[AKweldshop]

Yep, I've seen those similer machines on my CL, been on there for years for $75-$100.
Just saying,
John

[AKweldshop]

I would think you would be able to find a 130-140amp sweet spot on that welder.
Keep trying to run beads and adjusting the amperage.
~John

[noddybrian]

The Lincoln may well have a higher OCV - but with inverters there are other variables - it maybe attempting to keep a constant current irrespective of arc length or upping the current as it senses voltage drop just prior to sticking / snuff out or the arc force setting is different - hard to say - also the 275 is 3phase I assume or running higher input line voltage - this also affect stability.

Back to the old welder - I can't make out in that picture - but where the leads plug in it seems like there's a spare place - could be another voltage tapping - would need a closer picture to say for sure.

[AKweldshop]

I had the 275 on 230v 50amp breaker.
It was just a high quality welder, WWWWAAAAAYYYYY better than that Everlast.
Not to ding green welders, but they have a Low priced hobby welder aimed for beginner/hobby customers....
You can shout, spit, and scream, but Everlast can't compare to to Red, White, and Blue.

[noddybrian]

Can't comment on the green machine as they are not sold here - opinion seems very mixed on them - partly down to customer support & their range does include models obviously aimed at the hobbyist - some seem higher end - Jody has used a couple & liked them well enough - but if you can afford a domestic built Miller go for it - I'm sure their worth the extra.

[AKweldshop]

Sling-it, we're gonna stop the hi-jack and get back to "7018AC rod problem".
I put a thread on welder vs. welder in the general shop talk section, lets finish it over there.
Any more tips we can share, sling-it?

~John

[sling-it]

Back to the old welder - I can't make out in that picture - but where the leads plug in it seems like there's a spare place - could be another voltage tapping - would need a closer picture to say for sure.

There's low, medium, high, cutting, and ground taps on the welder.

I'll dig up some scrap and try again some time. May be going down to clear the snow tomorrow, so it might be a good excuse to give another try at it. Sure wish I could find some Lincoln rods to try, but I don't want to buy 10lb right now just to putz with. Maybe when money's better.

[sling-it]

Sling-it, we're gonna stop the hi-jack and get back to "7018AC rod problem".
I put a thread on welder vs. welder in the general shop talk section, lets finish it over there.
Any more tips we can share, sling-it?

~John

Actually John, I was wondering.

If you crank most other rods up, they'll just burn up - like cranking up 6011 up to cut. Will 7018 act similarly? If it's turned up too far, will it light, but just blow metal everywhere? I came away from my trial thinking it just stuck tighter.

[weldin mike 27]

Hey,

I heard if you dip a 7018 in water, and crank up the amps, it'll cut and gouge like an animal.

Mick

[AKweldshop]

Sounds nasty, though I've never done it.
I would think it would be a uncontrolable mess.
I might try it someday, when I get bored enough.

~John

[weldin mike 27]

Its one of those, "stuck in the middle of nowhere fix" kinda things, Like using your underpants to strangle a cougar....

[Otto Nobedder]

I'd never hear that about 7018. I've cut 3/8 stainless with 6010 before, though. Folks called it "hot-rodding". Turn the amps up around 250, and a 1/8" 6010 will burn right through it. It ain't pretty, though!

I've also never strangled a cougar with my underwear...

Steve S

[noddybrian]

Interesting - define " Cougar " - was that meant to be an extreme survival situation thing - or just another way truck drivers murder older roadside hookers ? !!

Oops - we're off topic again ( but no squirrel was harmed )

Almost all rods will gouge to a degree when wet - it's a farmers field trick when trying to remove things like bearings that need to be split when no cutting torch is available - I'm a professional so I've never done this from vehicle batteries using a set of jumper cables !

[weldin mike 27]

Use it as you will, though a little less murdering would be nice.

[Superiorwelding]

Hey,

I heard if you dip a 7018 in water, and crank up the amps, it'll cut and gouge like an animal.

Mick

I have used 7018 as a gouging rod a few times but on 1/8" sheet and with no water. Crank it up to 200-250 amps and it will work, although it will make a mess.

