7014 vs 7018 on the farm

[mongobird]

It has been suggested to me that I use 7014 rods on the farm, as they do not soak up moisture like 7018. I am just starting to research the matter, and I figured that someone here could enlighten me, and perhaps set me on the right path.

As I understand it, 7018 needs a dry environment. 7014 does not absorb the same level of moisture and therefore the flux performs better.

[Tryagn5]

It has been suggested to me that I use 7014 rods on the farm, as they do not soak up moisture like 7018. I am just starting to research the matter, and I figured that someone here could enlighten me, and perhaps set me on the right path.

As I understand it, 7018 needs a dry environment. 7014 does not absorb the same level of moisture and therefore the flux performs better.

7014 is not low hydrogen so yes it does not require oven to keep its low hyd such as 7018. However 7018 is a much bettar all around rod. Unless its code work all my 7018 sits in my service truck for months on end. Other than being a touch difficult to start
I dont have any issues.
Also 7014 is more of an in postion rod. It leaves a crater when stopped which much be backstepped and filled. But...i use it a lot for build up work. Being an iron powder rod it fills fast and hardface welds very well over it.
Kevin

[BD1]

For farm repair on dirty or rusted metal , I use 6010 DC or if you have AC, 6011.
This will burn through almost anything.

[M J Mauer]

Welcome to the forum.

[Sberry]

We use 6011 an 7018. I havnt been storing it dry but don't do multi pass or hi pressure work with it either. If I have to do heavy I usually reach for wire.

[mongobird]

Welcome to the forum.

Thanks. And thanks to the others for the comments.

One trick I used to dry out a GPS that got thoroughly soaked, was to put it into a paint pot, and draw a vacuum on it. Does anyone know if that approach works well on welding rods?
With drenched electronics, it takes a day to three to dry things out, and the paint tank needs to be drawn down periodically as water evaporates out of the nooks and crannies.

[Tryagn5]

Thanks. And thanks to the others for the comments.

One trick I used to dry out a GPS that got thoroughly soaked, was to put it into a paint pot, and draw a vacuum on it. Does anyone know if that approach works well on welding rods?
With drenched electronics, it takes a day to three to dry things out, and the paint tank needs to be drawn down periodically as water evaporates out of the nooks and crannies.

I buy new rod. Also buy it in 10lb containers less waste and stay sealed.

[ryanjones2150]

7014 vs 7018 on the farm

What I used to use, before I got a small rod oven, was an old refrigerator with a single light bulb inside. I don't store much rod, so I just used the old freezer part and used the large compartment to store odds and ends. I can't claim to have invented this idea, I know a lot of guys have used this approach in the past. Probably since before I was even born.

The single bulb inside is, I guess, enough to keep the moisture down. I have also take. Old rods and baked them in the oven for a while to dry them back out. Seemed to work on. Probably not good for welding on a bridge truss though.

But back on the farm growing up, we pretty much had 6011 and 7018. At the time, I had no earthy idea that 7018 absorbed moisture. But it also wasn't being used to weld on a nuclear reactor.

[Bodybagger]

Vacuum dessication does not work with the flux in 7018 rods precisely because it's formulated to be so hygroscopic. They have to be baked at around 700F or whatever the manufacturer recommends. Once you've welded with good dry rods, you'll see how much better it runs. Now one you've baked them, you can store them in a vacuum.

[ryanjones2150]

7014 vs 7018 on the farm

So what about this...I pop open my new can of 7018 because I need one stinking rod for a repair. Can I take the rest and stuff them into a vacuum sealed bag, like the doohickey in the kitchen I use to package veggies from the garden before I freeze them?

Or...take the rods I have in my miniature rod oven (that I don't think heats to anywhere near 700 degrees) right now and vacuum pack them with good results?

[Nathan128]

7014 vs 7018 on the farm

A good way to quickly dry out 7018 is just stick it and let it heat up. You will see the moisture steam out for a split second and then weld away. Not for code work. But on the farm works great. And 7014. Is a great farm rod. Perfect mix between 6010 and 7018 in my opinion. I've even done down hand pipeline with it. Both good to have on the farm though.

[BD1]

So what about this...I pop open my new can of 7018 because I need one stinking rod for a repair. Can I take the rest and stuff them into a vacuum sealed bag, like the doohickey in the kitchen I use to package veggies from the garden before I freeze them?

Or...take the rods I have in my miniature rod oven (that I don't think heats to anywhere near 700 degrees) right now and vacuum pack them with good results?

If you have a harbor freight near you, buy their rod storage containers. $5.00 and use a 20 % off coupon. http://www.harborfreight.com/welding...per-46477.html

[kevin]

for you fridge guys who use them for a rod oven, i built one, it is the 2 door with freezer on top, first off , i had alot of ss 24 ga sheets laying around, i bought a roll of 6" insulation, cut the insulation to fit all around the inside of the fridge, then cut up the sheet,s to, add another inside to the fridge to hold the insul back, weld them together inside the fridge or screw them in place, sounds like alot of work but its really worth it, the fridge should be able to contain any small fire without starting the shop on fire when left un attended. 50 lb cans of rods always have alot of paper work in side of them, just incase ya forget to take it out.after you do the door and inside with insulation, cut the floor out of the freezer, weld in some steel in place of the floor to support some 50 lb cans, directly under the hole that you just cut, rig up a lamp with a heat bulb, not a spot lite type of bulb but one desgined for heat,, keep it away from the opening about a foot or so, now , when done, keep the low hi rod up in the freezer, heat rises, and the cellouse rod in the lower part of the fridge. the 6010,s and 11,s dont like to be heated alot but need to be kept dry. if ya build this thing correctly, the top will stay about 225 to 250 degrees and the lower part will keep about 70 to 80,keep the cellouse rods near the bottom. ya can put a timer on this, what i do is shut it off late at nite, and turn it on in the morn and the low hi rods are always hot, my 2 cents for a better way, the best way is to buy an over, but for under 50 bucks this is an alternative.

[mongobird]

I suppose someone could use a food vacuum sealer. It won't draw moisture out of the rod, but if the rod is transferred quickly from the factory container, to the plastic sealer, it should not have much additional moisture. Once sealed, it should not have moisture, nor much O2 to help things like the material in the 7018 rod to oxidize.

[Bentrod]

Does your welder have Hot Start Capability? Can you adjust your welder for Dig Percentages? There is no substitute for good dry rod granted, but Hot Start really helps when I need to do a quick stick welding job at work and the Wire Wire Issue Crib is a long ways off, or the person manning it is out and I just grab some from my emergency stash in my tool box. Adjusting your Inverter to 100% Dig can also lessen the issue with damp rod. (I typically adjust Dig to 60% so I am maxing it out from what I typically run).