7018 Question

[nedster]

I'm new to welding and I've found the 7018 rods work very well on my Dialarc 250. My concern is storage of these rods as I live on the coast (humid) and don't have an oven. I've read through the posts here and elswhere regarding storing low hydrogen rods but saw nothing about storing them in an air-tight rod holder and putting a disicate pack in with them. Will this work?

[MAC702]

Better than nothing, of course, but no, not for critical welds. That's not to say you can't use it or trust it, I'm just saying it won't be by the book.

I think it was Pumpkinhead who said it best: "It's like using desicant to dry desicant."

Use a new box if you need 7018 for a critical job. Get a rod oven if you need it stored for constant use, or try to use other rods that don't have the same storage requirements.

[Sberry]

Thousands of rods that haven't been stored right are used every day.

[Jonesy70]

10 lbs rod overs are about $85 keep it dry and put what you are using in the rod oven...keep oven plugged in all of the time...it won't brake you with the electric bill either...Trust me on that...mine at home is on all of the time and it might cost me $6 a month...maybe

[ace4059]

10 lbs rod overs are about $85 keep it dry and put what you are using in the rod oven...keep oven plugged in all of the time...it won't brake you with the electric bill either...Trust me on that...mine at home is on all of the time and it might cost me $6 a month...maybe

you have to look hard to find a good one for under $100. most of these only get up to 300 degrees. I know it is better than nothing, but shouldnt 7018 rods be stored at a higher temps?

[MAC702]

AWS D1.1 says 250 degrees for storage. I doubt my little 10-pounder gets much hotter than that, but I've never measured it.

You may be thinking of the reconditioning temperature.

[TEK]

All of which only matters if you're doing serious, for real, to the letter code work. The average garage guy.....stick it in the box on the shelf and you'll be fine.

[nedster]

After reading your replies I decided to conduct an experiment. I took several 1/8" 7018 rods that I knew had been exposed to the air for at least six months and compared them to several new rods from a sealed carton. They were the same brand & size. I ran stringers on 1/2" plate at 130A with both. The fresh rods seemed easier to start and (perhaps my imagination) to burn smoother. To be honest, when I look at the beads I can't tell the difference. I know an xray might show porosity on the old rod welds but for what I'm doing, they looked great.

I might add that my welding mentor told me a good rule of thumb is if the rod has no corrosion on the bare metal end its probably good. Otherwise it needs to be rebaked.

[Sberry]

The corrosion wouldnt be a good indicator, with 7018 its measured in hours of exposure. Problems wouldnt likely show up with thin single pass welds in most cases.

[thingy]

LOW/HY,,means low mosture content rods,,,rods made to have low mosture in coating,,if you don't keep them about 250 degrees,,why use them? use 7010 rods,,they have mosture in the coating,[supposed to be that way],,and have just as much tensile,[well],,to big a deal is made over using 7018 rods,,I say,don't use them,,thingy

[Jonesy70]

My rod oven goes to 255 degrees. It only holds 10 lbs and it is portable...I have seen them used for under a hundred bucks...new ones do cost more...but a 500# rod oven or a 50 pounder cost alot more, even used


7010 would be easier to store since they don't need to be heated...but they do run alittle diffrent but not by much!!

[Sberry]

Ned, the hammer trick is good to some extent especially concerning the operator but doesn't have a lot to do with this dryness issue. Its technical but boils down to gas entrapment in the metal and between layers compounded when used on higher carbon steels especially with multiple passes. There is a ton of data and some examples to be found of failures, many guys here are better qualified to go into details, most beyond my comprehension. It can cause failures all the way to shatter and laminate type separations. Bad on a pipeline, heavy structural loading, shock, vibrations, etc. Under-bead cracking may be common. All this isn't so sensitive for light mild steel with single pass type work.

[Mr Meck]

Ever notice how that last half rod of 7018 burns better than the first rod half?

[oldtimer]

7018 will hold a bunch of stuff that 7010 won't. That is the reason to use them.

[Sberry]

It doesnt get much simpler than that does it?