Rod Storage ?

[tonylumps]

Thinking about a undercounter refrig. for Rod and Wire storage I could get one on Gregs list used for about 50.00 Or new at Home depot for 107.00 3.5 cubic Ft. Just have to add a light bulb and socket A lot less than a Rod oven Any thaughts would be appreciated Thanks Tony

[Knowledgeworker]

Good morning,

It may be ok for rods that are non LO-HY. You might want to check other posts on this site. Search 'rod oven storage' and look at the comments on these links.

Jim

[Sberry]

For home use it is a waste, get some 6011's and even 7018 for general light work, keep them in a box under your bed, closet unless you live in a place dripping with humidity. You wont meet critical lo-hi standards anyway. Some of the other mild steel flavors do not need special storage either.

[Sberry]

Light bulbs dont last very well, you will find it burned out anyway. You can put 2 of them in series though for very long life.

[tonylumps]

The only reason i was thinking of some kind of storage I bought a used AC/DC Thunderbolt Well the guy i bought the welder from Opened a drawer and handed me a bunch of rods When i got home i could not strike an arch with these rods to save my butt I was ready to trash the stick welder Being a new guy at welding I Talked to the weldor at work He laughed and handed me some rods out of his old refrig. and said try these Well what a differenceThat is why i was thinking of that little Frig. Tony

[Sberry]

A fridge would certainly work as good as anything as a storage ox.

[thingy]

Yeah like the man said,,you either store them low/hys right[rod OVEN] think its 250 or 350 degrees,,,or why worry about it at all,,use 6010,6011,6012,6013,rods,don't got all the info in front of me now but,a 6010 has moisture in the coating,,its supposed to,,if you bake one,coating will fall off,,,can't figure out why every body wants to use 7018,[at home/small shop],,,make it easy on yourself,,a low hy that has been out of oven for more than a few hours,,ain't a low high anymores,,yeah,,they might make a little smoother LOOKING,COVER BUT,,all its negatives,don't out way its positives,,just takes a little more skill to make a pretty 6010 bead is all,,weld is just as strong,,etc,[and,yeah,,they make a 6010 thats equal to a 7018's tensile,,its called,,what would that be?,,yeah,,7010!!,,,but once you beat the tensile of the base metal,,you don't have to worry,,right? what plain ole a106 pipe,,30-40 psi??? a36 plate,,etc??,,,welding enginner told me one time about hydrogen embrittlement,,yeah right,,that comes into play with thick stuff,and high carbon,,,not plain ole run of the mill a36,,,,thingy

[JTMcCracken]

The only reason i was thinking of some kind of storage I bought a used AC/DC Thunderbolt Well the guy i bought the welder from Opened a drawer and handed me a bunch of rods When i got home i could not strike an arch with these rods to save my butt I was ready to trash the stick welder Being a new guy at welding I Talked to the weldor at work He laughed and handed me some rods out of his old refrig. and said try these Well what a differenceThat is why i was thinking of that little Frig. Tony




The difference was that one guy gave you rods that will run on a low ocv buzz box. Not because one was stored in a drawer and one was stored in a fridge with a light bulb.
A refrigerater with a light bulb doesn't even come close to making the temps that keep LoHi rod LoHi.
All it does is make "someone" feel better, it sure doesn't comply with code which like someone else mentioned requires storage at over 220 degrees F.
So don't waste your money unless you want to keep beer in the baby fridge, it's not in any way a suitable LoHi storage box. Otherwise companies that are required by law to comply with codes (like mine) wouldn'd spend several thousand dollars on real rod ovens, we'd just have a bunch of old fridges sittin around and pocket the difference.
If you're work doesn't require the low hydrogen properties of LoHi rods (and most don't untill you get into thicker sections like 1" plus or low alloys) then any type of prudently dry storage will let you use 7018 even without the low hydrogen properties intact.
LoHi came into common use in industry in the early 1960's, a lot of critical stuff was welded before that time (think WWII). Very few items welded in hobbyest garages or on the farm require the full magical properties available from todays low hydrogen proccess'.

So don't waste a perfectly good $100 fridge, it's not holding your rod in code compliance. And if your work requires strict code compliance you already know it and you'll have to bite the bullet and buy real rod ovens like the rest of us ;)


JTMcC.

[Sberry]

good perspective and explanation.
Very few items welded in hobbyest garages or on the farm require the full magical properties available from todays low hydrogen proccess'.

So don't waste a perfectly good $100 fridge, Thats about as clear as it gets.

[Sberry]

I dont work critical work like these other guys so it isnt worth the effort for me to keep a hot box. On the rare occasion I might need something of that nature I snap open a new 10# can and bill it to a customer.

[Sandy]

There can't be anything wrong with something in between a rod oven and leaving rods piled up in a corner somewhere. Most folks needs some kind of storage anyway. What the heck is wrong with a 'dry box' arrangement?

I'm not sure modern "old" refrigerators are the answer tho. I get this picture of moldy rods and not rust free rods.

[Rocky D]

I was thinking moldy rods, too...bet they would stink after awhile...ever see a fridge that was closed for awhile not plugged in? Whew! :eek:

[keenavv]

Put BEER in the frig.:D

[tonylumps]

Another question How about Mig wire Flux or solid How will that react to moisture Right now i must have a roll hidden in every draw in the house to keep it dry She is starting to notice Thanks Tony

[mudbug]

Another question How about Mig wire Flux or solid How will that react to moisture Right now i must have a roll hidden in every draw in the house to keep it dry She is starting to notice Thanks Tony


Good question.... I put mine in a military ammo can with a rubber seal with desiccant packs inside... don't know if that will work,but it seemed a better option than just setting around the shop in the open.

Any thoughts about how well this storage method might work? Good/Bad?

As for rods....like everyone else if you need a rod oven get one...otherwise i'd just find an old electric oven and unlike a refrigerator it has a light socket with a switch already wired up....that will keep them dry and isn't tight enough to retain moisture like a refrigerator. Besides you can build a workbench on top of it & they are usually FREE.

BTW...If I was going the refrigerator route..I'd find an old freezer...metal shelves and walls in them rather than glass/plastic interior. I use one for a spray paint locker and storing spare batteries in the winter. I still have to keep the door cracked open(wedge in the door) to prevent high heat buildup,but it seems to work for me. I should just drill a vent in the top I guess. It's amazing how much heat a 40w bulb can generate in a closed space.**** I mention this because spray paint in a heated locker can explode....my paint locker is in my shop not my garage or house... just a word of caution to those that need it.