EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

Now that the temps are getting cool enough to do some of the work I put off all summer, I need to get around to repairing some of the stalls in my father in laws horse barn.  The fronts to the stalls have pipes across them horizontally, with sucker rod welded in vertically. What is the best welding rod to use for welding sucker? I have tried two different ones that he had laying around, 6010, and I cant remember the other, but neither one penetrated worth a darn.  Now let me say while I use a MIG welder everyday at work, and think I can do that  with the best of them, I have almost no experience when it comes to stick welding. The welder I am trying to use is one of those big Hobart generator/welder setups, so I would think it would have the power to do what I need. And I have played all around with the amp settings trying to get a good weld, but havent made a tack yet that I am happy with.

I have searched on the internet about welding sucker rod, and found a lot of different opinions, but I am looking for some opinioins from people who have actually done it. My research seems to show that sucker rod is tricky to weld, seems like a high amount of Chromium in it or something. I am not looking for welds that will pass any kind of certification, but I am looking for a weld that wont break loose with a whack of a hammer.  I am also pretty good at TIG, and have access to one, but really dont wanna go that route if I can avoid it. So if anyone here has welded sucker rod to sucker rod, or sucker rod to pipe post and has any tips please let me know. Thanks.

Here is pic of my horse in front of the stalls so you can kind of get an idea of what I am working with. I am needing to replace many of the vertical bars that are missing on the stall fronts.
(http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j64/mod93dirt/magic.jpg)

are the rods the high carbon steel rods? got a pic of what your workin with, im no professional welder but ive done my share on the farm

SCh...thank you for introducing another variable that I forgot to mention. Kind of a neat back story, but my FIL, now 68,  worked on this same ranch that he now owns when he was a teen. The barn was just as he remembers. So there is no telling how old the materials in the barn are, and the sucker rods we are trying to use are coming from a big pile of them that was out behind the barn. So no telling what they are either. And I will say that I thoroughly ground both metals to remove any contamination before trying to weld. But like I said, you bring a good point, I have no idea what the material I am working with is actually made of.

Got to the hardware store and get you a box of fresh 7011 or 6013 rods so you know they have not been exposed to moisture and crank it up kinda hot and practice on a scrap piece and turn it down till you find that sweet spot.

beat me to it but try 7018 if that dont work and heat the hell out of it, i havnt messed with sometin like that but you need somethin high grade

and mod93dirt ive been on the farm since i was 6, got paid hourly and worked there till i was 18, learned to drive a 6 speed hi/lo tractor when i was 10

 Mod93dirt,  Got a question for you. When the tack or weld brakes loose, is the weld or tack you made stucking to the pipe or sucker rod?

Is it magnetized? I know drill stem that is magnetized can be a pain to weld.

 Thats what I'm thinking also.

Cat cur, the little bit I have done so far has been mostly sucker rod to sucker rod, and does not seem to be making penetration on either.  The little bit that I have done on pipe to sucker, It seems to be sticking to the pipe pretty good, but pretty much just blowing off of the sucker. Like said, I use a mig everyday on HSS in a body shop, and not to brag but I feel I am the best welder in the shop. I have also built several race car chassis MIG welding mild steel tubing, or TIG'gin chrome moly tubing. Thats kind of why this project is frustrating me so much. I know I have limited experience in stick welding, but I know I understand the basics of welding. I feel its just a matter of matching my material with the proper welding rod and I would be good.

if it is magnetized , try wrapping you ground lead off the machine aleast 5 wraps  then connect it to the work ... you can tell if one of the materials is magetized, your arc will look like it is jumping from one to the other  6010 / p5 1/8  root   then cap with 7018 3/32 depends on the machine some where 85 to 93 amps  jmo maybe will help

Okay, I'll be the dummy. When you ask if it is magnetized how do you tell? Stick another piece of metal to it and see if it sticks?? And if so, then what? Seems like I came across the subject if magnetized metal when I was trying some internet research. As I have said before, the stock of sucker rod is coming from a big pile that was laying behind the barn. No clue how long it has been there or what it is made of.

  I agree with DubbleRDawgs. Its your weld is blowing out and not sticking then the sucker rod is magnetized. Do just what DubbleRDawgs said by wrapping the lead around the sucker rod. This will revese the polarty of the sucker rod and you should be able to weld it with no problems. Thats what we do on the pipelines.
 

either that or put a 6010 bead to it and then 7018 weld to the bead

A 6010 or 6011 will work if your welder will get it hot enough.

i dont think it will hold though on a high carbon steel rod

Used Sucker rods are highly magnetized. You can get a de-magnetizer if you know someone that will let you use one. Also use an A/C machine.
 Use 6011 rods. Wrap the ground lead 5 or 6 times around the sucker rod. If it's still magnetized , wrap it in the opposite direction.  It is a pain in the butt to build something with magnetized pipe or rod. Even if you get it to weld it is a very weak weld and prone to break easy.  But like I said, if you know someone in the oilfield tool servicing field, they can de-magnetize the whole pile of rod with a de -magnetizer.        

Well of course you will need to cap it but, i was just saying that a 6010 or 6011 will burn into it

preheat your material with a torch and use 8018 or 11018 rods.two pass's top and bottom.
                                                      good luck
                                                                   kevin burks

x2
I built a cattle gaurd out of stem a while back and had to wrap the ground lead around the stem 4-5 times like said above and found putting a little heat in it first worked really good to keep the stem from getting brittle. that stuff is a pain in the rear. after I got the cattle gaurd finished I gave the rest of the stem away so i would never try to build anything with it again. good luck

Are you running your welder in DCEP (electrode positive) or DCEN (electrode negative)?  DCEP is more effiecent for penetration, where DCEN is better for disposition.
I personally would use a 6011 rod for the root weld, then finish with a  7018 rod.

7018 low hydro rods is what you want to use to get the penetration you want.  I use to weld and  built several feed lots and working pens and thats all we used.   I remeber 1  cold day we tacked up about 300ft of rods using 6011s (2 7/8 post and top rail, 4 rods across) to weld the next morning, when we got there in the morning all the rods were on the ground >:( had to start all over

  Like the last few stated. Preheat with torch and use a 1/8 7018 on a little hotter setting than you would normally run that size rod.

try a 8010 g rod and if that dont work try 7018 ac rod and reverse the polarity of your welder

I have made miles of fence with succor rods. If you want to eliminate all problems just go buy some mild steel rod the same diameter as the succor. If you do weld it, the best rod I have found for it is an 8018 C3. You're penetration is not going to be the problem. Actually more penetration and more weld will cause them to break. Look at some of the welds on the rods that have already broke off and compare them to ones that haven't. Welding down the length of the rods will make them crack and welding all the way around a succor rod will make it crack. Put two little short welds with good heat and normal penetration on both sides of it. Don't let it cool off fast.

this is what i was gonna say!!!