Welding Tips and Tricks

I have some 1/8" 7018 that have been open to the humid air for a long time.
What do you recommend the minimum time in a drying oven before use?
Thank you,
Jim

Hey, Jim, welcome to the forum!

Here's a link to a Lincoln website that discusses storage and reconditioning of electrodes.
http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/su ... etail.aspx

Note the reconditioning temperature of 7018s is 650* - 750* F.

Are you doing code work? If you're just getting the electrodes back to useable so you can weld something non-critical, you don't need to follow code reconditioning techniques.

Just to expand on what Dave said, if it is not code work or something mission critical, I would not bother with drying them at all. I buy 7018's from TSC that come in a cardboard box and have never been dry. I have had the current box for over a year now and they still weld fine.

If it’s damp to the point that the flux if falling off, there beyond revival. If your just looking to refresh them, but not up to code without using a rod oven. Find a old cookie sheet. Lay the rods in that and bake them in your grill outside. You should be able to hold 500*F for 10 min or so.

Thanks to All for the input.
Appreciate your help.
Jim