Thread: old weld rods

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I recently inherited a BUNCH of old weld rods. Some are obviously no good, with the insulator ( flux? ) cracked and broken off.

Question is, are the rest any good? If there is only a small piece of the flux gone, can you just weld 'thru' it?

If the flux is gone it could give you some contamination in that area. If they look pretty good i would say they are ok, but if they have been wet, or are kinda powdery i would not trust them.

Sort through them and put the best-looking ones in a 250 degree oven for half an hour or so, drive out any moisture, and try them on a scrap piece of iron, they might be OK. The others, well, you got yourself a lifetime supply of virtually indestructible garden row markers!

If they have been in a hi humidity for a time they will rust under the flux then they will sputter and skip the only way to tell is try them if they weld smooth you are in luck.If not Good luck