Welding Tips and Tricks

I have been welding for about five and a half years now. On some jobs I have been on the only rod used is 7018 and it is unbaked. I was taught that baking 7018 is critical for several reasons. Just how critical is baking?

7018s are low hyrogen rods and (correct me if I'm wrong) the flux is rather susceptible to attracting moisture out of the air. Low hydrogen is of course refering to low moisture. Baking and using a rod oven for 7018s keeps the moisture out of the flux. You can rebake 7018s if they happen to get wet or are old. I belive the spec is 250 F for 6 hours but again I could be wrong. If you have ever welded with fresh 7018s or ones out of a rod oven and then tried wet or old ones you would know the difference yesterday. Some jobs require the rod to be kept in a rod oven on site. Hope this answers your question.

Nick has is right, with this possible exception. I've been on jobs where 7018 exposed to ambient air (fresh from the can, or fresh from the oven) for more than four hours are no longer considered low-hydrogen rods for the weld specification, and must be discarded. On these jobs, when a fresh can would be opened, the rods would go directly into the oven, and stay there until requested. They were only doled out in quantities that could reasonably be used in two to four hours.

This was x-ray work at coal-fired boilers (powerplants) and fell under stringent codes.

For any general, non-critical (i.e. not for a powerplant or other extreme pressure system), the difference is minimal. Bake those rods, drive that moisture out, and enjoy cleaner starts, better welds, and easier flux removal.

For home use, all you probably need to do is store your dry rods somewhere the temperature is well above the dewpoint. On top of the water heater in a utility closet is a good bet.

Steve

I like to keep mine in a dry rod oven at 200 deg. I use 6010,6011,6013,and 7018 at work and they all work find if I keep em in the oven till I need em.