What can you do with pieces of filler rod?

[TraditionalToolworks]

His ears are straightening out!

That's the filler!

[mla2ofus]

So what's rocket science about leaving the short piece stuck in the puddle and welding the new to the old. If your using flux coated brass rod a can of flux will get you thru that.
Mike

[bigb]

I usually tack it to the next piece...............Mike

That's what I learned from an old timer with very little money.

[monsoon-mech]

I'm still trying to figure out how to splice that last 15' of mig wire on the new roll.🤣

use it as filler for TIG or tie wire when ya need something stronger than bailing wire

[TraditionalToolworks]

Nothing wrong exploring different avenues. Who knows?

vdot,

Actually you might be on to something there...today the President announced he's placed a ban on high tech companies from selling computer chips to Huawei, and in return China said they would rebuttal.

Most all the filler is made in China these days. If for some reason we can't get filler from China this could be bad until America can start manufacturing filler again. My guess is it wouldn't take very long, but it's a scary thought that China has us by the short ones in regard to welding consumables. Most all tungsten and filler is made in China today.

Maybe you're ahead of the curve?

[bigb]

It would probably sell pretty good right along with the Harbor Freight nail un-bender

[TraditionalToolworks]

It would probably sell pretty good right along with the Harbor Freight nail un-bender

That Moron Lamp is probably a good seller though! Since someone figured out the Moron Mask, it's a huge frickin' seller.

[vdotmatrix]

vdot,

Actually you might be on to something there...today the President announced he's placed a ban on high tech companies from selling computer chips to Huawei, and in return China said they would rebuttal.

Most all the filler is made in China these days. If for some reason we can't get filler from China this could be bad until America can start manufacturing filler again. My guess is it wouldn't take very long, but it's a scary thought that China has us by the short ones in regard to welding consumables. Most all tungsten and filler is made in China today.

Maybe you're ahead of the curve?

More like behind the eight ball here with the peanut gallery.

I value coming to these forums devoid of politics, but since it got mentioned...

You bring up a multifaceted matter of fact with your real life example In welding Expendables...For decades our bottom line edged out the American industrial machine by having **** made cheaper over seas to the point we are slowly beginning to realize with The pie in your face realization that this country has been caught with its pants down in terms of how much we depend on China for all sorts of ****. Greed or good business acumen?

Our country is crippled with shortages of ppe, sterile specimen swabs, raw materials for dealing with the pandemic that are outsourced in every country but our own.It is a wake up call that we need to bring all those jobs in production and manufacturing back.

Okay, I pushed that out.

So I have plastic jar with a collection of filler rods leftover after I have cooked my fingers.... i was using them tonight and I like the idea of Shopping for the pin vice- i had very short sections to weld and they were perfect.

I have a sense of humor that is over the top, salvaging the last few inches of MIG wire is hilarious—hardy har har nickerson.

My jar of filler remnants would proBably amount to 6-9 feet of filler rod( a lousy 3-sticks). And yes, a pound of filler rod is only about $7 here, so it seems mindless to separate 2-ply toilet paper to wipe ones bum Just to save money or WAIT, in times of a similar kind shortage. we have revisited how much we waste over here and although we are not rationing toilet paper, I given my girls food for thought and the impetus for this post.

[TraditionalToolworks]

You bring up a multifaceted matter of fact with your real life example In welding Expendables...For decades our bottom line edged out the American industrial machine by having **** made cheaper over seas to the point we are slowly beginning to realize with The pie in your face realization that this country has been caught with its pants down in terms of how much we depend on China for all sorts of ****. Greed or good business acumen?

I completely agree, and hoping this will help wake up our county and possibly start to manufacture welding products here again. It's embarrassing that we offshore so much stuff.

But in general I see a possible bad horizon on the future for welders, as I have stated in regard to consumables. I won't say much more because this is really a political topic, probably belongs in the Political thread.

i was using them tonight and I like the idea of Shopping for the pin vice- i had very short sections to weld and they were perfect.

As long as they are very short it should be fine, but remember if you have only but a few inches and need 1/2" to hold in the pin vise, you only get a couple or three inches. The biggest problem is changing the small sections in the pin vise. Not trying to stop you from trying it, you should do that. You can pickup vintage pin vises cheap on Ebay. Something like a Starrett 162C will do 1/16", 3/32" and 1/8".

[mla2ofus]

This appears to me a complicated solution to a simple problem just needing a simple fix.
Mike

[vdotmatrix]

I completely agree, and hoping this will help wake up our county and possibly start to manufacture welding products here again. It's embarrassing that we offshore so much stuff.

But in general I see a possible bad horizon on the future for welders, as I have stated in regard to consumables. I won't say much more because this is really a political topic, probably belongs in the Political thread.


As long as they are very short it should be fine, but remember if you have only but a few inches and need 1/2" to hold in the pin vise, you only get a couple or three inches. The biggest problem is changing the small sections in the pin vise. Not trying to stop you from trying it, you should do that. You can pickup vintage pin vises cheap on Ebay. Something like a Starrett 162C will do 1/16", 3/32" and 1/8".

Coolio, i made an offer on one...thanks

[vdotmatrix]

I completely agree, and hoping this will help wake up our county and possibly start to manufacture welding products here again. It's embarrassing that we offshore so much stuff.

But in general I see a possible bad horizon on the future for welders, as I have stated in regard to consumables. I won't say much more because this is really a political topic, probably belongs in the Political thread.


As long as they are very short it should be fine, but remember if you have only but a few inches and need 1/2" to hold in the pin vise, you only get a couple or three inches. The biggest problem is changing the small sections in the pin vise. Not trying to stop you from trying it, you should do that. You can pickup vintage pin vises cheap on Ebay. Something like a Starrett 162C will do 1/16", 3/32" and 1/8".

I just went ahead and bought the 166c on PRIME with free points I had and will be here in the morning. Has an insulated handle...Thanks for the tip! Besides, I can always use it as a pin vice as designed for drilling!

[psacustomcreations]

To the OP,
If you mig weld, you can twist sections of wire together to give you filler for TIG welding.
I changed out a spool today and had the usual 15 foot left over. Double it up by wrapping it on something then put it in a drill. Keep some tension on it and twist.
Cut to length afterwards.
I learned of that technique here on welding web so wanted to pass it along.


Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[LtBadd]

I just went ahead and bought the 166c on PRIME with free points I had and will be here in the morning. Has an insulated handle...Thanks for the tip! Besides, I can always use it as a pin vice as designed for drilling!

I looked at this on amazon, can't tell if the bore goes all the way thru, not essential but helpful.

[lotechman]

A short stub ends make nice little wedges once you hammer one end to a tapered flat. Often when I do one tack my connection is out of square. I simply hinge the piece on the tack until it is square then slide my tapered piece in the gap to hold the item square. I can run right over the wedge and the wedge will stop shrinkage then I just snap off the excess. Still not sure what to do with the super little piece left.. LOL

[ronsii]

Use the really small pieces for home defense loads in a shotgun shell they always said welding was hazardous to your health!!!