Split 3/32" filler rod into two ~0.046" rods?

[Welderooni]

I have some excess 3/32 aluminum and steel filler rods and wanted to ask you gurus if any 'ol' shop trick exists that makes it easy to split a 3/32" thick filler rod in half so you get 2 ~0.046" thick rods? (Thereby, resulting in 2 thinner filler rods)?

The filler rods that are thinner than 1/16 make it much easier for me to weld on thin walled tube, so just trying to make use of what I have..

[DaveO]

The easiest way might be to find a guy with MIG filler wire and trade him your 3/32" for it, then chuck the .023 into a drill and combine two lengths into .046. But by the time you find that guy, or figure out a reliable way to cut 3/32, a roll of .023 from the Home Deep/Lowes/LWS/Harbor Freight might look pretty good.

[sportbike]

Yeah, I don't think you are going to find a reliable way to split 3/32 filler.

I'd keep the 3/32 on teh shelf for a larger project and go buy smaller rods or a roll of wire.

[DaveO]

2 pounds of .023 from Welding City is $10, free shipping. Considering the ROTEI (return on time and effort invested) that may be the smarter move.

http://www.weldingcity.com/filler-me...3-0.6mm-wires/

[Welderooni]

The situation is I have a lot of surplus 3/32 and the time, but not a lot of extra $ to spend. So, I don't mind building a rod splitter if it works well. How would you guys go about building a tool that perfectly splits a 3/32 rod in half?

[zoama]

The situation is I have a lot of surplus 3/32 and the time, but not a lot of extra $ to spend. So, I don't mind building a rod splitter if it works well. How would you guys go about building a tool that perfectly splits a 3/32 rod in half?

I just don't see it happening. Your best bet would be to purchase .040 or .045 mig wire in aluminum and steel.

[redbeard]

I wonder if rolling it would be easier than ripping it. Even so, it would still be less of a PITA to just sell your 3/32 and buy what you need. Or find somebody to trade with.

[DaveO]

OK, no cash but willingness to try, got it.

Step 1: At least try posting on CL or welding web or somewhere: have 3/32, want to swap for 1/16th TIG wire or .045 MIG. Welderooni, what's your location? It's not in your signature.

What about: pounding the 3/32 on a vise or anvil to flatten it out a bit, then get after it with a monster set of tin snips to cut it in half? My hands hurt enough as it is, can't imagine doing this myself. One concern to this idea if it's at all even possible would be inclusions or embedding extra junk in the process of hammering.

[Rambozo]

You would pull it through a drawing die to reduce the diameter and increase the length. That was how it was made in the first place. The aluminum won't be too hard, but the steel will take some serious force. Just not very practical to do, unless you already have, or have access to the setup for that.

[geezer]

There is a solution,,,it's called money,,,get some and buy the proper dia rod,,,splitting filler rod,,,thats the best laugh I have had in some time..
i,m not sure what an hour of your time is worth...but one hour of mine will buy a lot of proper dia rod.

[everlastsupport]

I sometimes split mine about 1.5'

[Rivets]

Maybe a long shot, but it's what I would try.

Hang one end of the filler rod from an appropriate support.
Attach weights onto the other end thereby stretching and slimming.

If it works, let us know.

rivets

[Mr120]

Maybe a long shot, but it's what I would try.

Hang one end of the filler rod from an appropriate support.
Attach weights onto the other end thereby stretching and slimming.

If it works, let us know.

rivets

That's an interesting idea. I suspect Murphy of law fame would step in, find a slight weak spot in the rod and stretch that point alone until that point broke ....

[Rivets]

That's an interesting idea. I suspect Murphy of law fame would step in, find a slight weak spot in the rod and stretch that point alone until that point broke ....

Could very well be.

