Welding Tips and Tricks

I am new to the real inner workings of welding. Years ago while at my current employer we were welding with 7018 rods (don't know the brand). The welder was an old Lincoln AC Buzz Box! Anyway I was really turned off to 7018 rods because of the fact that the slag was real hard to remove and the rods were difficult at best to restart.


What was wrong here ???

Were we using 7018 DC rods on an AC machine ???

I know this is not much to go on but would like to get some clarification !!!

They make a so-called "7018-AC" rod, but that sounds like marketing to me. The coding, "7018", has the meaning "DC" in it.

7018 is a DCEP, low-hydrogen (if used within a few hours of opening the sealed can, or kept in a rod oven--if the package isn't hermetically sealed don't buy it) rod. It performs very well, but requires more practice than, say, 6010 or 6013 to avoid undercut (which traps slag and makes it hard to remove). This is due to it's deep penetration properties... It "feels" hot when you run it correctly.

I've welded a lot of structure and pipe with it, and in most positions a really good weld won't require chipping-- the slag will contract slightly and fall off in a piece or two, leaving only the termination of the weld to peck at slightly and wire-brush.

The most dificult weld to chip off is a 3F (vertical fillet), and when these come off with a peck or two from your chipping hammer, you know you're doing it right.

As for restart, keep your file handy. Drag it once across the end of the rod to remove the bit of slag that is encapsulating the metal at the business end. Alternately, you can actually dip the tip of the rod in water (sweat works great because of the salt) and have an easier restart.

Steve

well now i have some experience to share with someone....just today we did this in class......the 7018ac rod is NOT a marketing scam.....i tested them in the lab just today i had this problem over the weekend with 7018s sticking to everything and beading on nothing...to quote a fellow on this board "the only thing 7018s run on ac are turds"<<<<true enough.....i ran them in the lab to see if my miller thunderbolt crapped out on me or if my amps settings were wacked and the answer is no all my settings are fine and my machine is also....7018s are NOT ment to run on ac only...enter the 7018ac put it in the stinger and down the root i went like a rock star and this makes me happy because i was about to take the old miller out back behind the woodshed