electrode storage options

admin

I am just a hobbyist at this point and I keep the following 4 electrodes on hand: 6010, 7018, 309, and 316. Presently I am keeping them in the snap cap red tubes and haven't had any problems even with the 7018 (use almost only for fill and beautification after 6010) here in humid VA, but my projects aren't held to any codes either. I can get a 50lb portable oven for $250 shipped, and the savings could easily be realized if I had to throw even a partial box out a couple times a year. I keep hearing about a wood box or old refrigerator with a light bulb, but might this be a fire hazard? At work they keep a multitude of electrodes in a steel cabinet with a heat bulb like you would find on a buffet or food warmer. Are the screw cap with seal tubes that much better than the snap cap? As you can see I have lots of questions regarding this topic. Let me know what you do for electrode storage and if it has worked for you. Thanks in advance, jwr2200.
Reply:I like the screw on cap due to the fact that they have a seal on them, usually an o-ring. Don't really know about snap cap because I've never seen any up close.For non-certified welds you can use a heat lamp in a small box container and that will keep the condinsation out of your rods. All you are really doing as a hobbiest by keeping them dry is extending the life of them. I use a 50Lbs portable oven myself.Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT
Reply:olddad, is the oven noticeably expensive to operate? Thanks, Justin.
Reply:Hey there jwr2200, I just won a portable rod oven off ebay i cant wait untill it arives. the place were i work right now doesnt know the meaning of low hydrogen rods. low hydrogen briefly means low hydrogen, Dry. Even for such as hard surfacing the moisture should be heated from the steel so no underbead cracking can be formed. so when at work since they only baught one rod oven for one guy, who keeps his gloves warm in it, or heats up his lunch in it, we are stuck welding with 7018 with the flux falling off most of the rods and  such. ive seen  lots of welds fail, and then again they were pretty scabby for the most part wrong tecnique, and i tried to explain about 7018 and how we do lots of structual and other repairs. oh here i go again startin to rant, well you get what im sayin.Nothing Ever Got Done By Quitting, Never Give Up.
Reply:if you are doing hobby welding i take it most of the time it is at home?if that is the case store your rods on top of the hot water cylinder.thatswhat i do.the day you stop learning in this tradeis the day your in your grave
Reply:I seal my low hydrogen rods in a Foodsaver vacuum bag.  No air in the bag means no moisture.  I don't like spending money heating a rod oven 24\7.WeldingWeb forum--now more sophomoric banter than anything else!