Cutting with a stick? Magnesium rods?

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Is this possible?  Im trying to see if anyone does this, I read it in a book.....Apparently you buy a special Mg rod and put it in the stick welder and it will cut.  Im looking at cutting fairly small pieces of .25 in plate to make a tractor hitch....Any help?Thanks!
Reply:Yep.  I don't know exactly how thick they cut, but they do make them.  Our tractor supply carries them in little packs of about 5-10 pcs.  I never needed to use them, so I don't have any experience, but I know folks have used them with decent result.  As far as thickness is concerned, there should be some info about amps and thickness with the rods or on the manufacturer's website.  I think hobart makes the rods at tractor supply...you might try looking up their supplies and see if there are any fact sheets to download.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:I certainly can't attest to the special rods but in times past I've done considerable cutting (used loosely) with regular rods (wet if possible). Messy at best. Works great if you just need to blow a chunk of iron in two. Do enough of it and you can get fairly decent and weldable cuts. About last on the list of choices tho. I found it an all to easy bad habit to fall into. Knowing what the prices of rods are and imagining what any specialty rod might cost--------seems likw a Harbor Freight should have some cutting tool that could do the job just as cheap and a lot better.
Reply:I've tried one of those cutting rods.  I doubt I had it set up right, but it seemed like more of a demolition tool than a fab tool.
Reply:These are not the Carbon Arc gouging process we are talking about right? There is a product that you just use like stick rod that cuts?
Reply:That's right joker...NOT the carbon arc process.  They are just a rod you use in a stick welder.  I think "demolition tool" is a good description.  They cut, thought.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:do you want the cut clean and straight? cause if youve got alot of spare to mess with, you can just crank a 6010 rod up and blow the **** out of it, did it at work, started a couple fires, but it was fun none the less
Reply:Fab No! Demolition Yes! If you use a sawing motion, (advance, retreat, advance, etc.) they will work fairly well to sever something in half, but usually butt ugly. They will work where Oxy-Acyt. won't, aluminum, cast iron, stainless steel, a cheaper way to junk some of those metals. I was told by an old timer, to just use any old rod you had, (6011, 6010, seem to be a bit better) a good way to use up the old junk that you have been given over the years.   Soak the rod in water, turn up the amps, and "saw" away.Just my  opinion, not from a book, just from the road.Howes Welding Inc.www.howesweldinginc.com
Reply:i have used 5P's for chopping something out of the way.  Ain't pretty but they will cut or sever anything that gets in their way.
Reply:lurkin'
Reply:yep  old timers way high heat wet rod  an  burn baby burn  been there  done that it will work but not real  clean
Reply:Reminds me of the pipeline welder I worked with.  He clamped a 1/4 inch tube in the stick holder, connected the other end to the compressed air, struke an arc and blew through whatever he needed to knock off.  He used it primairly to take off the traction lugs from buldozer cleats for pavement running.  Noisy as h##l.  Burned up a lot of 1/4 inch tube.
Reply:Underwater cutting... Broko-rod. Messy as ****, bubbles, freezing while waiting to decompress. I would rather use up the entire world supply of sawzall blades rather than do that **** again. Use a sawzall, and some cutting fluid in a can to lube the cut. Keep the speed varied, don't just blast it. You overheat the blade, and it is toast. I have cut 1" steel with a sawzall. It beats the **** out of cutting rod of any flavor.