result and then damp rod

[davidjohnperry]

got a real nice run on some scrap then disaster i was using 6013 rod with about 100 amps

i feel im getting there with arc then when i grasp it it disapears like a fart in the wind lol

what do you guys make of this

and a improvement on the photo

arc welding is hard

 

[Bsmith]

What kinda welding set are you using? I would be giving it or a connection somewhere the blame as it looks like your welding ok then the amps drop off.

 

[tombardier]

have you tried bumping the amps up? Are you dragging the rod. It looks like you are at first, but then you might have too much of an arc gap when it all goes pear shaped?

 

[davidjohnperry]

im using a thermal arc 175 and the rod i used to start was a rod from a box but only long enough to run the first bit then that bit was a rod i found on the floor so its been there for a while and that was the result of it it probably couldof done with a few more amps

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Damp rods made me recently think that i had lost my knack for arc welding, thats because the rods were once kept indoors in a warm place, then moved outside into the shed...

I didnt realise it was enough moisture to affect them....but it was!

My welds wouldn't tack metal together, would be full of porosity and no matter how i tried i couldn't get a nice weld on anything but a straight stringer. Even the slag wouldn't want to come off except if you beat it hard with a hammer.

What rods are you using? Depending on brand, they all have redrying instructions on the box, i.e - 6013's 1 - 2 hours at 150oc

If you dont use a full rod, pop the ends in a glass jar with a screw lid, it saves lighting up a full new rod if you just want to tack something together.

 

[rich r]

I went to Poundland and bought a plastic storage jar for spaghetti. Keeps your rods nice and airtight and away from damp.

I'm sure we all learn that leaving a half used rod in the holder in a damp, cold garage leads to all kinds of frustration when you come to use it again.

I had a part used rod that just would not strike without sticking, but by shear luck one time it stuck and I didn't unclip it before it glowed quite brightly and popped the circuit breaker. After breaking it off and snipping off the end with no flux it worked perfectly - the heat must have driven the moisture out...

 

[GrahamGKD]

I keep my arc welding rods in the airing cupboard.

David,
Watch the arc and the weld pool very closely - I would have thought you should be able to see what changes when it all turns to poo? With me in the past it has been flux getting ahead of the pool leading to flux pockets, but you should be able to see it happen when you know what you are looking for?

 

[davidjohnperry]

im trying mate altho some times im not sure where to look i drag but as in mig and tig and lead welding u push but when im dragging i find it a slight difficult on where im suppose to look cant always weld straight unless i keep a real tight arc.

im using a brand called nexus brought from a boc agent 6013s
and loads of other rods that came in the scrap boxes are a bit destroyed but the 4 mm rods a alright the others are not great

 

[tombardier]

Cheeky. Were you testing us by not mentioning the fact that you used a nice dry rod for the nice weld and then a dodgy rod off three floor for the last bit when you first posted?

 

[PTvor]

It's generally not a good idea to use rods that you've found on the floor and which have been there for a while. It never seems to work out and can be definitely disappointing.

If you are given old rods, it's best to dry them in the oven before trying them.

I've tried Nexus rods. I found the 2.5s were a bit variable through the packet and sometimes you get something like arc blow which is maybe down to uneven coating. There are better rods for not much more. The Nexus 3.2s were decent rods.

arc welding is hard

Yes, but you can stack things in your favour, say by keeping your rods in the airing cupboard and not using stuff you've spotted underfoot. I'd have thought a couple of nice clean bits of steel like that and an inverter would deserve a whole Nexus rod straight from the packet.

 

[davidjohnperry]

Well i think i did forget im.sorry
and i have got some 3.2 nexus i brought my self :-)
I promise ill get some runs on some scrap and we can see if i have any tallent
And for storing i store them in our boiler house at home

 

[PTvor]

I promise ill get some runs on some scrap and we can see if i have any tallent

Of course you've got some talent, but it's not like being able to curl your tongue which you can either do or you can't, you have to develop it with practice.

As for using a load of old rods you've come across, well they might be some good, they might not, but it's just another complicating factor when you've already got enough things to get right. Then there's your time in getting and cleaning up the steel. Far better to bite the bullet and get a packet of reasonable rods.

I can't really tell from the photo, but that steel looks a bit thin for easy practice.