[Bill Beauregard]

In 1974 approx. I bought a new Twentieth Century AC only 295 amp beauty It sticks in my mind I paid $449. It has 3 cable ports for voltage. It wasn't easy to get the hang of it, but 7018 became my favorite rod. I didn't know any better. Now I only use the welder for thawing frozen water pipes.
My new favorite stick: Messer 80T-AC+ A wonderfully tame rod designed for low voltage Open Circuit machines. Hard to make it stick, all position, all polarity. I use DC+ my friend the real welder sticks to what works, and uses an old school buzz box AC 225 with excellent results on heavy construction equipment. 3/16 uses only 35-80 amps! http://www.messerwelding.com

Hijack; I've considered strangling a few old ladies too. I have the sense you are talking about something different and very creepy.

[sling-it]

Wow, this is starting to sound like I should be lighting up pretty much like any other rod. It's far from that for sure. I hardly ever stick anything else I've used, so I should be able to get a light even if I can't keep it going.

I'm going to check some stuff out. I'll check back in if I get it lit.

[Bill Beauregard]

Wow, this is starting to sound like I should be lighting up pretty much like any other rod. It's far from that for sure. I hardly ever stick anything else I've used, so I should be able to get a light even if I can't keep it going.

I'm going to check some stuff out. I'll check back in if I get it lit.

Choose wisely grasshopper.

[the_brawnyman]

Isn't the cleanliness of the metal an important factor with 7018s both ac and dc? With 6010s and 6011s it's not such a big deal but with 7018s and 6013s it is so maybe this could be a reason for sticking?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sling-it]

Well, I had a chance to give this an honest try tonight.

I got the rod to light several times. Stuck it a few times, but overall, it sucked.

I figured out what is happening. First off, the Hobart rods are not in an oven. I'm not sure if this is the entire reason, but I believe the flux is the root of my problem.

I finally got a 1/8" rod to burn at about 180 amps, but it burnt through the 1/4" scrap I was tinkering on in no time. At 160 amps, the rod lit, then immediately burned up inside the flux about 1/8", and proceeded to cap itself with slag and go out immediately. After cranking it up, the rod would burn, but not correctly. I also had a small amount of 3/32", but it took about 130 amps to get it to stay lit, which burned down the rod as fast as it possibly could (kinda reminded me of what I've seen of stick aluminum welding - feed faster than weld. Seriously, 1" = half a rod), and kept lit like it was still under powered.

When done with my little experiment, what welds I had completed were way too hot(of course at that amp), and could hardly be called welds. The 3/32 rods were brand new opened not 5 min before the effort, and the 1/8 rods were kept in a sealed rod tube, so both only had normal atmosphere moisture exposure.

So, I know 7018ac is hydroscopic and technically needs an oven, but I've been under the impression that it would still weld if kept dry without an oven. Apparently all the videos I've seen are all a hoax if the flux is not melting due to the lack of an oven. Outside the possibility that Chucke is a really good video hacker (along side half the other 7018 video creators), Hobart rod must contain asbestos, or some other form of ceramic coating that simply refuses to melt. Either this OR, my old (not my photo, but same as my welder)
is not what these rods are suited for due to the differences in welders of today vs welders of yesteryear.

Could this be brand specific? Is it possible that Lincoln or other brands of rods might not be this way? I did see a video comparison, in which the Hobart rod produced about the same as my results, where the Lincoln actually made a decent weld.
video:
http://youtu.be/AzgcucqqrXI

If I didn't know better the last weld (Hobart) could have been my attempt today.

[grafted]

Well, I had a chance to give this an honest try tonight.

I got the rod to light several times. Stuck it a few times, but overall, it sucked.

I figured out what is happening. First off, the Hobart rods are not in an oven. I'm not sure if this is the entire reason, but I believe the flux is the root of my problem.

I finally got a 1/8" rod to burn at about 180 amps, but it burnt through the 1/4" scrap I was tinkering on in no time. At 160 amps, the rod lit, then immediately burned up inside the flux about 1/8", and proceeded to cap itself with slag and go out immediately. After cranking it up, the rod would burn, but not correctly. I also had a small amount of 3/32", but it took about 130 amps to get it to stay lit, which burned down the rod as fast as it possibly could (kinda reminded me of what I've seen of stick aluminum welding - feed faster than weld. Seriously, 1" = half a rod), and kept lit like it was still under powered.

