In this viewer requested episode we look at how much amperage plays a role in penetration using 7018 stick electrodes. 0:0:00 Intro 0:1:37 welding and smooth jazz 0:7:07 cut and etch results
Greg love your videos - very detailed! I am still on my beginner flux core journey but I enjoy learning about the different processes of welding. You definitely lay it out for the newbie and the well rounded alike, Thank you.
Thanks a lot for the kind comment. Stick has a lot in common with flux core wire so a lot of the tips will come in handy. I will be doing a few more videos on flux core wire and then MiG in about 3 weeks so look out for them. I just want to get the stick welding videos out while I am on vacation so I can focus on other less time consuming videos in the upcoming weeks 😀
There’s a song of that name on the stooges’ album, “raw power.” I’ve been inclined to play it while welding as a joke. There’s some angle-grinder disks that are specifically about dealing with mill scale. I bought some a while back, and while they tend to be slow, they *do* work.
I’ve decided after looking around that you’re my choice as my welding professor. I’m 73 and just starting. I got a Harbor Freight 225 stick welder because the old timers seem to say that stick is where I’ll get my best general understanding and skill building that will be transferable to the other forms and machines (and least expensive cuz he’s a cheap sob 😜. editor). I’m running it off 220 btw and had my first experience with arc welding when I was wiring the 220 and zapped a crater in my screwdriver blade, hee hee. That’s my favorite flathead screwdriver now. So far I’ve blown out all my thin to thick attempts and laid a few inches of fair looking practice welds (out of several feet. 🙄 ed). I am at the point where I’m just starting to understand what I don’t know, which is a lot. It’s really fun though. Thank you for your fine efforts making videos and your patient and thorough tutelage.
Thanks for the kind words and for taking on the task of learning welding. Stick is a great place to start, and the welder you chose is actually a very good machine. It will run any rod you want and the set points are very accurate. In no way will the machine hold your capability back, which can be a issue depending on what machine a person has. The key is to just be as smooth as possible and focus on being consistent. With practice the skill will come to you 😀
Awsome haven't cut any welds I've done with 7018 but normally run 4mm rods at around 160 looks like pretty good penetration for a low penetration rod. Would be interesting to see the same test with 7016L rods.
The penetration definitely seems to be better than I expected for the rod size. Since you mentioned mm and 7016, I would imagine you’re in Europe? I have heard of 7016 but never ran it. I heard it makes welds like 7018 but can be run downhill. 7018 is not specified in code to run downhill (it can be but it’s far from ideal lol). If I can find some 7016s I will run them in a test. A quick search in my welding suppliers inventory and all I can find is big 50lb cans of it for 220$ 😱. Amazon came up with nothing. I will have to see what I can get 🧐
@@makingmistakeswithgreg Im in New Zealand. 7016 isnt a common rod it is a twin coat rod and the slag looks like glass. It has good penetration and almost sounds like a 6010 rod when its burning . Really nice rods to weld with never ran one downhill though but uphill it rundps really well. I made a few test videos for a company that sold me a welder that didnt run to the specs advertised. The rods I used were 7016 tc 3.2mm.
@@b.p.rwebber8098 I always found it fascinating why there is such variability in rods used depending on country. Obviously there are local codes that dictate what rods are used, but it seems like the world would have settled on a few and stick with them. Kind of like I always found it odd that apparently 6013 is used for a root pass on pipe in the UK. Now maybe their 6013 runs different than ours in the states but that would honestly be one of the last rods I would go to for welding a multi position weld. I feel like I could be half drunk and run almost any other rod better on a uphill stringer bead. 309 stainless is the only rod that would be worse lol. The 7016 sounds like something I would like. It’s too bad they are 230$ for a 50lb can and nobody seems to have less than 50lbs for sale. I will have to find some and run it. There are a bunch of others on my list to try too, like 6012. I will avoid all the special purpose rods for very expensive metals, most of those would give cancer to a robot anyway lol.
