Welding Electrode Selection

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Hello all,First to give you some background, I have been welding(SMAW) off and on for about 7 years and most of this was on a commercial job site doing various non-structural welding when needed.  I also weld around the old man's farm (when he doesn't feel like doing it and I am able to visit) and have fabricated many various franken-parts for the tractor and other things around the farm and home but have solely used 7018 rods for most of the welding with decent(aesthetics wise) results.  Also FWIW taking a welding class is on the bucket list, but right now I dont have the time.I have a Lincoln 225 buzz box I keep at my place and am wanting to start some fabrication projects, I will be using mostly 3/16" a36 plate steel and some various 1/4" plate and tube a36.  I'm sticking with SMAW because it is what I am comfortable with and I dont have $1k+ for a Mig that is capable of the same tasks.  The first project I am going to tackle is a front end bumper replacement for my 2011 f150 4x4, then probably a rear end replacement.  I am hoping to get some insight on what rods I should go for, I do not want to use an inferior electrode for the welds as this bumper will see some serious use but I just don't think the 7018 is giving me the results I need(aesthetics wise) as I want something that will require minimum grinding with a smooth bead as these welds will be exposed for painting and just be "easier" to deal with overall.  As I understand it 1/8" 7014 may be the safe route to give me a good drag bead with decent penetration, is my thinking right or should I go with a weaker rod with less penetration such as 1/8" 6013 to get a better looking weld initially or would sacrificing the strength be a bad idea?  Also would you recommend using a 1/8" rod over the 3/32" ?I know its a winded question and I appreciate any help I can get, I just do not want to invest what little time I have for these projects in vein.
Reply:Maybe some 6011 but for the most part I would stick with 7018AC for that buzz box.  With a little care and practice you should be able to get superior weld quality and aesthetics with the 7018AC.  Better yet if you had a DC welder to use."The man of great wealth owes a peculiar obligation to the State, because he derives special advantages from the mere existence of government."  Teddy RooseveltAmerican by birth, Union by choice!  Boilermakers # 60America is a Union.
Reply:7018 will probably give you the nicest look if you can run it. 7014 would be  a close second. The key here is if you can run either well. If you can't run either of them, then chances are you won't get the results you want with any rod.There's a bit more to this than simply pointing the rod at where you want metal. Prep, position, skill and settings will have a lot to do with your results. Have any one way wrong, and the rest really won't matter. Some picts of your welds and all the appropriate settings and info would help us give you suggestions as to what to work on..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I have the little buzz box but its DC is yours DC?  Mine will make as pretty of a bead as any machine out there on DC with some fresh 7018 and 6011 give the more stacked bead look if thats what you want. The 7014 will give a niiice bead on a bumper and be plenty strong.  That is my 2cents.  I would use out of a fresh can of 1/8 7018ac if thats all you got, its my favorite rod by far.  I bought a rod oven just for the 7018.
Reply:Originally Posted by KatcrackerI have the little buzz box but its DC is yours DC?  Mine will make as pretty of a bead as any machine out there on DC with some fresh 7018 and 6011 give the more stacked bead look if thats what you want. The 7014 will give a niiice bead on a bumper and be plenty strong.  That is my 2cents.  I would use out of a fresh can of 1/8 7018ac if thats all you got, its my favorite rod by far.  I bought a rod oven just for the 7018.
Reply:The lincoln is the AC225S so its AC only, another concern with the 7018ac is having to "cook" em before I use them as this project will be done on the weekends so they will sit once opened for maybe weeks at a time and the wife would KILL me if I put welding rods in her over LOL, this and the fact that everything I have read says 7014 gives a better appearing bead, I can weld just fine with the 7018 but the bead is far from FLAT and I was hoping the 7014 would offer that advantage.  I could very well be mistaken though, its happened before...
Reply:If you want a flatter bead either turn up the heat or move faster, If your pieces are beveled right and set up right you should be able to lay a flat bead in the groove with either rod. BTW 7014 tends to be an easier rod to run once you figure out your travel speeds and all, and 7018 does not "have" to be baked, for structural code work its required but many people have welded stuff with un-baked 7018 with no trouble at all, It will be more prone to hydrogen embrittlement and cracking but for a bumper I would not be worried
Reply:Just weld it hurry upLol oh ya pics pleaseAnother day in paradise You only have to be smarter than the metal".   WeldiniMaking an honest living is nothing more than stealing from someone who can afford it and everyone feels good when it's over .      Weldini
Reply:Originally Posted by ironmangq...7014 tends to be an easier rod to run once you figure out your travel speeds and all, and 7018 does not "have" to be baked,...