When done with my little experiment, what welds I had completed were way too hot(of course at that amp), and could hardly be called welds. The 3/32 rods were brand new opened not 5 min before the effort, and the 1/8 rods were kept in a sealed rod tube, so both only had normal atmosphere moisture exposure.

So, I know 7018ac is hydroscopic and technically needs an oven, but I've been under the impression that it would still weld if kept dry without an oven. Apparently all the videos I've seen are all a hoax if the flux is not melting due to the lack of an oven. Outside the possibility that Chucke is a really good video hacker (along side half the other 7018 video creators), Hobart rod must contain asbestos, or some other form of ceramic coating that simply refuses to melt. Either this OR, my old (not my photo, but same as my welder)
is not what these rods are suited for due to the differences in welders of today vs welders of yesteryear.

Could this be brand specific? Is it possible that Lincoln or other brands of rods might not be this way? I did see a video comparison, in which the Hobart rod produced about the same as my results, where the Lincoln actually made a decent weld.
video:
http://youtu.be/AzgcucqqrXI

If I didn't know better the last weld (Hobart) could have been my attempt today.

I have never had any problem with the lincoln 7018ac rods(3/32) 90 amps. I call them my butter rod, because they go on smooth and leave a nice looking surface. I really can not say much about your situation as I have an inverter and running DC, with ocv of 70. I do not use a rod oven, but keep my rods in a sealed container until I use them.
Try a box of lincoln 7018, you might be surprised. I forgot to add that in the lowes site the rod mentioned is advertized as
a rod that can be used with a lower OCV than normal.
Tom

[wheresmejumper]

It sounds like a voltage issue.if you are definitely using the right taps, id check them with a meter.
that welder should have 65 volts, which is about the lower limit for a 7018

[Bill Beauregard]

My theory is 7018 is so prone to stick, we always rock back and forth to break it free. If you could keep the flux even with the filler they wouldn't scratch start too bad. Once they light and the rod tip is hot enough, it is a great rod AC or DC. I'm going to try an instant lighting propane torch to preheat the tip. Otherwise you need a long weld joint to scratch several inches until the rod is hot enough. Clean steel works better for that. Once hot, it is possible to bury the rod in the puddle without a stick. I guess your welder is older than mine, with similar circuitry, three taps force, deep, and cutting. Get the hang of keeping a rod lit, or restarting, you'll like 7018. I've used lots of it as first choice with the Twentieth Century.

If the frustration gets the best of you switch to 80T AC+ it's stupid easy.

[sling-it]

My theory is 7018 is so prone to stick, we always rock back and forth to break it free. If you could keep the flux even with the filler they wouldn't scratch start too bad. Once they light and the rod tip is hot enough, it is a great rod AC or DC. I'm going to try an instant lighting propane torch to preheat the tip. Otherwise you need a long weld joint to scratch several inches until the rod is hot enough. Clean steel works better for that. Once hot, it is possible to bury the rod in the puddle without a stick. I guess your welder is older than mine, with similar circuitry, three taps force, deep, and cutting. Get the hang of keeping a rod lit, or restarting, you'll like 7018. I've used lots of it as first choice with the Twentieth Century.

If the frustration gets the best of you switch to 80T AC+ it's stupid easy.

Mine actually has 4 taps. Low, Med, High, and Cutting (plus Ground of course). As the rod heated up, it did stay lit better. Took several times to get the rod to start running, but I kept having to grind the flux back and the tip off in order to get there.


To the other replies - If I'm low on voltage, it has to be the design of the transformer vs inverter. I'm running 10' of new power cord, 20' of new 1/0 lead, and ALL new ends, so I can't be limiting the machine. Looks like I'm going to find some Lincoln rod to give a try. The problem HAS to be old vs new tech and the flux makeup of Hobart rods in relation to this. I'll try some in the next few weeks and repost once I have some kind of answer.

[MinnesotaDave]

Did you check with a voltmeter to determine which tap gives you the highest OCV?

I've noticed on past AC units I've had that the low tap has a higher OCV than the high tap.
As a result, the rods light easier and run better with less pop-outs (arc goes out).
The owners manuals have also stated to use the low range until the high range is needed - when the volt/amp curves are given, the differences are obvious.
Good luck!