for it.
Isnt he also the OK that is the prefix to Esab rods (Oscar Kjellberg....or something like that)
I think there is also some yank who claims the invention
There is also some story about welding with 6" nails and rusty ones working better than clean ones (coating of rust)

All I know is that it wasnt me gov

 

[runnach]

All I know is that it wasnt me gov

You probably got pipped at the post by about six months Al