Thread: Heads Up! 1.6mm Welding-Rods at "Trade Tools"...

What are they like? Sounds perfect for welding pipe and sheet

Dear Delta,

I can't say because I've haven't actually opened them yet. And to think, just on Saturday, I went through all the dramas involved with welding a washer that was less than 1mm thick onto the end of an M10 Nut, with a 3.2mm Rod, because I didn't have anything smaller... (Thank Heavens for Bench-Grinders!)

Best Wishes,
Batpig.

Hi BP
I have had them and used same for a couple of years now.

What I found different about them will probably apply to all 1.6mm diam rods.

That is because the deposited width is narrower than what you have been used to the are difficult to run up a straight seam and NOT miss the edge once or twice.
Other than that they are just as good as the thicker diameter brethen.

Mind you they cost more than the other electrodes.
Think about it. same weight ,more electrodes, more units to make up the weight ,higher manufacture cost.

Being expensive ,the message is to preserve them after opening ,shoehorn them into a piece of PVC pipe with glued cap one end and friction fit cap the other and chuck in some desiccant.

Grahame

Bummer ,

I just clicked on Batpigs picture of the 1.6mm Geminis .I paid $23.00 a couple of years back now.
That was here in Mackay at the local rip of merchant of weld products.

I too have paid a visit to the Geebung store,(well a couple of visits actually) and SWMBO won't let me go there unescorted any more cos I never spend less than $50 or $60 on a few little things.

Its a pity i would love to see them open a branch here.
Grahame

Dear Grahame,

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

.I paid $23.00 a couple of years back now.

Yes, the $17.90 Trade Tools price does seem to be a good one. If I'm remembering correctly back to four or five months ago when I was sniffing around to see if anyone had them on the shelf down here (I don't have a Credit Card you see...), I'm fairly certain that the couple of guys that I spoke to that expressed mild interest in getting some in for me, were both talking well into the 30's (as in dollars...).

Best Wishes,
Batpig.

I have been trying to hunt down 1.6mm rods in my area and non are to be found. Think the boys at TT would post me some down ??

Matt.

Matty
Your answer will be in here

http://www.tradetoolsdirect.com/Cust...?Page=HowToBuy

Grahame

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

Matty
Your answer will be in here

http://www.tradetoolsdirect.com/Cust...?Page=HowToBuy

Grahame

Nice one Grahame, I didnt realise they had a website, I thought they were just a small local toolshop. Hence I didnt think to look for a big website !!

Thanks,

Matt.

Dear Delta,

If you're still tuned in, I actually ended up giving the 1.6's a go this afternoon.

I wanted to extend the "collar" upwards on a 5" Angle Grinder's Spark-Guard, and needed to do it in sheet-metal, since the existing collar was probably about only 1.2mm or so thick. So, out came the 1.6's, and down went the Amps on the little GMC...

The things are quite flimsy to handle, and actually flex around a bit when you're trying to strike an arc. Someone with more experience might be able to comment on the relative "smoothness" of CIG Satincraft 13's (which are the only other rods I have used thus far, but unavailable in 1.6mm) versus these Gemini 12's, but in spite of (or perhaps because of) my limited experience, I certainly noticed the following issue:

Striking an arc on the cold metal was much trickier than with larger diameter rods. This was because when the buggers stick to the cold workpiece, they quite often bend when you're trying to unstick them. Also - as they bend when you're trying to unstick them - the flux coating can crack and pop off, which somehow leads to the rods overheating and glowing at those exposed points when you start welding again. Trouble is - if you turn the Amps up a bit to stop them from sticking, you can quite easily "blow" a hole clean through the thin metal that you are obviously using the small rods to weld. So until the metal heats up a bit, you're kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place . Due to the small size, curved shape, and recessed location of the seam that needed to be welded, I had to hold the workpiece in one gauntlet, with the electrode-holder in the other. Since the welder had to be turned off quite frequently when the piece was still cold (in order to unstick the electrode), I ended up arranging everything so that I could turn the unit on and off with my foot...

The short of it is, they are tricky to use. Although I didn't "Spark Test" it, I've got a sneakin' suspicion nonetheless that one of the two pieces I was trying to weld together might have had a little bit of alloy in it - which might have amplified my difficulties somewhat. All the same, I think it's safe to say that with the thin rods, it is appears to be very important to make sure the workpieces are well prepared, and even preheated if possible...

Best Wishes,
Batpig.

Batpig,

Haven't got much time as I mm getting ready to go to work, but quickly the problems you are having might be cured by.

• A Clean earth- shiny clean.
  
• Strike the rod by starting it as scracth start -like striking a match
• on a separate piece of plate and jump across while still hot

If you bending the rod,it sounds as it is being struck end on to start.

Hope these things help

Grahame

Dear Grahame,

Thank-you for the advice. I will most certainly try to remember the "jumping across" tip in the event of future difficulties with the thin gauge stuff (especially if I can't fit it into the oven beforehand...)

Best Wishes,
Batpig.

BP ,
Another thought I have just had, is that the flux on the skinny rod may just be hanging over the end of the wire.
It is a natural reaction to bang the rod end on to start them.

Check them out and look that the rod end is bare and not covered by flux.When the flux covers the rod that makes the little sods hard to start.

To fix the crook ones , give the end a rub with some rough sand paper till you can see the shiny wire end to initiate the arc.

Easy!

Grahame

Dear Grahame,

I just had a look into the "business" end of their little box, and all of the electrode ends are nicely bare. I think we can safely put this one down to general (lack of...) "user technique"... (Mind you, thing's done now and it's doing the job. I put it on the Angle Grinder and put the whole shebang through its paces on the concrete floor that needed grinding yesterday morning, and it worked just like a "bought one". Having said that, Dust Shrouds for Angle Grinders are not very easy to buy! But when hooked up to a Vacuum Cleaner, the difference they make to the amount of airborne dust when grinding concrete is quite simply amazing. It was worth the frustration in the end...)

Many Thanks,
Batpig.

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

[*]on a separate piece of plate and jump across while still hot

mean by this, strike on a separate plate and jump across while the electrode is still hot
Don't put anything in the oven, crikey .I am not that game.

Grahame