Trouble with Hobart 7018 - Flux Removal

[LarryO]

Originally Posted by Boostinjdm

So how will I know the difference. I run Hobart 7018 now...

Must be already in hell.

[Cofe]

I personally do not like Hobart rod.
If I have my choices, Excalibur is the best.
I have burnt many a rod over time, and have ran into "bad batches" of good branded rod. If you are doing precision work, then the best is called for. Getting by with inferior rod decreases productivity with added grinding, difficult start, sticking, and flux removal time. Not to mention the weld inclusions that may be happening.

[blasphemy000]

My father-in-law bought me a 5lb box of Hobart 7018, 3/32" as a gift when I got my new(to me) welder(The Airco in my sig), and at first I was having the same problem with removing the flux. The box says 80-100A is the recommended amperage range. I hadn't stick welded since I was about 12 years old(so about 14 years ago) so I figured I would just start in the middle at 90A. The flux removal was kinda hard and my welds looked less than acceptable, but I figured this was due to my lack-of technique. Just for ****s and giggles I turned the heat up to 100A and it made a world of difference. They are easy to start and restart and my weld quality improved as well, although I still need a lot of practice. With the 10A increase in heat the slag also was easier to remove, instead of having to hit it with a chipping hammer it could be removed fairly easily by raking with a 1/2-round file then wire-brushing. Given, the slag doesn't peal right off like I've seen with other 7018 rods but it sure comes off a lot easier then it did before I upped the amperage.

[Ruark]

Hobart 1/8" 7018AC is my everyday go-to rod for projects here around the farm. It starts and runs well without sticking, beads beautifully, works great. Slag doesn't just fall off, but most chips off and cleans up nicely with the wire wheel on the angle grinder. I keep it in the standard red plastic can, but I've used some that was lying in the bottom of the welding cart for a year and it works just fine, too, absolutely no.issues whatsoever.

I did have something of a learning curve with it, but once I mastered it I wouldn't weld with anything else, except maybe for using 6011 with dirty stuff. Anyway, that's my experience.

[fredschrom]

" personally do not like Hobart rod.
If I have my choices, Excalibur is the best.
I have burnt many a rod over time, and have ran into "bad batches" of good branded rod. If you are doing precision work, then the best is called for. Getting by with inferior rod decreases productivity with added grinding, difficult start, sticking, and flux removal time. Not to mention the weld inclusions that may be happening"

I have been welding with Hobart rod quite a bit lately and when welding it goes Okay but the slag sucks bigtime. On perfect 2G and 2F welds I can tolerate it for overhead and vertical it blows, the slag looks like Monkey **** or snot, and sticks just like a bugger. When using Lincoln Excalibur or even some cheap chinese rod my slag pops off as cooling, not the Hobart got to work it off.

If I was using it everyday on a job site I would be buying a needle scaler. On a scale of 1-10 for 7018 rod I give it a 3-4. If there is any different rod in the oven I will grab it first.

I was dicking around with it Tuesday in 2g and on perfect beads best I could do on the slag was a couple of taps, Excalibur blows it away. My other beef it isn't a particularly fast freezing rod and I need to adjust my current down when using it vertical from where I typically run Excalibur.

Mt next favorite rod is Atom Arc

[fredschrom]

" Tad cold at 80 amps
The smooooooother you are laying the bead the better the slag pops off."

I was running 126 amps today, and it doesn't pop offf, and its not a bad batch, ran just like the last batch, and the are right out of the rod oven.

[katana1150]

Originally Posted by Rick V

Fairly good call! I ran beads of the 3/32 inch 7018 Hobarts on new 3/16 inch thick plates at an indicated 70, 80, 90, 100, 110 and 120 amps DC+ on my Linde 250 AC/DC. Note: The amprage indicator is just a moving pointer against a printed scale and could easily be off by 10 amps or so.

