Hi all,

I'm going to be welding up some cattle feeders this weekend. I'm using drill stem to make the frames and sucker rod for the slats. They will be approx 8' square and 5-6' high. (I haven't decided yet)

Wondering what the best rod to use is?

I have an old Miller Roughneck 1E engine drive welder welder, I think it's a 185 Amp machine.

I do have a quantity of 1/8" 8010 rod that the guy I bought the welder from gave me but I don't really love the stuff.

Wondering what your oppinions are.

Thanks.

 

I use 1/8th 6013 (farmers rod) for most general stuff.

 

I always have good luck using 6011 on rusty oil field pipe.

MikeyB

 

I use 6010+. Excellent fast freeze rod for rusty metals.

 

Good old standby do anything 6011 rod some times 7014 if its a clean area

 

6011 .......forgiving

 

in a 4 digit number the first two digits is the strength in 1,000 psi ie 80, 000, the next two gives characteristics of the rod so the 6010 7010 8010 rods will weld the same there is many types of steel used in drill steel if you were going to use it where the joints were critical i would recommend something like 11018 but for what you are doing you probably can get by with the 6011. the sucker rod does not have the same problems and the welds on it with any of the mentioned rods will work the 6011 will penetrate deep and the 7014 will give a pretty overlay

 

for what your using it for, 60xx will be fine.

the drill string is probably 4130 to 4345 or some similar high strength alloy. without proper heat treatment, the base metal will crack under a load.

 

Thanks guys.

I've got some 6013, I'll give that a try.

 

So I hauled home 1,000' or so of steel....

Guess what I'm doing for the rest of the long weekend?

Give up?

Cutting and welding!

The guy I got the steel from said the best stuff to use is 7018 so we'll see. I'll try some out tommorow and report back.

I've got about 25# to start with.

He says the worst part about drill stem is the magnetism in it from spinning in the hole make it tricky to weld.


The next thing I'm wondering is if I can crimp the pipe with a 12 ton pressto make 90 degree butt joints.

Also to be determined tommorow.

 

Hey Tool,

Try wrapping the stinger lead around the pipe 3-4 wraps next to the weld area..it is supposed to De-Magnetize the pipe..

As for bending the stuff good luck

 

It will brake befor it bends.
I like 7010.
Good luck with the demagnetism, I have seen people fight that for hours.
Some will try to wrap the pos clock wise on one pice and the neg couterclock on the other. Some times it works, most the time not. You will know as soon as you start welding if the weld jumps to one side or the other.
I would preheat, weld, postheat. It will crack.

 

Thanks for the tips fellas....... Much appreciated.

I'll know tommorow!

I wanted to crimp it because I DON't want to saddle all the joints, but whatever I guess.

I imagine heat and press or heat and BFH will do the trick.

 

run the sucker rod through the uprights.

 

Sorry?

I don't follow Cruizer?