Rod for OA welding?

[vanya]

I've been Mig welding for about 8 months, but recently got access to a friend's O/A tanks and heating torch and want to learn to weld with O/A. What's a good rod that I should should use to weld mild steel? The obvious answer is steel rod I guess, but is there a number or designation I should look for? I'll be practicing with 1/16" to 1/4" coupons.
Thanks!

[JoRoJen]

I've been Mig welding for about 8 months, but recently got access to a friend's O/A tanks and heating torch and want to learn to weld with O/A. What's a good rod that I should should use to weld mild steel? The obvious answer is steel rod I guess, but is there a number or designation I should look for? I'll be practicing with 1/16" to 1/4" coupons.
Thanks!

E70S2 works well since it is a triple de-ox wire.
It is forgiving for light rust, dirt and oil.

[Aerometalworker]

E70S2 works well since it is a triple de-ox wire.
It is forgiving for light rust, dirt and oil.


Metalurgy would dictate otherwise.
The ER type filler has all of the deoxidizers for the tig and mig process. In OA welding its not needed and just causes more fumes, spatter and inclusions.

Stick with filler thats INTENDED for OA welding, IE

Oxweld #7 ( RG-45) Basic Filler for mild steel
Oxweld #1 ( RG-60) Higher strength for low and mid alloy steels
Oxweld 32-CMS (RG-65) for low allow steels

-Aaron

[JoRoJen]

[QUOTE=Aerometalworker;296178
Oxweld #7 ( RG-45) Basic Filler for mild steel
Oxweld #1 ( RG-60) Higher strength for low and mid alloy steels
Oxweld 32-CMS (RG-65) for low allow steels
-Aaron[/QUOTE]

Aero is likely right.
Most farmers around here still use old coat hangers.

[Broccoli1]

I've been Mig welding for about 8 months, but recently got access to a friend's O/A tanks and heating torch and want to learn to weld with O/A. What's a good rod that I should should use to weld mild steel? The obvious answer is steel rod I guess, but is there a number or designation I should look for? I'll be practicing with 1/16" to 1/4" coupons.
Thanks!

Practice with out filler rod first:)

[Rocky D]

RG-45 would be your best bet, but ER70s-2, can be used, but it is better for TIG. For aluminum, you need flux, and you can use arc rod for it, as well as coated O/A rod. O/A welding will prepare you for TIG...I practiced on exhaust pipes with coat hangers...coat hangers are junk steel, so don't use them for anything but practice. I, know there will be folks who use coat hanger, and have no problem with it....a good weldor won't use them for anything but practice, tho.

[vanya]

Thanks guys for the prompt replies. Appreciate it.

[TozziWelding]

1/8" round bar, or a coathanger always worked in the backyard.

[dbl_0]

.......
Most farmers around here still use old coat hangers.

Or baling wire ..... :D

[hankj]

Or baling wire ..... :D

What in the H is baling wire?

If you're referring to bailing wire, it's no better than coat hangers!:rolleyes:

Hank

[Rocky D]

What in the H is baling wire?

If you're referring to bailing wire, it's no better than coat hangers!:rolleyes:

Hank

...which is no good for welding...don't ask me how I know.:o

[dbl_0]

What in the H is baling wire?

If you're referring to bailing wire, it's no better than coat hangers!:rolleyes:

Hank

Ya better git out yore dicshunairy son .... no body ever said it wuz bettrn cote hangurs but sumtimes thats gude enuff .... Tin-Fur?

[hankj]

Ya better git out yore dicshunairy son .... no body ever said it wuz bettrn cote hangurs but sumtimes thats gude enuff .... Tin-Fur?

Now I gitcha.

[Craig in Denver]

Although my coathangers are probably more than 10 years old (I've heard the newer ones are cwap), they'll teach you how to 'float out' the impurities.

If you're doing something 'important' RG-45 is good. I accidentally gave my instructor a rod of RG-60. He knew in 10 seconds something was 'different'.

FYI: Rg-45 is 45,000 PSI. RG-60 is 60,000 PSI. Mild steel is 30,000 PSI. IMHO, RG-45 will 'get er' done'.

[smyrna5]

Finally got my O/A setup and my Dillion (Henrob) torch going this week and am having a ball with it. Problem is, I have run out of coat hangers:D

I want to pick 5# or so of RG45 in 1/16" size, since I mostly weld on 16ga -11ga material. I would also like to try my hand at brazing. So, what kind of general purpose brazing rods should I get for practice with mild steel brazing? Supposedly, the Dillion doesn't need any flux on mild steel with brass rods, but should I pick some of that up too? Where is the best place to buy small quantities of brazing rods ?

