DIY stick rods?

[Joel OF]

Is it possible to glue a flux to mild steel to make your own stick welding rods? I've got some pentahydrate borax, would that be a suitable flux? This is just a theoretical idea.

[jmccustomknives]

The flux on a smaw electrode doesn't work like flux for forge welding.  There are two basic types.  The oldest (6010 & 6011) were based on the early method of wrapping newspaper around a steel rod and welding with it.  The burning organic matter gave off carbon dioxide that sheilded the weld.  The other has lime as well as other materials.

[Glenn]

I have seen my uncle dip a hot gas welding rod into flux as he welded certain metals. He would then weld a bit and dip the rod again. The lid on the flux can had a hole in it about the size of a nickel or a bit larger for that purpose.

 

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[Hillbillysmith]

What method of welding are you suggesting?? The method of using flux in the manner Glenn has mentioned can be used in gas welding (oxy-acetylene) but not with SMAW (stick, arc, MMA, etc). used in the past was dampening newspaper and wrapping a bare, clean wire with it and letting dry before lighting it up...

 

Today, commercial electrodes for various alloys have cleaners, scavenger, and other alloying elements within the flux as well as particles that break down under the heat of the arc to create a plume of shielding gas to protect the molten weld pool from elements in the atmospheric air; hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen.

 

In theory, yes, it can be done. In practice, I think you would be surprised at how well it will work.

 

The flux on E-6010 and E-6011 is classified as a "cellulose-based" flux such as newspaper (as stated in the example). E-7018, 7014, 7024, etc are classified as rutile-based, lime-based, iron powder-based fluxes and so on.

 

No harm in trying this as a home experiment. See for yourself what it's like. Report back your findings.

 

-Hillbilly