Welder for 1/4" metal ?

[Nate08chevy]

There are 7018AC rods but I couldn’t get them to light up or run reliably. They run but are meh. 7014 is comparable to 7018 and run on AC.

Glad the Tooliom worked good for you too. Great little machine for the price

 

[Hooper]

Good grounding and ground surface, Fresh Dry rod or well stored dry rod, clean welding surface with wire wheel brush are key with rod welding. The more you weld, you can learn to get by cutting some corners on dirty metal etc.
But if you ever try and use a rod that has absorbed moisture it will sputter and stick, the one key that you can't short cut in my experience. For a decent weld dry rod is the main ingredient.
There is a Youtuber from Oklahoma, a red headed pipe welder, has a lot of welding tips, even a rookie can pick up tips from him. Can't remember his title. I think he is from Kingfisher if I remember correctly.
Of course he has fancy tools the weekend welder won't have, but the tips are still helpful

Dry rod key.

Atwood's has a chart that tells general uses for different type rod they sell, like 6011,7018, ect.

Counter sales person's at Airgas, where they sell welding supplies, can be helpful at times also.

 

[kwaynem]

The AC version of 7018 is definitely meh lol when I was doing a it of welding at home I kept rods in a old icebox with a droplight on all the time in it to keep moisture out

 

[Ryan500L]

Good grounding and ground surface, Fresh Dry rod or well stored dry rod, clean welding surface with wire wheel brush are key with rod welding. The more you weld, you can learn to get by cutting some corners on dirty metal etc.
But if you ever try and use a rod that has absorbed moisture it will sputter and stick, the one key that you can't short cut in my experience. For a decent weld dry rod is the main ingredient.
There is a Youtuber from Oklahoma, a red headed pipe welder, has a lot of welding tips, even a rookie can pick up tips from him. Can't remember his title. I think he is from Kingfisher if I remember correctly.
Of course he has fancy tools the weekend welder won't have, but the tips are still helpful

Dry rod key.

Atwood's has a chart that tells general uses for different type rod they sell, like 6011,7018, ect.

Counter sales person's at Airgas, where they sell welding supplies, can be helpful at times also.

Austin Ross is the guy's name

 

[Nate08chevy]

Bunch of them on youtube. Taught myself from watching them and then emulating what they were doing.

Timwelds, welding tips and tricks(jodi), Austin Ross, weld.com, making mistakes with Greg…couple others I can’t think of at the moment. Hours of info

 

[Two Gun Warrior]

The 6018 and 7018 are both low hydrogen rods, and weld different and in different positions. They are great for hard surfacing and usually thicker metals. The size of the rod will make a difference on what you are welding and how big of gap you have to fill, I prefer the 7014 rod for most things.

 

[swampratt]

I wondered why I hated 7018 and now I know. It's my AC welder. Or maybe me.
I will snag some 7014 next time I am at IWTS.
I usually use 6011 or 6013.

 

[kwaynem]

For filling gaps P5 or 6011 is your friend