[Zrexxer]

Where is the best place to buy small quantities of brazing rods ?Try your LWS. Mine will sell any quantity from one pound up.

[Aerometalworker]

Finally got my O/A setup and my Dillion (Henrob) torch going this week and am having a ball with it. Problem is, I have run out of coat hangers:D

I want to pick 5# or so of RG45 in 1/16" size, since I mostly weld on 16ga -11ga material. I would also like to try my hand at brazing. So, what kind of general purpose brazing rods should I get for practice with mild steel brazing? Supposedly, the Dillion doesn't need any flux on mild steel with brass rods, but should I pick some of that up too? Where is the best place to buy small quantities of brazing rods ?

Last time I looked Home Depot carried a standard bare brass brazing rod and cans of flux. Yes you need the flux....steel doesnt care who made the torch, it still forms surface oxides.

[Broccoli1]

LWS or Home Depot-:)

[smyrna5]

Thanks guys. I will have to look in Home Depot again. I was there earlier this week and didn't see any rods, but maybe they just keep them hidden in mine. Too bad AirGas only keeps bankers hours. I wonder if TSC carries em?

I suspected as much on the flux, since even though George Goehl says on his website that the Henrob will braze without flux, he still uses it - there must be a reason he still uses it [g].

I tried to do a bit of fusion welding on some 16 ga tube and got it to work, until I blew through. I can see it will take practice, but its so nice to see a puddle without all that commotion and confusion caused by the arc.

[chalmersjohn]

The coathangers of yesteryear were better than the newer ones.

[Roger]

Coat hangers have always been crummy steel filler wire in my life time. When I was 4 a welder used coat hanger to weld crank on my bicycle chain wheel. I knew even then it was stupid before it broke.

[smyrna5]

I ended up going to AirGas. Their prices and selection were better than than the big box stores. I paid $5.73 for a 1 pound box of RG45 (1/16") and $20 for a 1 pound box of brass rod. You can get the brass rods in some of the big box stores for about $11, but they give you like 8 rods in the package.

[ptsideshow]

Thanks guys. I will have to look in

I suspected as much on the flux, since even though George Goehl says on his website that the Henrob will braze without flux, he still uses it - there must be a reason he still uses it [g].



Any torch will braze with out the flux, you just won't get a good solid strong join. In his video's he talks about removing most of the flux on the coated rods, even when he is using a normal style torch.

George is referring to the pre flux coated rod that he uses, whether a regular or the Dillion torch. What he says is you don't need a lot of flux to make the spot brazes he makes on his RG45 rod wall hangings. So he says scrape most of it of the brazing rods.

I suspect that he is buying the rods in bulk 50 pounds or up and getting a good price.

I have always used the heat the bare rod and dip in the can of flux method myself. When we were taught gas brazing in the late 60's more flux the better was the creed. But it and the rod was dirt cheap then. I have found that a can of flux for brazing lasts a long time.

I was also taught that for mild steel you didn't need a flux when using mild steel rod as a filler there are some fluxes out there for it. But since I haven't seen a push at the LWS for flux coated RG**. It probably isn't a necessary item for the average backyard welder.

Getting back to George his reasoning is that you don't have to do extra clean up on the sculptures,of the glass like coating the flux leaves behind if you use a light amount. And I don't think that the extra time it takes to heat an dip the rod. Would add up to much for most of the backyard welders.

[smyrna5]

Thanks PT. I agree that since most of what George is doing is wall-hanging sculpture, he probably doesn't need much structural integrity. I originally thought about getting the flux coated brazing rods, but the general consensus (at least on the net) seems to be that they have too much flux on them. Since I am just learning to braze, and since the flux is a good indicator of when the metal is ready to take the braze, I would rather put the flux on myself. I think I will learn more that way.

[Aerometalworker]

Thanks PT. I agree that since most of what George is doing is wall-hanging sculpture, he probably doesn't need much structural integrity. I originally thought about getting the flux coated brazing rods, but the general consensus (at least on the net) seems to be that they have too much flux on them. Since I am just learning to braze, and since the flux is a good indicator of when the metal is ready to take the braze, I would rather put the flux on myself. I think I will learn more that way.

I too am a fan of seperate filler/flux. Its especially nice when doing something like brazed lug construction on old bicycle/motorcycle frames. You can mix some of the powder flux with water, and coat the insides of the lugs and OD of the tubes with it, assemble them, and braze away. It really helps the material draw the entire length of the lug.
-Aaron