7018 Rods

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Before leaving Houston last week I decided to go to the welding supply and get some Lincoln Excalibar 7018 rods, guess with all the welding that's going on in the Houston area they are in short supply, so I settled for some Adam arc 7018 rods. Read somewhere on here not long ago they were a decent rod. Not so, extremely hard to light off and don't even perform as well as regular Lincoln rods from Home Depot.Won't be making that mistake again.
Reply:What amperage and polarity you running?Are you proficient running 7018?Just a couple welders, big hammers, grinders, and torches.Work will free you.Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it. Trump/Carson 2016-2024
Reply:WOW, that's strange! I think they run pretty much the same. Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Yes, I can run 7018.Running on a tombstone, 90-105 amps.Fresh out of the can.Last edited by In Utopia; 12-07-2014 at 06:41 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by In UtopiaYes, I can run 7018.Running on a tombstone, 90-105 amps.
Reply:Originally Posted by In UtopiaYes, I can run 7018.Running on a tombstone, 90-105 amps.
Reply:the contractor i'm moonlighting for bought a skid load of a.a. 7018. i've gone through 2 cans so far and they work fine.i.u.o.e. # 15queens, ny and sunny fla
Reply:If I had to say there was any difference. I picked up some Excalibur because the AtomArc didn't wet out like I wanted it to with my Everlast PowerArc 300. It does flow a little better than the AtomArc.This is Atom Arc with the PA-300. Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:this is atom arc on old dirty red lead painted steel while standing on a shaky scaffold. i'm using a trailblazer. sorry, don't know how the bottom pic got in there. Attached Imagesi.u.o.e. # 15queens, ny and sunny fla
Reply:Well you say Lincoln tombstone and 90 and 105 amps so I am going to assume you mean the little tombstone with the clickable (roughly 15 amps between clicks) instead of an idealarc which also looks like a tombstone.  Is your tombstone AC only or AC/DC?  Even if it has DC capability then it only outputs 125 amps on DC which may be marginal for some brands of 7018 pro grades in 1/8" diameter.  If AC only then you will almost always be better off with 7018AC rods.  Expecting a low grade AC only machine to run pro grade 7018 is sometimes asking way too much.Home Depot sells Lincoln 7018AC rods so these will be better suited for your little welder whether you burn them on on AC or DC.The key to being successfull with the smaller buzzbox type welders(and especially the ones with tapped settings) is finding a particular brand and type of rod that works well with a setting that is actually available on the welder.  Once you find a brand that works well with a setting you have available on the welder then continue using that brand for that particular rod type.  Another brand simply may not burn the same and going up a click or down a click does not fix the problem as you jumping 15 amps which is too severe.  Back when I ran a low budget AC tapped machine exclusively.  I often found that I would like Brand A for 6011 rods.  Brand B for 6013 and Brand C for 7014, etc.  Once I found a brand that worked well then I simply stuck with that brand - whole lot less problems that way.  Basically you using the brand of rod to customize to your machines lack of amps adjustability.  This is a low budget way of making a low budget welder work well for you and it can work and work quite well.Last edited by rankrank1; 12-07-2014 at 07:27 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by docwelderold dirty red lead painted steel
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPDon't you just love that smell?
Reply:Originally Posted by docwelderha!  between the burning paint and concrete dust i have a chest cold. at least i hope it's a cold. monday i'm wearing a respirator!
Reply:CEP, #3...If you sketch a soapstone "map" on the inside of the oven door, everyone'll know at a glance what's where... and maybe when it was placed there.Last edited by denrep; 12-07-2014 at 08:20 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepCEP, #3...If you sketch a soapstone "road map" on the inside of the oven door, everyone'll know at a glance what's where... and maybe when it was placed there.
Reply:Originally Posted by rankrank1Well you say Lincoln tombstone and 90 and 105 amps so I am going to assume you mean the little tombstone with the clickable (roughly 15 amps between clicks) instead of an idealarc which also looks like a tombstone.  Is your tombstone AC only or AC/DC?  Even if it has DC capability then it only outputs 125 amps on DC which may be marginal for some brands of 7018 pro grades in 1/8" diameter.  If AC only then you will almost always be better off with 7018AC rods.  Expecting a low grade AC only machine to run pro grade 7018 is sometimes asking way too much.Home Depot sells Lincoln 7018AC rods so these will be better suited for your little welder whether you burn them on on AC or DC.The key to being successfull with the smaller buzzbox type welders(and especially the ones with tapped settings) is finding a particular brand and type of rod that works well with a setting that is actually available on the welder.  Once you find a brand that works well with a setting you have available on the welder then continue using that brand for that particular rod type.  Another brand simply may not burn the same and going up a click or down a click does not fix the problem as you jumping 15 amps which is too severe.  Back when I ran a low budget AC tapped machine exclusively.  I often found that I would like Brand A for 6011 rods.  Brand B for 6013 and Brand C for 7014, etc.  Once I found a brand that worked well then I simply stuck with that brand - whole lot less problems that way.  Basically you using the brand of rod to customize to your machines lack of amps adjustability.  This is a low budget way of making a low budget welder work well for you and it can work and work quite well.
Reply:You haven't got a little corrosion or coating of dust on the bottoms of those rods? I had some once that I had to run each rod over the bench grinder before I used it ( not 7018's).250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes
Reply:The old Atom Arcs did not run well at all on AC. The new Atom Arc Acclaim are much better.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:With a Lincoln AC machine I would only use the Lincoln 7018AC rods since those rods are great for low open current voltage machines (OCV) and provide easy re-strikes, I can't say anything about the Esab rods as I never tried any but most companies do make a 7018AC only rod, Don't be fooled by the 7018 AC/DC rods because you won't get those lit unless you got high OVC.
Reply:Originally Posted by In UtopiaIt's a Lincoln AC machine only.I can run the rod OK, it's just that it's so darn hard to get lit unlike the Lincoln rods.
Reply:The Easb 7018AC  runs very well on the AC-225 Lincoln.
Reply:Guess I'll give them to someone with a DC machine and stick with Lincoln's.Excalibur or box store Lincoln's?
Reply:I like Excalibur but have never ran them on AC. Those Atom Arc's do very well on my old Hobart machine which is DC only. It's my preferred rod outside of the Excalibur series.SlobPurveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply:Just make sure you rods specifically designated 7018AC.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:I love the atom arc.Miller Maxstar 200 SDPiperliner #10 Gold