Rod Storage?

W6PUG said:
If I could figure out how to put my gear in in the "signature" of the posts I would have/should have done it by now but .... have not yet figured it out. Am running all Hobart: AC/DC Stickmate, Ironman MIG, and Hobart 165 TIG rigs so I can do AC or DC ... just depends on what I am poking at ... Also have plasma cutter, oxy/acelylene torch, and other small hobby shop stuff: old Hardinge TL lathe, Aceria F2 mill, horizontal bandsaw, chopsaw, grinders and other odds and ends. Trying to set up a shop during a move has proven to be one heck of a challenge - house comes first (according to She Who Must Be Obeyed) - and the shop gets attention whenever I can sneak in some time.
Thanks for your thoughts .... and it looks like you learned some of the same way I did ... burned a lot of that old P5 rod about as big as your bird finger on pipe in my early 20's :eek 2:
Take care and thanks again!
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Well now that you mention the mig, sounds like you just need to put them rods in a airtight tube and dust them occasionally. Unless you like stick welding, my rule is anything over 1/4" that needs to be strong and I will use a stick every time. My friend that runs a weld shop tells me I'm crazy and I don't know how to properly set my mig for thick metal, he's right but I also know if I use the old stinkin Lincoln tombstone it's gonna outlast me.

Never used p5 rod? I do have some 7018 big as your thumb takes everything my welder has on DC to run it and it wouldn't mind another 50 amps
 
Agreed, if it is a critical weld, stick all the way. I use mostly 6011, and I don't do anything with my rods other than keep then in a plastic container. 6011 doesn't like to be overdried...flux starts cracking and falling off.

SMAW when it counts, GMAW when it has to be pretty.
 
OK ... I gotta confess ... I was on eBay and a couple of weeks ago found a rod oven for half the cost of a new one which put it in my price range, so 7018 and 7014 will go in it, however, I am going to put it on a timer and just turn it on for 1/2 hour a day just to maintain ... I don't use rod often enough so I think this should give me some extended life .... like today ... 46F and 96% humidity (I am not kidding!) ... as long as I don't open the door on it I am thinking it should be ok for maintaining. It is not the cost of the rod that is the big deal ... it is that when you NEED to do something, you don't want to have to drop everything and run to town for rod because you found yours has turned to crap .... I am like you guys - if you need good penetration and especially if you are doing a gap or needing a big pattern, rod is the only way to go .... thanks Guys, for thinkin' of me and giving me your ideas and input. It has been over 30 years since I have done a lot of serious welding ... it comes back ... slowly, but it does come back ... you guys remind me of the things that were in my brain but lost in the 'filing cabinet'.
 
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