@@makingmistakeswithgreg Yeah I've noticed that same thing but here 6013 isn't used for anything more that light fab. I'm guessing who ever uses 6013 on pipe root pass thinks just because its beveled and has a gap penetration is a given. Have actually seen a comment that stated that and I'm not sure about 6013 being any different in other country's. I've seen videos posted of 7016 being used on pipe root pass to cap and the welds look mean. I like welding with 7016 rods because I can see the tip cutting into the sides and the puddle filling in the cut and it's really easy to run. Takes a few goes to get used to starting it but once you figure that out it's all good you'll be hooked on them. If I could I'd send you a some of 7016 rods but I'm getting low on them because they're my got to rod for everything now. Can run a 3.2 mm rod as low as 75 amps and it'll penetrate just have to move the puddle a bit slower. Shame they are so hard to find in The States . Damm I'd be keen to send you some rods I've packed them away because we're shifting but when I unpack I'll see if I have enough rods to send some over to you so you can try some out, might be able to send enough to do a few passes.
Great video & testing! It does make me wonder if there's variability in some welders amperage scales/settings-? I'm running Hobart 7018-1 H4R....& the 3/32" rods run best at 75a, with 1/8" rods running best at 100a- Obviously I can run above these amperages; but then it starts spattering much worse. My machine is a Miller Syncrowave 210. Probably would be smart to cut & etch to see the results myself. Thanks again for the quality info/video.
Thanks for the kind words. There are surely a bunch of variables that can affect results. The first one being dig or arc force. If it’s fixed higher than mine or adjusted higher, it will affect amperage as you tighten the arc. I ran a setting of 30% which with 7018 had very minimal affect at normal operating arc gap (the dynasty 210 I have is within 1-2 amps in my testing). If it’s set higher it will increase amperage well beyond the actual set point. The syncrowave should have adjustable dig. The second variable is I was running flat plate, without a doubt if I tried a fillet weld at say 160 amps the results would be far worse lol. The metal to heat ratio would be so off I have a feeling the whole top of the weld would be a line of undercut. The third variable is how consistent and controlled the arc gap is. The 160 amp+ pass with tight arc I ran might only be equal to 150 amps of actual heat input with a medium length arc. I will say at 100 amps on a 3/32 7018 you will get a ton of spatter if you long arc the rod at all. It’s very unforgiving. I can get away with it when welding 1/4in steel and over. Under that good luck lol. Also, it pays to do a cut and etch to see what’s going on. Just wait until you see some of the videos I have coming up in a few weeks dealing with the limits of what specific welding processes can do.
In that video 220. Most 110 stick welders can’t output over 50-60 amps. The esab rogue, fronius 180, and miller 161 sth can all output over 100a on 110 due to efficiency and power factor correction.
I learned to weld on that Hobart 7018 rod- school had them delivered in 25 lb. cases stacked on a pallet. I hated them- very finicky and hard to start, especially a restart. And if you didn't run it just right, that slag wouldn't cure just right and was very gritty- like they put too much sand or silica in the flux or something. The Vulcan 7018 runs much better, I think.
Haha get it! Sticking around he says lol. I had to cringe when I seen you go for the milawaukee m12 weak arse sawzall, at least yours is the fuel brushless one but 1/4” plate bro Jesus. 😂 I got burned out a few weeks ago and went to harbour freight and grabbed the cheese master baurer red portable band saw, couple packs of blades and came home and welded that pig to a old roll floor jack laying around I don’t use, couple like 4” pieces of angle iron and just like double tacked them super good to the Allen bolt heads on the saws case, cause who cares bout the dang cheap saw anyways but literally took me like 15min and it’s been the best damn idea 💡 I’ve had in awhile man it sails thru near anything stupid easy, and quiet with out having to mess with The torch like you said
NICE DEMO. WAS THIS ON A/C OR DC. MY LINCOLN IS IS AC OR DC BUT CAN ONLY 30 SEC BEFORE KICKING OUT. I HAVE A CHEAP INVERTER THAT GOES TO 150 AMPS AND DOES A LOT BETTER JOB AND DOESNT KEEP KICKING OUT.
@@makingmistakeswithgreg interesting question about AC. some 7018 can use AC, I assume this would lessen penetration on thinner stuff. I have read that some huge stick electrodes are AC only due to terrible arc blow at higher currents. I want to make the trusses for my carport from 11ga 2x6 tube w/7018 3/32. i haven't made any test runs yet but 1/8 7018 on AC might be an option..... bummed i gave away my tombstone.
