Ok, Answer me THIS.... ROFLMAO

[farmersamm]

Now, I like bubbles in my beer, but not in my welds

Just finished the modifications on the the third of three axles. This problem cropped up at the end of the second axle, and continued today on the third one.

5/32 7018AC run at 175amps.

Pic one....... First fill pass after root pass. Root pass was made with 1/8 rod, pass in pic was made with 5/32 rod. Not a pretty sight

Pic two......... GRIND THAT MESS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pic three....... Let's give it another try with another rod outta the same batch. NO SOAP

Pic four..... Give the offending rods the deep six, and go back to 1/8 rod. SMOOOOTH

Pic five......... 3500lbs of filler rod later, a nice finish to a shaky beginning. Bubba didn't get no bubbles

One more pic to follow

[farmersamm]

We don't need no stinkin' preheat

The ol' pup didn't cold nose this one while it was coolin' .

[farmersamm]

After considering everything under the sun, y'all know me, no cosmic solutions came to mind

I just figure it was a bad batch of rods.................

[duaneb55]

I'm no 7018(AC) expert but bad rod (moisture) would be my guess. I believe you said recently it's been raining alot there lately?

[farmersamm]

Yeah Duane, but the 1/8 is the same age as the larger rod, and opened at about the same time. It's a mystery to me.

I did think about exactly what you mentioned, and I'm gonna put the big rods in the oven at 250 for 2 hours, and see how they come out.

I wonder if the larger rod, because it has more flux coating maybe picks up moisture better?????

[Road Warrior]

I gotta agree - I think a moisture problem is to blame.

Couple years ago, I opened a brand new box of 1/8" 7018. First rod wouldn't even strike an arc. Second struck but then promptly stuck. 3rd and 4th were all the same story too. I ended up throwing the entire box out - couldn't use any of them and I blamed it on moisture.

Sam, you should go in the plow axle repair business - you're getting to be an expert at them!!

[duaneb55]

That's interesting to say the least Sam.

Check the paperwork though - I think 7018 wants more BTUs than that doesn't it?

[farmersamm]

Well, I'm running the 1/8 at 135amps AC, and the 5/32 at 175amps AC.

The DC side of my machine tops out at 125amps DC, and I didn't feel that was enough heat for the thick round stock, so I switched to an AC rod.

I need to take the time to get that Ranger going. Got the leads sitting in the yard.

At least that will answer the question about duty cycle, and machine capacity, and lead capacity on the little crackerbox.

From what I've read, insufficient heat in the puddle will cause surface bubbles. Also a short arc will do the same.

It might be that although my machine is set at 175amps, I'm not really getting 175 at the stinger.

I found by long arcing the rod, it ran better. But I worry about penetration when I hold a long arc.

I get into all this weird stuff Somebody on the planet must have the same problems occassionally

[farmersamm]

Originally Posted by Road Warrior

I gotta agree - I think a moisture problem is to blame.

Couple years ago, I opened a brand new box of 1/8" 7018. First rod wouldn't even strike an arc. Second struck but then promptly stuck. 3rd and 4th were all the same story too. I ended up throwing the entire box out - couldn't use any of them and I blamed it on moisture.

Sam, you should go in the plow axle repair business - you're getting to be an expert at them!!

And ya know.........ya gotta wonder about the boxes. They're shrink wrapped. I don't know if a corner was torn or what.

At least the DC Excalibur comes in a SEALED tin can

[Road Warrior]

Originally Posted by farmersamm

And ya know.........ya gotta wonder about the boxes. They're shrink wrapped. I don't know if a corner was torn or what.

At least the DC Excalibur comes in a SEALED tin can

The box I referred to earlier was a sealed tin can.

[duaneb55]

Originally Posted by farmersamm

Well, I'm running the 1/8 at 135amps AC, and the 5/32 at 175amps AC.

The DC side of my machine tops out at 125amps DC, and I didn't feel that was enough heat for the thick round stock, so I switched to an AC rod.

I need to take the time to get that Ranger going. Got the leads sitting in the yard.

At least that will answer the question about duty cycle, and machine capacity, and lead capacity on the little crackerbox.

From what I've read, insufficient heat in the puddle will cause surface bubbles. Also a short arc will do the same.

It might be that although my machine is set at 175amps, I'm not really getting 175 at the stinger.

I found by long arcing the rod, it ran better. But I worry about penetration when I hold a long arc.