The slag was easier to remove from the 120 amp bead - came off in 1 inch segments; however, to me the rod was running too hot and I really had to move along. Still the bead weas not too bad - a little hot looking.
At an indicated 70 amps, I could not start nor maintain an arc.
At 80 amps everything was fine but the bead was narrow and proud = too cold. Slag was an assassin_works 'sob' to remove.
The 90, 100 and 110 amp runs were in between the 80 and 120 amps results.
I never found a sweet spot amperage where the slag just curled up off the weld. Neither did I observe that when the weld "has cooled a bit it just slides right off".

Guess I'l; have play baker and bake up a batch before I repeat the multiple amperage test.

Still, this is not good; my other brands of 7018 run way better and they were stored in a similar fashion - no hemetically sealed cans for any of these rods. On the other hand, if after baking the Hobarts do run super and slag removes easily, then they might be considerd useful - with a built in indicator of too much moisture.
Gotto Go Bake!

The Hotter the better! Weld with the hottest amperage you can without getting burn thru or undercut!

It has always been my experience that when your amperage is a little on the cold side the slag can be troublesome to chip off.

[BlauSchuh]

I bought a box of the hobart 7018 (says 7018-1 on the rods) last night and had some fun going through at least 15 rods (at elec neg) before I realized that it was an AC or elec + rod. Machine on 120 amps or so and couldn't get it to run worth a crap. Frustrating as I got some 7024 that was running great.
Made the switch to AC and things were 100x better, then tried elec + and it ran just fine. grrr. you really got smash the slag with a hammer though eh?

also, I can't seem to run it well at 80 90 or even a 100 amps. I set that sucker to around 120 and I am not blasting through 1/8" so I guess its ok.

[RAMIND]

i was running hobart 7018 AC in my garage at 130 amps and it seemed to make a nice looking bead, your max arc gap should be no more than 1/8"

[weldin rod]

The Hobart 7018 is my go to choice for my side work, loaders and equipment etc... Always runs pretty decent on either my SA 200 or my Dialarc 250. It can be a little tough to start sometimes but you just gotta give it some finesse... I dont know why some of you people are expecting excalibur or atom arc 7018 quality at the price for the Hobart stuff... Its just that the Hobart 7018 isnt anything special like H4R classification or similiar its just run of the mill, plain good ole 7018.

[weldin rod]

Originally Posted by BlauSchuh

I bought a box of the hobart 7018 (says 7018-1 on the rods) last night and had some fun going through at least 15 rods (at elec neg) before I realized that it was an AC or elec + rod. Machine on 120 amps or so and couldn't get it to run worth a crap. Frustrating as I got some 7024 that was running great.
Made the switch to AC and things were 100x better, then tried elec + and it ran just fine. grrr. you really got smash the slag with a hammer though eh?

also, I can't seem to run it well at 80 90 or even a 100 amps. I set that sucker to around 120 and I am not blasting through 1/8" so I guess its ok.

If its 1/8" rod then you should be running it around 120 amps for flat... 80 or 90 is more like 3/32" territory

[Shiftace]

Originally Posted by killdozerd11

I have had the same problem with the HOBART rod so i don't use it anymore

Went to ATOM ARC and never have problems anymore

I am going to try the Excalibur some day everybody seems to like it

I LOVE Excalibur for everything but pipe. It doesn't dig as much as Atom Arc and is more likely to leave slag in the corners.
Hobart is a great pipe rod for fill out but you need to be liberal with the thin disc and you need to run it hotter than most. Caps are ok but even Atom Arc caps out smoother.

[Ruark]

Originally Posted by RAMIND

i was running hobart 7018 AC in my garage at 130 amps and it seemed to make a nice looking bead, your max arc gap should be no more than 1/8"

Yeah, I struggled with bird-poop beads from 7018AC @125-130 until I realized it was overgapping. You can actually drag it across the metal like 7014 or hold it just a hair off, and it makes a beautiful bead. But pick it up to like 1/8" - 1/4" and it spatters all over the place.

[Robbie Hay 49]

i burn the same rod all day long with out problems im runing a 1/8 rod tho we use this rod for cwb all position if your welding flat you need to run dcep 120 amps slag just falls of if you have the correct arc length and angle mind you you can run this rod at 90 amps but it will be too cold if your using the 3/32 one you should be run between 70 and 85 amps by the sounds of it if your slag looks glassy than its too hot