Saw a huge difference after switching to a smaller electrode on carbon steel

I've been running 1/8 inch 7018 rods on 3/8 plate for years but last month a foreman told me to try 3/32 instead. The arc control was way tighter and my undercut dropped almost to zero after two days of getting used to it. Has anyone else seen that big of a change just from dropping down a size?

2 comments

2 Comments

patp7925d ago

Wait, did you notice any change in your travel speed after making that switch? I had a similar experience on 1/4 inch plate where going down to 3/32 let me slow way down and actually see the puddle better. That smaller rod really lets you focus on technique instead of just fighting the arc... I found my stringer beads came out flatter too, with less need to weave or manipulate the rod to fill in corners. It's like the smaller diameter gives you more room to adjust your angle without overheating the metal.

the_robin25d agoMost Upvoted

patp79, I get what you're saying about the puddle visibility and slower travel speed, but honestly I wonder if we're overthinking this a little. I tried swapping to 3/32 on some 1/4 inch plate last month and honestly I didn't see this massive night and day difference everyone talks about. My beads still looked like nervous earthworms until I sorted out my arc length and heat settings (which, let's be real, matter way more than rod size in my experience). Maybe I'm just not as picky about my stringers, but I found the 1/8 rod worked just fine if I kept my angle steady and didn't try to rush.