Reply:Another vote for 7018AC, even smoother than 7014 on an AC welder, IMHO. You can get them at Home Despot if you don't have a LWS nearby.If moisture is a problem, just get an old, large toaster-oven, not hot enough for code work but good enough for down on the farm. After baking, store them in Rod Guards or vacuum-seal bags.For best bead appearance, keep a steady pace and maintain a very short arc, almost dragging. Practice makes perfect! ;-)JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:I really like 7014. 1/8" would be what I would use at about 130 amps or so. 7018ac works too but for me 7014 is my favorite. Don't like 6013 if I need a utility rod its 6011Millermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:Another vote for 7018, crank er up and burn it in there, it will come out smooth. Attached ImagesTrailblazer 302Hobart Stickmate AC/DCLincoln SP 135 TSmith torchSpoolmatic 30A
Reply:By Rick V;Fresh from the Oven 7018 goes down nice... but taken home and stored, goes to crap in 2 days. I can tell because of the angry, spitting, snarling arc that wanders and is unstable.
Reply:Originally Posted by Bob the Welder...I've got some Atom Arc 3/32" 7018 that's been opened and stored in a rod tube from Harbor Freight for a over a year and it will run just fine on my Maxstar for anything around the house, including a truck bumper...
Reply:Just a thought.....most all welding supply houses will stock the lo-hydrogen type rods in the 8lb cans, that way you only open one can. The rest are nice, fresh, and sealed waiting for your use. We used to use the 300lb ovens and store all of these rods that way, but now we just buy 200 or so lbs of rod in 8lb cans, what the welders dont use out of 8lbs they throw away. No more portable rod ovens and messing with the time the rods are out of the ovens ect.....nothing of your concern just an idea, dont have to buy a 50lb box. just my 2 cents...A young green pipe welder asked an old salt one day...How can I make the weld on the bottom of the pipe look like the top.......The old salt replied....Screw up the top......
Reply:Originally Posted by AwelderiamJust a thought.....most all welding supply houses will stock the lo-hydrogen type rods in the 8lb cans, that way you only open one can. The rest are nice, fresh, and sealed waiting for your use. We used to use the 300lb ovens and store all of these rods that way, but now we just buy 200 or so lbs of rod in 8lb cans, what the welders dont use out of 8lbs they throw away. No more portable rod ovens and messing with the time the rods are out of the ovens ect.....nothing of your concern just an idea, dont have to buy a 50lb box. just my 2 cents...
Reply:Lincoln..E7018...round tube cans, I would have swore they were 8lb, I bet they used to be, but now they are...10lb cans. I'll be, thats the second time I was wrong, I thought I was once but I was wrong.....I only seen 1lb boxes....this is all Lincoln stuff....Last edited by Awelderiam; 12-13-2011 at 03:44 PM.A young green pipe welder asked an old salt one day...How can I make the weld on the bottom of the pipe look like the top.......The old salt replied....Screw up the top......
