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Carbon Arc Rods
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buzzy bee



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 3382
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:09 pm    Post subject: Carbon Arc Rods Reply with quote

Hi

I have recently got a little arc welder, to play with, and was told about carbon rods by rusty reks, that you can heat things with them, and also braze etc with them.

Anyone had any experience?

I have looked at them on the net, and seem a good idea, and cheap too, would be a saving over gas, for someone like me that at the moment, would hardly use gas.

Be interesting to hear some views?
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ukdave2002



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4100
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi

I bought some years ago, a simple affair you just have to strike the arc and keep the 2 rods close enough together so that the arc is maintained. Its not too difficult to master, but the arc is a bit on or off, so nothing like the fine control you have with gas welders.

dave
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magic9r



Joined: 13 Dec 2008
Posts: 33

PostPosted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 7:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Arc is bright so you need to use propper eye & skin protection, the carbon electrodes erode & the carbon ends up on the job, other than that they're quite handy when a gas torch isn't enough to provide the required temperature.
So far I've only used mine for melting a small amount of brass in a crucible to sand cast a badge, I'm sure I'll find another use for it some day,
Regards,
Nick
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HMK



Joined: 19 Aug 2009
Posts: 42

PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

An old post now, but worth mentioning how useful these are to the home mechanic Wink

Agree with all that's been said so far & yes, you can get BAD sun burn on hands & face unless you use gloves & a full mask.

I've had a carbon arc torch for many years & have used it for brazing metal expansion tanks etc.

The MOST useful thing though, is for freeing off such things as those totally seized track rod adjustments that tracking places either refuse to do or take the gas torch to & charge you double the price for the trouble Sad

You can pick them up for 50p (or less) at sales & jumbles & the old stick welders to run them for not a lot either, as no one wants them these days - or knows what these carbon arc attachments are for Laughing ........they'll all be going up in price now after folk have read this Wink
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Ghost



Joined: 20 Apr 2009
Posts: 75

PostPosted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This will sound like a chorus of doomsayers but -

“Arc is bright” - magic9r

and - “BAD sun burn on hands & face” - HMK

And now me!

Before the advent of the ubiquitous single phase Mig this way of working was popular with DIY's (early 1980's). The arc is very bright and you should consider a high value lens in the face mask. The skin burn can occur in less than an hour and you will suffer a lot of pain. 'Conventional' sunburn is not anything like it, you will go a deep maroon, neck burn is common. Also unlike arc welding with an earth clamp to the work the two cables from the terminals on the welder go to the torch, so if it goes live? I'd wear a rubber glove under a leather one. It's very hot too, if the arc welder does not have a low setting then it's so hot the additions in the brazing rod will be 'boiled off'. For example some rods have a small percentage of nickel added to the bronze for extra strength, this makes them very expensive and too sophisticated for this process.

But don't be put off! I modified a luggage rack for a motorcycle with this system, ugly it was but it got me to Finland and back.
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buzzy bee



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 3382
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi

Under the welding benches we have sand, this takes the heat away from the bench and also deadens the sound a little when chipping post arc welding.

Burnt eye lids is a favourite! hehe

Anyone gets arc eye, don't put water in them, put a splash of milk in them.

Cheers

Dave
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