Welding Tips and Tricks

I came across a youtube video where someone removed a broken manifold stud with a stick welder using XtractAlloy.

c-eWU-FsuzM

"X-Tractalloy™ is a special application welding electrode designed for extracting broken bolts, studs and taps from threaded holes."
° Nonconductive flux — ceramic-like coating insulates threads to prevent damage

The rods themselves are kind of expensive, and there are no shortage of videos where people have welded on a nut with standard GMAW/SMAW. But, the interesting thing is the flux.

What is it in the rod that serves as a flux and doesn't allow weld to stick to the threads? Can it be purchased as a standalone product?

I saw that and was curious myself but not curious enough to anty up, lol.

I have used electrodes like that a few times but i don't know what brand. Only done it in vertical position. Even if the bolt is broken way down in a hole its no problem as long as the electrode can reach. As long as the arc don't touch the sides its just a matter of melting rods until you get it high enough to weld a nut to extract the broken bolt.

The slag flows to the sides and is almost like grafite and the weld is too hard to drill with a hss drillbit.

Here's a post from a few years back on my FB page, about this exact thing. (the smaller the bolt, the harder it gets)
https://www.facebook.com/TheAwesomeBoil ... =3&theater

Mike, very impressive. Was this one of the special electrodes?

I was introduced to Arctec Unicrom rods when I was a offload mechanic. We had a hoe break every bolt off that held the drive sprocket on the drive motor. One thing I did notice was the arc was no affected very much from the slag. The slag would just drip out of the opening. I still use them but with tig welding. I knock the coating off and use it to get broken bolts out.

brs480 wrote:

deephole_weld.jpg

Mike, very impressive. Was this one of the special electrodes?

I don't know mate, I just copied the post. (I cannot claim that level of skill) There was some talk of Xtractaalloy on the post, but I have also heard of it being done with ordinary ss electrodes.

I use Xtractalloy quite often. It is made by Exergon. We purchase ours through a company called Partsmaster. I am not exactly sure of the make up of the flux; but I will take a look and see if I can find the specs for it.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Here is the link for this rod on their site. https://www.partsmaster.us/SitePages/Pr ... e=02010305

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk