Welding rail spikes

**JimR** · 07-12-2004, 07:04 PM

I'm a newbie welder with a Lincoln AC 225 stick welder. I want to do a project which involves welding a bunch of rail spikes in a row, pointed end to head end. These are very rusty. Which rod would you use for this and at what amperage? Also I got the welder at a farm sale with alot of assorted rod. How can you tell if its good or not. Some is pretty well rusted. I'm a little rusty myself, having only welded briefly in H.S. shop class and that was in 1951. Thanks for any info/tips you can give me.

**Zrexxer** · 07-12-2004, 07:13 PM

Originally posted by JimR
Also I got the welder at a farm sale with alot of assorted rod. How can you tell if its good or not. Some is pretty well rusted.

Actually, you answered one of your own questions. If that electordes you have are rusty, toss them all in the scrap metal bin and buy yourself some fresh, new 6011 electrodes.

Any electrodes that have been exposed to enough moisture to get rusty probably aren't going to be worth a crap to weld with. And since you're getting back into the swing of welding, there's no reason to cripple yourself with bad rods. New stuff isn't that expensive.

**arcdawg** · 07-12-2004, 07:24 PM

grind to good metal for grounding the welder and where you are going to weld......i have welded up a lot of scrap art crap ( my name for it )

i would also use 7018

dawg

**Rocky D** · 07-13-2004, 09:15 AM

For your AC machine the 6010, 6011 or 6013 will do. 7018 lo hydrogen rod is not needed here. If the rod are indeed rusted, they will give more trouble that it's worth. Best get some new rod.