Maybe a silly question, but anyways...

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I always knock and brush the the slag off my welds, but since going from a fixed shade to an ADF job I'm seeing the world much clearer as I'm starting the arc.  Now I can t always strike the arc where I want to.  Most of the welding in the plant where I work is done with 1/8 7018's and occasionally 6010's.  So, I was noticing that when I'm striking the arc sometimes a chunk of the 7018's heavy flux gets knocked off just as the rod starts burning, occasionally this flux falls in the joint and I've just been welding it up.  Is this a slag inclusion?  Or is the fact that it's still the unburned flux mean that it work it's way out of the weld to the top and not be a contaminant?  Also, since I'm using an ADF now I've been striking the arc right back in the crater where I finished the last rod. Should I be striking it somewhere else and carrying it back to where I wanna weld? It's what I've done before because well I couldn't see till now and I'd get lost hehe.Miller Maxstar S modelVictor Journeyman torchB&D 4 1/2 and 7" Grinders"You want me to weld that?  I thought you said I wasn't safe with a Caulking Gun?"
Reply:If the flux is breaking off the rod, see what you can do to get better rod.I strike the arc ahead of the crater and move back into it.  To each his own.AD is nice eh?David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by Smoky.Joe....when I'm striking the arc sometimes a chunk of the 7018's heavy flux gets knocked off just as the rod starts burning, occasionally this flux falls in the joint and I've just been welding it up.  Is this a slag inclusion?  I'm not sure how to type this: "Slag inclusion" by definition doesn't really mean what you are encountering, but by all means Yes, you ARE trapping slag in your weld.  "Slag inclusions" more deals with using a Hot Pass behind a Root Pass to further dig out or remove any slag or impurities left behind from the Root Pass.  I would advise ammending your practices to remove the slag prior to re-starting the weld, and to stop this from occurring.  You are introducing structural and mechanical weld faults into your work, and it is not recommended. Or is the fact that it's still the unburned flux.....Wrong.  You are confusing terms.  They are not the same.  "Flux" is the coating on the outside of the electrode.  When arc is initiated, the flux is vapourized, displacing atmoshphere away from the molten metal, and the de-oxidizers help float impurities to the surface forming "Slag".  This slag settles on the surface of the newly deposited metal, shielding it from the atmosphere until the metal "Freezes" to a temp where it will no longer react with the atmosphere - Especially Hydrogen.  Slag has no other purpose, and cannot be re-used.  It is a by-product of the welding process.  After cooling, it should be removed to prevent weld contamination.  Also, since I'm using an ADF now I've been striking the arc right back in the crater where I finished the last rod. Should I be striking it somewhere else and carrying it back to where I wanna weld? It's what I've done before because well I couldn't see till now and I'd get lost hehe.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RIf the flux is breaking off the rod, see what you can do to get better rod.
Reply:All 7018s do that from time to time. The flux is actually pretty easy to crack. Just dropping the tube on the ground from a couple of inches up can cause it. Actually striking the tip against the start can do it. Try scratching it. I don't know if what you describe can cause an inclusion or not, but on anything code if it happens I just toss the rod, grab my grinder, clean it up and start over. If you take no chances with it then it can't come back on you. Also, never ever accept a new can that is banged up. Are you using LH-70 or Excalibur? I've had a lot less of that problem since I switched to Excalibur. Never tried any Hobart electrodes. Nobody around here carries them. If you have an oven and it's easily accessible I would do as you are thinking and just get fresh regularly. When I was doing pipe and structural in construction we weren't allowed more than we could burn in 4 hours in a rod tube (generally 6010 and 7018 if we didn't have portable ovens) and they tracked it and we had to take it back if we hadn't used it by then. If you were caught doing otherwise you lost your certs. Heck, fresh rod is always easier to run.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:Smoky,What is falling off of the 7018 is the flux. I agree with jolly that it's OK for non code work and if it is code work then just grab a new one. When the flux falls off I would not be concerned with it being left in the weld in an unfused state ( talking as an inspector ). It will float out. You are not trapping slag in the weld as other have mentioned, this is not slag. It sound like you are removing slag between passes.  If this happens with the 60's then the coating is to dry. It requires some moisture to work properly. A quick dip in water should fix it.
Reply:I can vouge for this happening all the time with 7018 - it's just the nature of the beast.  What happens to it once it hits the actual WELD is beyond me, however.Have a Jeep Cherokee?  Click Here!