Old Rods

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I've come into posession of a %#$^%load of old rods. A few hundred pounds worth.  They sat in my grandfathers barn for the last 30 years or so.  I've tried out a few(6011) and they seem to weld OK.  Is there a problem with using older rods?  Also can I dry them out in a regular kitchen type oven? Thankssolderer?
Reply:Old is FINE, if they still weld good. You can dry out 6010-6011 rods, but, i wouldn't bake them too hot . i'd think about 250 degrees for an hour or so ought to do, if they're not "wet". if you have any 70-18 or 70-14, or 70-24  rod, try at maybe 350 * for 2 hours. do not confuse this with "rebaking". Rebaking , for certified jobs might need 700-800 degrees for several hours . ordinary welding does not require this extreme. I once passed an overhead monel test with outdated 4n10  5/32 rod that had been left laying on a shelf(open box,for 5 years )  in the welding school at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, when i had too much trouble with their "certified" rod,from the rod room .Last edited by Roy Hodges; 08-27-2008 at 05:19 PM.Reason: more info[SIZE="5"Yardbird"
Reply:I built a gadget today with 3/32" 7018 that has been laying in a drawer for over two years and it ran just as good as when I opened the box. I admit the humidity here is low. Would I test with them or use them on high pressure pipe welds? Nope, but they are just fine for most jobs as long as they burn ok.
Reply:Lincolns website has some real good info on reconditioning old rods. If they were in the factory sealed cans unopened with no holes poked in them then they are as good as the day they were originally purchased. Lincoln says their canned rods can be stored indefinitely as long as they are unopened with no punctures. Some come sealed in plastic and as long as they remain sealed they are as new as well.The humidity here can be awful, as in watch stuff rust as you are building it. It can and sometimes does affect 6010/6011 very quickly. If the moisture content gets too high it is obvious in the way they burn. The same for 7018 and 7024 as well though it doesn't seem to bother the 7024 quite as quickly. I get my 7018 out 10lbs at a time and keep it in a sealed tube. Once the can has been opened it is wrapped in plastic and taped up, but the electrodes go in a rod oven overnight before they go in the tube. It works well for me. I do the same for 7024.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.