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desertjoe 
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Joined: 23 Sep 2013
Location: New mexico
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 Topic: welding rods,,,??
Posted: 27 Dec 2024 at 8:02am |
I recently bought one of the new design Inverter arc welders and I really like the small size and portability of the machine. It is same as the one Steve(Ill) got from Amazon. I picked up a 10# box of 1/16 rod as the local welding shops did not carry any other brand so I got some from HF. The rod does a suitable job but is hard to start an arc. Does any one that has one of these inverter machines prefer an certain MFGR for their rod so I can order,,,? TIA
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steve(ill)
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Location: illinois
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Posted: 27 Dec 2024 at 8:18am |
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Sometimes cranking the amps up by 5 more will help the "start" .... assuming that will not blow holes in your base metal.. ... i dont have a lot of experience with 1/16 rod types.. i normally leave it on 240v and use 3/32 rod.
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desertjoe
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Location: New mexico
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Posted: 27 Dec 2024 at 3:15pm |
Well, Steve,,, Many Thanks for that comeback,,, Any particular brand you prefer to use on auto body repairs ? The only rod brand available in 1/16 was the E6013 from Harbor Freight (Chicago Electric)and I've not had good results using it,,,??
Dang,,almost forgot,,,I have not tried the welder on 120 VAC,,,I wanted to get familar with it on 220 VAC but my choice of rod leaves something to be desired,,,? 7014, 7013, 7010,,,OR ,,,,,???
Edited by desertjoe - 27 Dec 2024 at 3:26pm
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jaybmiller
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Location: Greensville,Ont
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Posted: 27 Dec 2024 at 3:30pm |
I've stuck with Hobart E7018AC - 1/8" for years after tossing out several boxes of 'noname' brand rods.
Hobart, cause local store carries them,saves me 1/2hr x 2 to get any other 'major' brand.
The 'trick' I found with rods..... learn on a brand name, keep using them. You don't save any money buying cheap rods....waste of YOUR time and money !!!
Also keep them sealed and dry and warm when not in use.
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 27 Dec 2024 at 4:31pm |
All i use around the house is 7018 in a 3/32 size.. Been doing that for 50 years.. I have bought a some 1/8 inch when i have a project using 1/2 inch plate .... other than that i use the 3/32 stick welder - 7018 on a DC Miller welder... right around 100 amps...
I have a 120v wire feed welder with .023 inch wire that i use when welding anything smaller than 12 gauge plate ( about .090-.100 inch thick)...
I bought that Inverter welder to use when i travel to the farm / field and dont want to haul the BIG DC transformer welder..... I have tested it on a generator and on 240v house current and use the 3/32 rod on that.... I DID do some testing on 120v house current and it is very difficult to weld with 3/32 rod... I have 5 pounds of some "high priced majic rod" that i think is called Super 500 or somthing like that. Someone gave it to me 20 years ago... It is about .080 inch thick ( half way between 1/16 and 3/32 rod) and i used that at 60 amps on 120v and it worked OK.... I have a few sticks on 1/16 6013 and i tried that and it welds OK, but not impressed... I do basically NO 120v stick welding... just a test when i bought the welder..
As i said before, most house current at 120v is 20 amps.... the most your going to get out of a stick welder on that is about 60 amps.... that a little SHORT to be welding 3/32 rod unless you dont mind STICKING the rod every inch or so..... most 240 volt plugs will give you TWICE that out put at TWICE the voltage so its easy to crank up the amps..
Edited by steve(ill) - 27 Dec 2024 at 4:32pm
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 27 Dec 2024 at 4:39pm |
I buy 10 pounds of welding rod every 3-4 months.. Tend to buy the HYW Brand on e-bay... Cheap and works good (7018) ... I keep it dry in a box with a small light bulb inside... Not a rod oven, but keeps the humidity way down...
New project needed 1/8 rod this month....
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 27 Dec 2024 at 4:45pm |
If you really want to weld on 120v with a stick welder.... i might be temped to try something like this... OR MAYBE the 5/64 rod in the NEXT POST...
the 1/16 might be BETTER if your welding 19 gauge body panels !!
Edited by steve(ill) - 27 Dec 2024 at 5:00pm
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 27 Dec 2024 at 4:51pm |
the rods between 1/16 adn 3/32 are called 5/64 inch dia.... this might be an option.... 7014 dont have much of a tendency to STICK like some other rods.
Edited by steve(ill) - 27 Dec 2024 at 4:56pm
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desertjoe
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Posted: 27 Dec 2024 at 5:54pm |
Well,,I'll be danged,,,"Blue Demon",,,!! The local welding supply used to carry the Blue Demon rod years ago and I had very good results using it,,but of a sudden,,,they stopped carrying it and just told the customers they could no longer get any,,,,?? Whatever I decide,,,I'll have to order some in small pkgs for trial if better than the HF el Cheapo rod,,,
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 27 Dec 2024 at 6:24pm |
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yea, i got a little carried away with Information... IF what you want to do is weld SHEETMETAL with a STICK WELDER... i would think the 7014 in a 1/16 rod set about 40 amps would be a good bet ... If your doing GENERAL WELDING with the INVERTER welder and want to use 120v... I think the 7014 - 5/64 set at 60 amps would be a good bet.. as long as the metal is about 1/8 inch or thicker.
Edited by steve(ill) - 27 Dec 2024 at 6:25pm
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Dakota Dave
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Posted: 31 Dec 2024 at 12:10pm |
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Ive been using fortney rods with my inverter welder same rods I used with my old transformer welder. they seem to work great for me. I bought 20 lbs of various sizes and types several years ago and have no problems with them. Mine are stored a sealed rod box in my shop. but my shop is heated and air conditioned so its very tempeture stable. my inverter welder has high frequency hot start. so its easy to start and hold an arc. For thin sheetmetal Ive used 1/16 rod at 25 amps. I could never hold an arc that low with my buzz box but its fairly easy with a newer welder.
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