But by then the filler rod might be slimmed down to acceptable dimensions.
Albeit with two pointy ends.

rivets

[youngnstudly]

I don't see this happening even with a lot of engineering, talent, luck, and a little magic. The only thing that even came to mind when I first read this (besides a chuckle) was slip rolls, a power bead roller, or a press brake (all would smash the rod really flat....but what do you do with it then?). If you could rig a stretching arrangement using a drill motor to twist the wire while you pulled it tight, that may decrease the diameter a little, but there's no way you're getting 2 smaller pieces of rod from one larger diameter rod. I'm not even sure how much you'd shrink the diameter regardless of how hard you try.

What about some sort of small tool that would allow you to pull and spin the rod through using a standard drill motor while a small tool bit shaved the diameter down? Sorry for encouraging this sort of thinking, but I have to admit that I have a few (stupid) crazy ideas myself....Like a completely wireless MIG welder that uses radio freq. for a signal? Not impressed? How about my weather machine that makes it rain ONLY at night time, say 3 or 4 nights a week so we'd never be short on water, but we'd never have to deal with rain ever again during the daytime! NO? The only other current project I'm working on is the goggles that allow you to see through (only attractive) women's clothing, regardless of how many layers they have on. Yeah, that last one's a dumb idea....I mean WHO would want goggles with that feature anyways?

[redbeard]

Like a completely wireless MIG welder that uses radio freq. for a signal?

Ala Tesla?

The only other current project I'm working on is the goggles that allow you to see through (only attractive) women's clothing, regardless of how many layers they have on. Yeah, that last one's a dumb idea....I mean WHO would want goggles with that feature anyways?

I think those have already been invented, don't you remember the ads in the back of comic books for the x-ray vision goggles?

[DaveO]

I don't see this happening even with a lot of engineering, talent, luck, and a little magic.

Agreed, we should stop talking about it. It's a government psychology test to see how far into the ground we'll drive it

[youngnstudly]

Ala Tesla?




I think those have already been invented, don't you remember the ads in the back of comic books for the x-ray vision goggles?

I think someone dropped the ball on actually bringing that idea to life! Either that or the irate mothers of the 1950's all wrote into the x-ray vision goggle factory and threatened a lawsuit if they didn't seize production! Times were simple then and ideas like this simply weren't excepted with wide open arms in those days. Plus my new updated version would allow you to only see through the attractive women's clothing. I call them the "No-Ugo Selective Vision Pretty Woman X-Ray Goggles"....SHHHHHH! Don't tell anyone!

This is what I was kinda picturing in my head when I typed my last post, except the part being bored here would have the cutting bit revolving around the welding rod and the cutting bit in the video would be the cut down rod. Seems perfectly logical to produce this type of machine to save $10 on welding rod, right? Plus it would be portable! Who doesn't like portable equipment that serves such an important purpose? Actually I'd take part in producing something like this just based on the fact I have no life and enjoy a challenge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHhVzJw920M

[Mr120]

I think someone dropped the ball on actually bringing that idea to life! Either that or the irate mothers of the 1950's all wrote into the x-ray vision goggle factory and threatened a lawsuit if they didn't seize production! Times were simple then and ideas like this simply weren't excepted with wide open arms in those days. Plus my new updated version would allow you to only see through the attractive women's clothing. I call them the "No-Ugo Selective Vision Pretty Woman X-Ray Goggles"....SHHHHHH! Don't tell anyone!

This is what I was kinda picturing in my head when I typed my last post, except the part being bored here would have the cutting bit revolving around the welding rod and the cutting bit in the video would be the cut down rod. Seems perfectly logical to produce this type of machine to save $10 on welding rod, right? Plus it would be portable! Who doesn't like portable equipment that serves such an important purpose? Actually I'd take part in producing something like this just based on the fact I have no life and enjoy a challenge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHhVzJw920M

Add a portable forge so that you can take the shavings, melt them down and create one or more rods from those. Waste not want not.

[sportbike]

Find someone that is an experienced sword swallower AND has a gap between their front teeth.
Have then swallow the rods, then hold their jaw shut, grab the end of the rod with vise grips and give it a pull.
If it doesn't give you the proper size, look around for a different front tooth gap width and try again.