ditchman Posted December 28, 2018 Report Share Posted December 28, 2018 14 minutes ago, bornfree said: I haven't done any cast iron welding for years but when I did it was with nickel rods on an AC welder with an 80v ocv setting. when i did cast iron welding....we used nickle rods for what was called "buttering"...then filled the gap with mild steel...the buttered layer would prevent carbon pick up...and the mild steel could then be machined...........love using the pure nickle rods ...but by christ they are expensive... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Galore! Posted December 28, 2018 Report Share Posted December 28, 2018 for the benefits of us eejits, what's the difference between a bog standard mma arc welder, an inverter welder, and a DC welder? ta, gram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted December 28, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2018 13 minutes ago, Paddy Galore! said: for the benefits of us eejits, what's the difference between a bog standard mma arc welder, an inverter welder, and a DC welder? ta, gram Almost all cheap transformer welders are AC. Most inverters are DC. But you can get transformer DC welders and inverter DC and AC welders. I've just bought a suretig 180 AC and DC tig welder. It's a transformer AC and DC tig and MMA unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted December 28, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2018 For mild steel using 6013 rods there's not much difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneshot1979 Posted December 28, 2018 Report Share Posted December 28, 2018 Cast items can be a real case of Russian roulette, composition of the material will vary widely especially on stuff like garden furniture which will make appropriate rod selection difficult. You could opt for a dissimilar rod which will give you the best chance of a sound well fused weld, in order to avoid preheating use short 3/4 -1inch welds well peened in between and allow time to cool to the touch between runs, this will give you your best chance against cracking, but this will leave you with a bright silvery bead that will stick out like a sore thumb even if ground flush. For me, my go to rod for cast repairs is ESAB OK92.18 in 2.5mm. This is a true cast rod, and blends with the parent metal almost seamlessly. I have had great success with it on cylinder heads, engine blocks, hydraulic pump casings and many other things. It's big issue is the weld pool, I can only describe it as "fluffy", you will struggle to see the weld metal through the slag and you just have to be confident, A big tip to make the job easier and neater is the use sacrificial plates at both ends of the weld so the weld pool is well established as you reach the repair area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted December 28, 2018 Report Share Posted December 28, 2018 2 hours ago, ditchman said: when i did cast iron welding....we used nickle rods for what was called "buttering"...then filled the gap with mild steel...the buttered layer would prevent carbon pick up...and the mild steel could then be machined...........love using the pure nickle rods ...but by christ they are expensive... Were Stubbs 65 nickel ditchman, its many moons ago when i last came across them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted August 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 Well the Chinese inverter finally died. It got pulled of a roof by someone driving over the extension lead fell about 15ft smashing it to bits. But it worked well and I never had it cut out on overheat. I've replaced it with a 250amp SIP model about 8x the price of the Chinese one but I wasn't paying. What a machine it will run 5mm 7018 rods with ease on a 240v supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manton Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 I have a 180 amp oil cooled welder but recently bought a LIDL inverter, 90 amp I think, which appears to be well built but I find it hard to strike an arc with it . Do these machines have a low open circuit voltage ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted August 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 14 minutes ago, manton said: I have a 180 amp oil cooled welder but recently bought a LIDL inverter, 90 amp I think, which appears to be well built but I find it hard to strike an arc with it . Do these machines have a low open circuit voltage ? Yes my cheap one wouldn't run 7018 rods which need a high ocv but it was fine with 6013s. The new one has an 82v ocv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted August 30, 2020 Report Share Posted August 30, 2020 Hello, I have a 120 amp inverta welder and have no problem with mild steel rods from 16/14/12/10 imperial size, I have to admit I am not clued up on types of rods and numbers like 7018s as I just ask farm to buy mild steel rods, I do tend to start the arc with slightly higher amps with 12/10s, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow white Posted August 30, 2020 Report Share Posted August 30, 2020 I have a oxford 110 I tried to sell on here for 50 quid couple years ago so it still in same place where I left it bet if I go to it it will weld anything I want to do with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted August 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2020 11 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said: Hello, I have a 120 amp inverta welder and have no problem with mild steel rods from 16/14/12/10 imperial size, I have to admit I am not clued up on types of rods and numbers like 7018s as I just ask farm to buy mild steel rods, I do tend to start the arc with slightly higher amps with 12/10s, Your probably using 6013s they are the standard. 7018s are low hydrogen and need storing dry and warm. Or baking at 300° if they have got damp. But they produce a strong crack free weld and work well in overhead and vertical up welding. I use them for trailer drawbar eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalkedUp Posted August 30, 2020 Report Share Posted August 30, 2020 Good to hear it was still going strong. If that had been an expensive one that was pulled off the roof you would be crying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted August 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2020 47 minutes ago, WalkedUp said: Good to hear it was still going strong. If that had been an expensive one that was pulled off the roof you would be crying. You are correct. I've now got a £369 + vat welder in place of a £45 one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalkedUp Posted August 30, 2020 Report Share Posted August 30, 2020 😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted August 30, 2020 Report Share Posted August 30, 2020 2 hours ago, bornfree said: Your probably using 6013s they are the standard. 7018s are low hydrogen and need storing dry and warm. Or baking at 300° if they have got damp. But they produce a strong crack free weld and work well in overhead and vertical up welding. I use them for trailer drawbar eyes. Hello, I am sure your right seem to remember 6013 on box, cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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