1/8" 7018 and Lincoln AC/DC

[Welder Dave]

You don't generally get arc blow until you get into 3/16" and 1/4" rods around 180 amps or more and weldments where the arc can follow different path's like welding H beam supports on skids. Inside corners can be bad for arc blow. Welding from the outside into the corners first usually helps a lot.

[52 Ford]

You don't generally get arc blow until you get into 3/16" and 1/4" rods around 180 amps or more and weldments where the arc can follow different path's like welding H beam supports on skids. Inside corners can be bad for arc blow. Welding from the outside into the corners first usually helps a lot.

I was outside a few hours ago burning some 5/32 7018. In a previous comment, I couldn't remember what my 7018s were... My 5/32's that I keep handy are Hobart 7018-1 H4R. I don't burn them a lot, so I just get em 10lbs at a time.

[farmersammm]

Most consumables, including Lincoln, Hobart, and whatever...........will not run with enough dig on your machine. I know, because I run that machine for about 90% of what I do. Standard Atom Arc, and Atom Arc Acclaim, will get the most out of the little crackerbox. The regular Atom Arc has the hottest arc.....Acclaim runs a bit cooler, but still better than Excalibur.

Atom Arc is an H4R rod.

[farmersammm]

All 1/8 7018 will have arc blow in certain situations. It's unavoidable.

Welding to the corner of a joint that ends in "air". Welding irregular shapes.

It's annoying as Hell. About all you can do is attempt to whip to fill the area where the metal is shooting off in weird directions. Some claim to be able to get rid of arc blow by moving the leads around, or wrapping the work lead around the workpiece...................yeah, maybe sometimes.........but mostly you gotta live with it, and adapt to it.

Weld in from corners instead of to corners, etc etc etc.

[farmersammm]

As far as the amps on the Lincoln 125/225 machine........................... The top end at 125amps could be anything. You don't know for sure that you're actually at 125amps. Personally, I feel that the amps are less than 125 by the way my machine runs. It will weld somewhat cold with anything but Atom Arc.

Amps are funny anyways. On my engine drive(250 GXT), I'll run 1/8 in third gear(180amps) at the bottom of the fine adjust, rather than run in the 130amp range(second gear) at the high point on the fine adjust. It just runs better in that range. All machines run different.

[StandarDyne]

All 1/8 7018 will have arc blow in certain situations. It's unavoidable.

Switching to AC weld current will get rid of arc blow.

[Sberry]

I am not sure how so many have such an issue when I never do? What is the difference? One guy cant run 2 rods in a row without a problem and another 2000 rods. Got to wonder how they can weld miles of pipe, thousands of hangers with machine doesnt have AC on it?
Whole nuke plats built, no AC, no tig peddle.

[StandarDyne]

I am not sure how so many have such an issue when I never do? What is the difference? One guy cant run 2 rods in a row without a problem and another 2000 rods. Got to wonder how they can weld miles of pipe, thousands of hangers with machine doesnt have AC on it?
Whole nuke plats built, no AC, no tig peddle.

It's all in how you hold your mouth.

[WNY_TomB]

most use rod and amps near part thickness max...... that is welding fast as possible
1/8 7018 welding inside corner fillet weld 125 amps thats on cold side but possible
... outside 90 degree corner 125 amps way hot
.... welding vertical up 1/4" plate lap weld maybe 110 amps 7018 more is hot.... obviously varies
.
..... i cringe when somebody says for example everything 3/32 6013 rod at 75 amps, sure that work 1/16 to 1/8" thick flat
welding inside 90 deg corner fillet...... but obviously 3/8 plate you can run 3/16 rod 180 amps without much
problems...... dont ask what welding handbook say probably 7/32 rod at 240 amps
.
stick with 3/32 rod if you want to go as slow as possible

[52 Ford]

I am not sure how so many have such an issue when I never do? What is the difference? One guy cant run 2 rods in a row without a problem and another 2000 rods. Got to wonder how they can weld miles of pipe, thousands of hangers with machine doesnt have AC on it?
Whole nuke plats built, no AC, no tig peddle.

Weld prep has a lot to do with it. Trying to weld an inside corner joint on two peices that come together at a very acute angle will lead to a lot of arc blow. Unless you're bevels are too steep, you shouldn't have any trouble with arc blow on pipe or structural or whatever. I only get arc blow when I'm welding weird stuff. Last time I had it, I was trying to weld part of my gantry crane where it comes together at the top. Inside corner joint that was fairly acute.

[Sberry]

A lot of that is not true arc blow, its simply trying to shove a rod in joint too tight for it to fit and simply arc to one side.

[BD1]

I don't why you would need to run 1/8'' Lo Hi. Many pipe welders use 3/32'' up to 6'' schedule 40 iron pipe. The smaller diameter rod is easier to control and if you need more weld, just run overlapping stringers.

As for the Miller AC/DC machine, the main advantage is no fixed settings. Set heat anywhere you want and weld.

[Welder Dave]

Smithdoor posted an excellent article from Lincoln on the subject of Arc Blow. Lincoln says it doesn't usually occur until about 250 amps. If you're having a problem with 1/8" rods arc blow isn't the problem. Rod could be finger nailing, could have moisture in the coating(7018), is at the wrong angle, a bad ground connection, poor fit up or dirty steel would be more likely to be the problem.