hobart nomacast

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does anyone know what these rods are made of or can offer an educated guess?? Steel covered in special flux? "Nomacast ElectrodesFor various grades of cast iron, this electrode provides an excellent, non-machinable base pass for subsequent nickel alloy repairs on contaminated cast iron. AC/DC (electrode positive preferred)." I picked up a box at tractor supply co,I was too cheap to get the nickle ones and welded a cracked wheel/pulley (which I believe may have been cast turd, not iron), I also preheated it in my kitchen oven , turned all the way up  ,but it worked good.. I also welded another part with no preheat, ,just pinged the welds when I was done and it shattered like a bag of doritos.
Reply:Don't know what they're made of, but like the description says, they're for buttering before filling with nickel. They excel in penetrating into dirty and aged cast iron. It's too brittle for filler due to carbon migration from the cast iron.