help 7018

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I need help with this rod. It is a 7018Ac running at 175 amps. I am using the circle technice, the rod just not seen to want to strike and when it does strike it does not seem to want to continue to burn. Thanks Attached Images
Reply:Make sure the rod is -dry-, as in fresh from the sealed original canister or from the rod oven.
Reply:I had just opened the package.
Reply:What size rod?DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:The metal looks a bit too rusty. How does it looks at the ground clamp? 175 is way too much for 1/8" 7018AC, should be able to run 5/32" 7018AC with that kind of  power.
Reply:Throw the 7018ac away and get some Lincoln Excalibur or Harris 7018. You are running too hot. See the big BBs. You should be running 1/8 at roughly 120 or so amps.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:7018ac will work ok, what size rod and are you running it AC?Me!
Reply:You're probably just getting cold starts.  Had you hesitated there at the start for a second longer, the porosity would likely not be there.My advice:  There is NEVER a good reason to do circles with a 7018...or any stick electrode, for that matter.  Maybe a zig zag, but why would you ever need to go backwards with a low hydrogen rod?
Reply:It looks like too many amps for the size rod you are running.. I use 7018ac quite a bit in the shop.. I will only use the Lincoln 7018ac.. 1/8 125 -140.5/32 150- 180 ish..
Reply:It is a 1/8 rod, the metal was clean, it is just the slag that lokks likes rust from running mutiple beads. The reason that i do circles is because that was how i was taught to weld. Thanks
Reply:Originally Posted by mark123It is a 1/8 rod, the metal was clean, it is just the slag that lokks likes rust from running mutiple beads. The reason that i do circles is because that was how i was taught to weld. Thanks
Reply:i run 7018 on AC around 125 amps for doing v grooves, other joints i change the amperage slightly.you should be somewhere around 115-140 amps with 7018.  Clean the metal up, the coating and flux in 7018 will not float out the impurities in the metal, and will have trouble burning through it because it is a low penetration, high deposition rod.  If you want to run circles, run circles.  I dont use a manipulation in the flat, and i dont use any one motion going vertical.  watch your puddle, and manipulate according to what you see.  In the flat try tapping your rod to get stated, then long arc it (about an inch away from the base metal) this will preheat the metal, and allow the AC arc to stabalize.  Then bring your rod down and let it rest on the metal, drag it along and with just any weight on the tip of the electrode.  You should be able to feel the coating breaking down as you go.  Dont push down too hard, with AC its very easy to stick your electrode to the base metal because the arc is actually extinguishing 120 times each second.hope that helps
Reply:The last batch of 7018 AC I bought was Lincoln brand and on the package was a notice that said something like, this rod should be pre-dried prior to use.  I have used 7018 AC for a while and never encountered a notice like that so I ignored it and ran it straight out of the box with no problem.
Reply:Thanks for the help, i will go out and try to burn a few this morning and see how things go. Thanks again.
Reply:I was working on a project back in December with 7018AC that took several days to complete.  Since I don't have a rod oven, I did notice that the rods didn't run as well the second day.  What I did was to stick the rod to the metal, let it sit for a few seconds without arcing, then snap it off and start again.  That served to heat the rod and it worked very well after that.  Just a thought.  I also noticed that your metal looked dirty and rusty, I always polish my weld area and ground area very well and that seems to help, but you did mention that the metal was clean before you started, I just wonder if it was just clean, or if it was shiny.Contact me for any metal polishing needs you may have, my avatar is a pic of a standard, painted fire axe that I ground, sanded polished and buffed to a mirror finish.
Reply:Usually it says on the container to heat to a certain temp. It doesn't say you can't use your wifes oven. I do.
Reply:I don't have and rod oven, I put my amps at 115 and it seemed to work fine. Now to get a good weld should i just pull the rod or should it kind of do a side to side motions? Thanks
Reply:whatever works for you, dont let someone else tell how YOU weld.  To start id just move along with no manipulation.  Once you get something that looks good, then start messing with different manipulations