issues with arc (PA160)

[yotarover]

deleted by user

[performance]

Yota, read the post last night...Had to think about that one. All good?

[yotarover]

not sure yet as i dont have any electrodes left. im hoping it's nothing more then the fact that the ones i had were getting old or maybe had gotten damp. btw what electrodes would you recomend for 1/8" sheet metal my buddies trailer has some small places that need to be zipped back up.

[performance]

Wet electrodes will stick. No doubt and when they do the rod will get red hot instantly. Straight polarity (electode negative) can do this too.

But, the basic rod for sheet metal is a 6013. Probably the best is a 3/32 for lighter gauge. 1/8 sized rod is best used for the thicker metals, over 1/8, though it should work. You can use the regular port setting for this rod. It'll run smooth as silk.

[yotarover]

Wet electrodes will stick. No doubt and when they do the rod will get red hot instantly. Straight polarity (electode negative) can do this too.

But, the basic rod for sheet metal is a 6013. Probably the best is a 3/32 for lighter gauge. 1/8 sized rod is best used for the thicker metals, over 1/8, though it should work. You can use the regular port setting for this rod. It'll run smooth as silk.

i'll give it a go when i get a chance to get some more. i normally use E+ every now and then i've used the 6010 port, worked great even with 6011 my guess is that they were exposed to moisture because after they would start they'd stick and then some times they would just spit and the flux coat would fall off in chunks into the weld.

[performance]

Yep, That's wet.
Port is for 6010/6011.

[yotarover]

it's good to see no body else has had problems since the last post i made here

[geezer]

Soaking your rods in water for a few minutes is used when you want to punch a hole in metal, crank up the heat and tap tap until you have a hole. Some people have used the technique to cut plate, me,, I use a plasma. The old ways and the old days are over.

[everlastsupport]

Yotarover,

Did you have the rods in air tight containers? You can pick them up cheap on the internet. $2-$5. I bought a bunch at, I think it was, atlweldingsupplies.com. They sit for years, still work when I do pull some out. I used a sharpie and write the type (6011, 6013, 7018, etc) on the lids.

If they were in a box, you can probably bake them at 225-250 in an oven (I have my own oven, so no wife issues there) and see if you can save them. But rods are only a couple bucks a pound.

Geezer, I punch over 1/4 dia holes and larger with the plasma all the time. Big time/bit saver. Does the wet stick work well, or this just for thinner metals?

[geezer]

Works best if you can start the hole from underneath on thicker metals, once you have a small hole you can work from on top by using a quick saw motion, the water soak helps keep the rod cooler, it's old technology, but it does work

[everlastsupport]

Works best if you can start the hole from underneath on thicker metals, once you have a small hole you can work from on top by using a quick saw motion, the water soak helps keep the rod cooler, it's old technology, but it does work

I hate drilling holes (unless on the press) and the plasma does me good. But I like to try new and old tricks. Next time I use the TIG I give it a shot with the stinger.