[AKweldshop]

Should a guy let his weld cool before chipping the slag????
I've heard this debate for yrs, and I haven't found a cut and dry answer.
I've had welds with the slag curl up in one piece, and I've never had a problem.
Anyone?

~John

[GWD]

After all your experience you likely know that the slag produced by different rods behave differently. 6011 seems particularly offensive in this area. 7018 has the slag come off quite nicely if the welder's setting is right.

You might as well wait for the weld to cool a bit before chipping it. Otherwise the slag has to be pounded and the weld is marred. Hot soft metal is easier to dent if pounding.

Jody's technique is to not use the chipping hammer as a "hammer". Rather, it is more of a scraping tool. I follow this lead as much as possible.

However, if using 6011 and intending to make a cover pass or two with 7018, I have no problem using a needle scaler. They do mar the welds but the weld is going to be covered anyway. I figure slag inclusion is far worse than a few nicks on a weld that is going to be covered.

I have both the compact and large scaler:

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsea ... dle+scaler

[Tombstone]

I rake off (not chip if I can help it) the slag about 10 seconds after the stuff is no longer red in color. I don't see any divots in the weld bead that way.

[Antorcha]

70xx series and 6013 should be welded while half asleep.
Two problems with 6011.
1) Lincolns 6011 sucks.
2) People playing games drawing little circles,dancing about and super long "whipping". It doesn't mean whipping as in sack time with the sis-in law. Just short stroke it.
If you have an inconsistent arc length, they get fugly quick.

[Arizona SA200]

I'm sorry for using vulgarity on this forum but i feel that 6011 needs to stay the F off the jobsite and maintain its F'n place in the farmers back pocket. I hate that rod and i will never use it.

[AKweldshop]

Your right on the Farmer rod point, that's what its designed to be.
And for welding steel angle/channel/plate/tubing,and flat bar, Use 7018!!!
6011 is ugly, chips bad and plain nasty on a t-joint.
I with you Arizona. 6010 runs a little nicer, and makes somewhat better welds.
7018 is the man!!!

~John
pulled these pics off the web.


Here's the welds your talking about.

[Tombstone]

70xx series and 6013 should be welded while half asleep.
Two problems with 6011.
1) Lincolns 6011 sucks.
2) People playing games drawing little circles,dancing about and super long "whipping". It doesn't mean whipping as in sack time with the sis-in law. Just short stroke it.
If you have an inconsistent arc length, they get fugly quick.

Oh man, I laughed so hard with your post! I spilled my Jack and diet coke!
-Agree that 6011 sucks
-Agree about the games, little circles, super long whipping etc...
-"Sack time with sis-in-law was hilarious!

Too funny!

[lazerbeam]

Do not chip a weld until the red disappears.

6011 is just a 6010 with arc stabilizers added for welding on AC current. If they are welding a lot different from 6010 then you are doing something wrong. Whips should be kept short (2 to 3 x rod diameter).

All electrodes have a place and will work if they are used correctly.

[mcoe]

At school we had to use 6011 and I hated them. I didn't mind them after a while. I still don't like them though. I just started playing around more with 7018 and love them. A lot of times when welding on around the farm I had to use 6013 and I feel like I'm riding a bike with training wheels. I hate them, they are a waste of time.

As far as the question I have wondered the same thing for years. I sat down and tried raking after it had cooled for a few minutes and raking right after I put the stinger down and I found that the slag came off easier when it cooled and as far as changing the weld, I never have noticed any changes to the appearance at least.

[Greg From K/W]

There may be some here that have no other choice than to use that rod. They may get whats thrown at them and thats it.

Chipping a weld when its hot is harder to do. So yes let it cool down first. Makes it a lot easier.

[AKweldshop]

I'm mainly talking about weld durability and strength.

I've seen guys(old farts) make a weld, go away(etc etc) come back when the weld is cool, chip it, and brag about their weld strength....

Is there any truth to this?

I'm referring to 7018 only.

~John

[Greg From K/W]

The OP was asking about chipping the flux off. Not about what rod. How it got side tracked is beyond me.

[AKweldshop]

The OP was asking about chipping the flux off. Not about what rod. How it got side tracked is beyond me.

My bad I guess.
Anyone been around this theory?

~John

[Arizona SA200]

I try to wait till it cools mainly because it sticks to skin easier when its hot. I figure that i burn myself enough in this trade and this is one of the things i can do to prevent it. In reality, once the weld puddle has achieved a solid state it is not susceptible to contamination internally. If it is chipped off hot you may see all the pretty colors and it happens with 7018 when the slag falls off. This is a minor surface contamination and comes of with a wire brush.

[Superiorwelding]

John,
I have been watching this thread to see what responses you would get. Here is as technical a answer as I can give you.
First there is a difference on what you are technically asking. Are you asking if you should chip slag off of a physically hot weld or should you chip slag off of a red hot weld?
Once your weld reaches its solid state, meaning the red has gone away, you will be fine to chip your slag. The Flux, while weld is red hot, prevents oxidation and reactions with nitrogen. Remember that one reason the flux is left over is to protect the weld.
As for leaving the flux on a weld thinking it will increase your Ksi, I don't think that is true. If there is not post heat treatment or more passes, when you are done with the weld and it cools it is what it is. If they were to alter the weld afterward than that is something else entirely.

For those who might not prefer one rod or another, my opinion is a professional welder needs to know how to run all rods available to him. Each rod has a specific purpose and application, but you need to know how to run them all.
-Jonathan

[AKweldshop]

Exactly what I was thinking....
I just get guys giving me bull every now and then....
I was talking about 7018, on steel, waiting till the weld is cool, before knocking the slag off... Supposedly increasing the mechanical properties leading to a more ductile weld.....
I was told that years ago, and since then have gottin good enough that sometimes the slag will start to peel up by itself....
I just thought it was a "decent" topic to discuss....

~John

[Arizona SA200]

I agree with you guys, once that molten puddle has cooled and become solid the slag will no longer affect it.

[Superiorwelding]

John,
This is a great topic to discuss. I asked a couple guys in the shop this question a few days ago and basically got some of the same answers as you got here. Mainly they said because it is the way its done. Yes, but I always want to know the why.
The flux is important to the weld quality while burning and cooling. It does contribute to the weld in different ways for different rods.

I guess I don't particularly care for comments about this rod or that rod being junk. I would not use a 6011 in a 7018 application and I agree with that, but I do know a guy that hates a particular rod and says its junk, turns out he hates it because he is not good at that rod. All rods have a purpose.
I say a professional welder needs to know at least the basics of all rods because I have ran into situations where I burned out all my rod and had to run whatever I had left .Think holiday weekend, nothing open and a lot more welding than originally thought.
-Jonathan

[hacadacalopolis]

For school purposes I like to hit it red hot, really hard- so that I can launch it in the booth next to whomever is shakin the DANG booth. Or let it land on a plastic chair! NAH JK