I get into all this weird stuff Somebody on the planet must have the same problems occassionally

I meant when you cook 'em in the oven.

[Road Warrior]

Originally Posted by farmersamm

Somebody on the planet must have the same problems occassionally

Nope, you're the first one I've ever heard of having trouble like this. Seems to me like you must be living in a geographical oddity!!

[farmersamm]

BTW........................... FOR YOU POSITIONER FANS...........

THIS GUY WASN'T THE RIGHT SHAPE TO MOUNT ON A POSITIONER

So it was bevel, and glue

[farmersamm]

Originally Posted by duaneb55

I meant when you cook 'em in the oven.

For non x-ray, the bible says you can get away with a little less heat. More like medium rare I guess

[duaneb55]

Originally Posted by farmersamm

And ya know.........ya gotta wonder about the boxes. They're shrink wrapped. I don't know if a corner was torn or what.

At least the DC Excalibur comes in a SEALED tin can

See post #57 here by MoonRise. http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=26089&page=3

Technically 7018 'posa be re-baked right outta dem wrapped boxes before use.

[duaneb55]

Originally Posted by farmersamm

For non x-ray, the bible says you can get away with a little less heat. More like medium rare I guess

Got it!

[farmersamm]

Originally Posted by Road Warrior

Nope, you're the first one I've ever heard of having trouble like this. Seems to me like you must be living in a geographical oddity!!

I'm special

Like the X Files of the welding world

My dad always used to say if something could go wrong, it would go wrong with him

I dunno how many times I go thru the checkout at the grocery, and the stupid register thingy runs outta paper right at the time I get there. Then it's 10 minutes before the lady can get the new roll to work right

[farmersamm]

I'm tellin' ya Duane, I really like the 7018, but it's like an Italian race car. Finicky.

[gizzardgutz]

You'll get porosity like that in the wind with LH, too. Not getting the same porosity using the 1/8 though, it's probably moisture. We were told years ago that if the wind exceeds 7 mph, LH could not be used w/o a windbreak. I was working at a chemical plant in Pasedena TX at the time and we had to use scaffolding with fire blankets for skin as a wind break around each of the welds. We also had the little rod ovens that plugged into the machine and kept the LH dry. Lots of humidity around the Houston area.

[duaneb55]

Originally Posted by farmersamm

BTW........................... FOR YOU POSITIONER FANS...........

THIS GUY WASN'T THE RIGHT SHAPE TO MOUNT ON A POSITIONER

So it was bevel, and glue

Oh you'd be surprised what can be fit up in a positioner when you put your mind to it. Easy fix with a quick , tacked up fixture.

[maniak]

On oven drying electrodes......rod ovens were/are a common thing in the shipyards. When I was there it was a common thing to see beenie weenies and other stuff in these ovens being warmed up for lunch. Well after a few cans blowing up and ruining a lot of wire, this practice was outlawed. Management had the safety dept. send out a sheet saying that there were toxic fumes given off during the drying and it was not safe to eat food warmed up in that environment. Not sure if that was true or just an excuse to scare guys out of doing it, but you may wanna think twice about using your wife's kitchen oven for re-drying electrodes.

maniak

[lotechman]

So I just have to get my nose in here lol.
Many E 7018 rods have trouble at start up with porosity. It varies between brands. The worst I encountered was an AC version of 7018. A run off or rather a run on tab would have been a help in this case. Strike up the arc on the tab then run the arc through the joint. The tab would not have to be very big. Something like a piece of 1/4 inch even as small as 1 by 1 inch would be enough to get started on.
From what I can see the porosity is in the first half of the weld. Once the electrode is hot and running things are sweet.

[Supe]

Might have been some dross left on there from the OA cut, too.

[Oldtimer]

Having to long arc your rod tells me you need to up the amperage. And 7018 is a short arc rod.

What was said about some brands of 7018 having porosity at the start is true. Some brands are much worse than others.

[lars66]

Originally Posted by farmersamm

We don't need no stinkin' preheat

The ol' pup didn't cold nose this one while it was coolin' .

No you probably dont need preheat but you need to grind the piece to get rid of the carbon from the torch cutting, to get rid of the hills and valleys that are trapping gas that has to escape somewhere and adding stress all over the place. keep at it and you will have that old one way going yet. By the way before I turn a part blue from the welding heat I will find some thing else to do for a few minutes while it cools some then go back at it.