spongy starts with Excal 7018

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having troubles with my 2G X-ray 6" sch 40 pipe test. 6010 root 7018 covers. 1/8 dia for both. 7018 straight from oven. root went beautiful... covers on the other hand my starts get porosity, sometimes 1/2" in the length!!?? other times the rod runs great but then fizzeles out and sticks. running 100 amps also on the 7018.... hate to knock the Excal as junk.... but maybe it has been in and out of the oven to many times . i dunno.TOOLS AND TOYSSMAW Mid States Inc. "MISSING LINK" 10-150 AMP Buzzer circa 1945ishSMAW Magic Wand 40-60 AMP Suitcase Buzzer circa 1939ishGMAW Hobart 210 IronmanOxy-Propane TorchMany other old and cold goodies"Rusty but Trusty"
Reply:p.s. sorry but can't take any pics here. phones are a no no
Reply:100 amps is very low for 1/8" 7018. Could be part of the problemAirco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:Originally Posted by SquirmyPug100 amps is very low for 1/8" 7018. Could be part of the problem
Reply:LOVE the excel and must be low I run 3/32 at 90 at leastRespect Your Welders
Reply:OK. will do. i have 2 more weeks to get this done. onto 5G pipe next....
Reply:Yes. More amps for 1/8 rod. Porosity at the start of a 7018 bead is usually the sign of too long of an arc.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:The sticking is from low amps, try 115-120, also id wager the porosity is from long arcing in your attempt to keep the rod from sticking, bump the amps up, and keep that arc tight and youll have fun
Reply:the heat is about right for the 6010 but switch to 3/32" 7018. 100 amps is waaay too cold for 1/8" 7018 regardless of position.i.u.o.e. # 15queens, ny and sunny fla
Reply:I totally hear you.    I have the same problem.   Thats why i use lh70 on pipe, never xcal.    xcal is  more undercut friendly on filling the groove, but i dont like the starts, gives a higher, fuller face, looks prettier, but the start sucks.   If i use xcal on any of my miller inverters, even (cst xmt), its worse.    If i use xcal on a older real welder, it's not as bad.     I use xcal on inspected structural, cuz it make my job easier, and i'm allowed that small amount of perosity.   But, i dont use the stuff on something i'm trying to make leak proof.    I called lincoln and talked to them about the problem.   They must have heard this before, and had a planned answer for this.   they told me that xcal has some additive in the flux at the end of the rod, that aides in the start, to prevent perosity, and aide in preventing the rod from sticking, and that it must be the machine i'm using has a problem.    It is also worse when you strike an arc on a heavy mass of steel.  Its also bad for starts on overhead in a 3 sided corner or any where tight.    I expect a buch of people to disagree w/ me.   But before you do, take a piece of lh and xcal, and grind your starts out, and compare them.    Author, try an older heavy true welding machine, and you'll see it helps the problem some.  When i did my pipe test at the college, i brought my own lh70, cuz all they had was xcal.   you desribed it well, "spongy", I'm right w/ you.    The first time i bought a can of xcal, i burned about3  rods, and thought to myself, who can i sell this can of rod to.Last edited by 123weld; 03-07-2015 at 12:24 PM.
Reply:Turn up the heat. And don't long arc the rod to keep it lit or to start. If you are doing that you need more amps. I'll say Excalibur is the least favorite rod used by the welders in my company. Esab atom arc and Böhler are the top choices. But we still use Excalibur due to cost.  All of our welding is off engine drive Lincoln's so I have know idea of the welder could be the problem. But I would say heat is the big factor. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:Hey all thanks for the replies.  Tried turning the amps up, but no dice. Long arcing hasn't been an issue. I tried holding a tight arc after light up and long arcing with same results.... But Finally i did figure it out.. tried rod from the other oven and noticed it was WAY hotter. Oven was set to 300 deg. The one i was using was set to 170-200ish... So before i left i turned my oven to 350 and let it cook over night... problems went away! forgot to post my amps for my 6010 but they were 65 amps...Sounds cold but the root went perfect convex on inside 1/8-3/16 wide. i will try to sneak a picture.Anyways thanks again!
Reply:try this. recommendations per Lincoln  http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us...ty-detail.aspxMiller Multimatic 255
Reply:Yup amperage too low. 125a I use all day every day with pockets full of 1/8 7018 and 5/32 6010. they coincide with each other perfect, but in different diameters. As said above at 90a your good to go with 3/32 7018 and 1/8 6010.I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:I've never had an arc starting issue with lincoln excaliber rods. In Fact, i find that they restart better than most others.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:On pipe welds you usually want to strike the arc ahead of where you need and then bring it back to the start. Then you can usually burn out any porosity or flaws in the start.
Reply:lincoln excalibur is all we use at work. That stuff sits in an old refrigerator without a heat element inside. We never seem to have any problems with it. Even when long arcing it. I have used it when the flux gets all white and chalky looking and loaded with moisture and it still seems to work fine. Turn your heat up a bit.Operating Engineers Local 3Lincoln SA 200Victor TorchDewalt Grinder10 lbs SledgeWhat more do ya need!