Mystery Rods

[maddog]

I have about 60# and 30# each of two kinds of unlabeled mystery rod.

One is grey 1/8" with a blue dot on the grip end of the rod. No other markings. It runs a lot like 7108, nice bead, heavy slag that comes off easy. It does vertical up with no problem. Dont really need to whip. my guess is 7018.

The other is orangey brown with a yellow dot at the end and again no other markings. This runs similar to the grey rod but more liquid. It can go uphill but its like herding cats and the result is ugly. I am guessing 7014 on this one.

Ive looked in the Lincoln book for the color codes but it seems I need at least one more color.

I would appreciate any tips on identifying these rods

Thanks

[HWooldridge]

The industry quit using colors sometime in the 1970's or so and went to the EXXXX nomenclature. There is an AWS publication that may list the old system - I think it is AWS 5.1-81 but an earlier edition may be more helpful. I have "Modern Welding" in the 1980 edition and it only has the EXXXX listings.

[evfreek]

Can you tell the difference from the flux? 7018 and 7014 have varying amounts of iron powder, and will be magnetic. They tend to be thicker. 6011 and 6010 have cellulose, and it has a very characteristic burning smell. The arc is more vigorous. The flux will also burn. 6013 has a titania flux, which is heavy and slaggy. They strike more easily than the '18's.

I once bought some mystery rod. It was marked 1109. Couldn't figure it out. It burned a lot like 6011. Then I looked at the numbers upside down, and it made more sense

[maddog]

magnetic slag!! excellent tip. Of course it would be magnetic from the iron in the coating. I will run a few beads and test for that.

I use mostly 6010 and 7018. I got over 100# of 7014 in various sizes for next to nothing and I have been running that too. The mystery rods came with the 7014. They definitely are not 6010. Soft arc, heavy slag and easy to get a pretty bead.

Thankyou

Follow up:

Well I tested it. The slag is magnetic. I am going to assume the one rod is 7018 and the other 7024. That will be good enough. I wont use the "7018" for HC steel just in case

Thanks for all the advice