Reply:Well I am thinking Im gonna go with 7014, gonna go out to the shop tomorrow and run some beads on some 1/8" coupons I made up today while completing my bumper mock-up ***WARNING the attached picture is the result of several MURDERED cardboard boxes...lolI only mocked up one side as all measurements will be taken from the center-line and carried over to ensure symmetry... I am also going to have a prerunner style tube guard bent for it sometime in the future.  Going to pick up a 4'x10' sheet of 3/16" a36 Friday morning and the cutting,grinding,and welding shall ensue... Thanks for all the help! Attached Images
Reply:Nice. At some point when I have spare funds I'd like to make one fairly similar to that for my 08 F550. Probably push the front out some more than what you show. I'll probably go out as far as the plow frame will let me go.  Is that done over the existing bumper, or did you pull the stock one? Also I know on the 08's the air dam under the bumper is supposed to be fairly critical to fuel economy. The later model, taller air dam being the better unit. Any thoughts or plans on that with yours?Do yourself a favor. Set everything up so you can weld it in the flat position if you want to make the welds as nice as possible.  This may take some planning as the bumper gets heavier and more awkward.  You might need to do some areas that would be the hardest 1st and then start doing the simpler joints as you start putting the whole thing together. The down side to this is it will be a bit harder than tacking everything up and then welding it all in position. You'll have to keep checking  the fit to make sure you adjust if things start to pull on you..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Put that much steel up front and you'll need some heavier springs.mock up looks goodMillermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWNice. At some point when I have spare funds I'd like to make one fairly similar to that for my 08 F550. Probably push the front out some more than what you show. I'll probably go out as far as the plow frame will let me go.  Is that done over the existing bumper, or did you pull the stock one? Also I know on the 08's the air dam under the bumper is supposed to be fairly critical to fuel economy. The later model, taller air dam being the better unit. Any thoughts or plans on that with yours?Do yourself a favor. Set everything up so you can weld it in the flat position if you want to make the welds as nice as possible.  This may take some planning as the bumper gets heavier and more awkward.  You might need to do some areas that would be the hardest 1st and then start doing the simpler joints as you start putting the whole thing together. The down side to this is it will be a bit harder than tacking everything up and then welding it all in position. You'll have to keep checking  the fit to make sure you adjust if things start to pull on you.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmshopPut that much steel up front and you'll need some heavier springs.mock up looks good
Reply:Just don't forget to post pictures of your progress. Looking good so far.Trailblazer 302Hobart Stickmate AC/DCLincoln SP 135 TSmith torchSpoolmatic 30A
Reply:With your AC-225 buzz box, I'd stick with 7018AC's.  Never use 6013 unless you're gonna weld thin stuff like sheet metal.   I think the 7018's are the nicest looking welds around.  But, you'll get all kinds of opinions here.Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:Nice bumper design! Take lots if pictures during the fabrication process please....I got a jeep jk that id like to make some bumpers for this springOriginally Posted by SuperArcWith your AC-225 buzz box, I'd stick with 7018AC's.  Never use 6013 unless you're gonna weld thin stuff like sheet metal.   I think the 7018's are the nicest looking welds around.  But, you'll get all kinds of opinions here.
Reply:It depends too upon the make of the 7018 electrode.  I had a prospective buyer standing beside me when I went to demo AC welding with a welder I wanted to sell.  I grabbed a Linde 7018 rod and it was not nice at all on AC but ran fine on DC+.  I grabbed a Lincoln 7018AC electrode and all was well on AC.*** You notice small things like that when there is money on the table! *** Rick V 1 Airco Heliwelder 3A/DDR3 CTC 70/90 amp Stick/Tig Inverters in Parallel1 Lincoln MIG PAK 151 Oxy-Acet
Reply:Well, thought I would post a quick update, things are starting to come along with the project, I have the front end area almost completed and tacked together. This weekend I am going to focus on the mounting brackets and get what I have completed hanging in place so that I can work out some of the more complicated angles and such around the lights with it in place. All in all it is coming together as planned with a few hiccups here and there.  The welds I have ran are looking pretty good, I decided to give 7014s a try and man am I glad I did, I am running 7014s at 120amps on my AC225S and I cannot complain.  Some of the welds are a little messy but nothing a grinder cant fix.  I think I have got the hang of the rod now and am pretty comfortable welding it all in the flat position.The front plate area and top 3" strip(the first 3 sections, middle and each larger section on each side), these sections are all one piece of sheet that was cut, then scored about half way or so through and bent using a vice and some elbow grease, I couldnt go any larger with the single piece as it just became too hard to handle such a big piece in a 6" vice. this made it A LOT easier to deal with, the top plate some how got a little fubar-ed(over sized) but I welded it in place and will grind the "fat" off when I get to the point that I am ready to weld everything up.  Oh yeah, PICS!First pic is of bumper as I had it on day 2 of the build.  Second pic is as it sits now, waiting for mounting hardware and brackets(the hard part).  LOTS O GRINDING TO BE DONE, lol...this was expected...I'm also going to be adding the bottom plates and an integral(bolt on) skid plate once everything else is done. Attached ImagesLast edited by Frosstyx; 12-28-2011 at 11:35 PM.