sure way of sticking rod to workpiece

[roverfan]

hi, i appreciate its an odd question but i was looking to use my dc stick welder rods to pull out a couple of dents in sheet metal

does anyone know a sure way of sticking rod to workpiece 1st time every time?

ive managed it a few times but when i actually try to do it intentionally theres no reliability to it. is it best to use rods whose flux is intact right upto the very end?

thanks



****diy alert****

[6010]

You can turn the heat down about 20 to 30 amps lower than what you would normally use and hold the rod down on the metal without any movement. This will usually stick one nicely.

A better way to do this may be to drill a hole in the metal and then stick a hook in it and pull the dent out. Then you can weld up the hole and grind it off.

[joethemechanic]

I had a 5 pound box of 3/32 6010 Radnor rod that stuck almost every time unless you had the amperage up really high. Then it splattered like all hell. I used it up doing tack welds. Thank God it's gone.

[Go1lum]

Just get someone who has never touched a welder and let them practice on it. . Will stick every time at first.

[gnm109]

Originally Posted by joethemechanic

I had a 5 pound box of 3/32 6010 Radnor rod that stuck almost every time unless you had the amperage up really high. Then it splattered like all hell. I used it up doing tack welds. Thank God it's gone.

I thought I was the only one who had trouble with Radnor consumables. I tossed out some .030 Radnor MIG wire that wouldn't run. I have no trouble with Lincoln or other name brand wire.

As to the question, as said above, turn down the amperage to stick the rod for dent pulling. It works for me.

[Doug247]

weld a bolt to the dent and make yourself a slide hammer, it dont have to be anything fancy, but if you want to just make it stick on its own, knock the flux off the rod with the amps low, its a sure fire way to make it stick good everytime.

[zapster]

I can get them stuck with the best of them..

That's why its called "Stick Welding"...

...zap!

[Engloid]

Hold the end of the rod to the sheetmetal, then touch your "stinger" to the other end of it for just a second, and remove it. The rod will stick to the basemetal, but not to the brass in the stinger.

[zapster]

Originally Posted by Engloid

Hold the end of the rod to the sheetmetal, then touch your "stinger" to the other end of it for just a second, and remove it. The rod will stick to the basemetal, but not to the brass in the stinger.

Slick...


Very slick..

...zap!

[big worm]

Originally Posted by Engloid

Hold the end of the rod to the sheetmetal, then touch your "stinger" to the other end of it for just a second, and remove it. The rod will stick to the basemetal, but not to the brass in the stinger.

Good way to remove a broken but not seized bolt. Like an overtorqued head bolt.

[tanglediver]

You could mig the rod in place! I've done that!

[roverfan]

Originally Posted by Engloid

Hold the end of the rod to the sheetmetal, then touch your "stinger" to the other end of it for just a second, and remove it. The rod will stick to the basemetal, but not to the brass in the stinger.

i actually tried this and the other way round, by holding stinger and rod to workpiece and briefly touching the earth clam to metal but both dont actually work. ive found that it tries to weld where the contact is made, so now ive got two slight discolourations each to my stinger and earth clamp when i tested each method twice.

[Engloid]

Originally Posted by roverfan

i actually tried this and the other way round, by holding stinger and rod to workpiece and briefly touching the earth clam to metal but both dont actually work. ive found that it tries to weld where the contact is made, so now ive got two slight discolourations each to my stinger and earth clamp when i tested each method twice.

If it didn't work, you did it wrong. I've done this for over 20 years. I know it's a ghetto fix, but it also works for drying damp rods, by preheating them for a second or two.

[Doug247]

Use BlueSheild 7018, it sucks, I mean sticks

[dabar39]

Originally Posted by Engloid

Hold the end of the rod to the sheetmetal, then touch your "stinger" to the other end of it for just a second, and remove it. The rod will stick to the basemetal, but not to the brass in the stinger.

I had an old school bodyman teach me that little trick about 25 years ago, before they came out with the stud guns for doing body work, still use it today for doing small dings and dents. Dave

[roverfan]

Originally Posted by Engloid

If it didn't work, you did it wrong. I've done this for over 20 years. I know it's a ghetto fix, but it also works for drying damp rods, by preheating them for a second or two.

thanks engloid, i'll try that again adding some courage next time to hold down longer.

[Engloid]

Originally Posted by roverfan

thanks engloid, i'll try that again adding some courage next time to hold down longer.

Don't be scared of it. It's just going to make the rod hotter, the longer you hold it. It won't hurt anything.

Also, don't be afraid of it leaving some arc marks on your electrode clamp. It's brass and will last nearly forever anyway.

[Jolly Roger]

Get some atom arc 7018, that will do it. Well more times than not anyway, lmao.

[BadgerWelds]

I'll agree about the atom(no) arc...

[Hammack_Welding]

I'll third that about the Atom arcs..... Also if you knock the flux off the end of the rod it will make it easier to stick as well.