Abstract: In a stick electrode for electric arc welding having a center alloy wire and an outer cellulose coating which coating includes powdered fluxing agents, alloy powder, cellulose powder and a binder. The improvement involves forming the binder as a solution of sodium silicate and 61-78 percent by weight of the binder. The binder comprises 25-35% of the coating to produce at least about 4% by weight of water in the electrode. Furthermore, the fluxing agent is titanium dioxide with a percentage greater than 12 percent of the coating.

Abstract: A stick electrode for depositing an high strength weld metal bead on a workpiece where the yield strength of the weld metal is between 85 ksi and 125 ksi irrespective of the cooling rate. The electrode deposits weld metal having 0.80-1.85% by weight manganese, 0.25-0.50% by weight molybdenum, 1.25-2.50% by weight nickel, and less than 0.07% by weight carbon, wherein the ratios of the carbon, manganese and molybdenum are adjusted to provide a carbon equivalent in deposited weld metal in the range of 0.17 to 0.30 and preferably less than 0.22.

Abstract: A system and method of rating the arc maintainability of an electric arc welding stick electrode by creating an arc between the electrode and a workpiece; moving the electrode along the workpiece while maintaining the arc; decreasing either the current or the voltage until a point is reached where the arc is extinguished; determining the open circuit voltage at the point; and, rating the electrode based upon at least the open circuit voltage point.

Abstract: A system and method of rating the arc maintainability of an electric arc welding stick electrode by creating an arc between the electrode and a workpiece; moving the electrode along the workpiece while maintaining the arc; decreasing either the current or the voltage until a point is reached where the arc is extinguished; determining the open circuit voltage at the point; and, rating the electrode based upon at least the open circuit voltage point.

Abstract: A system and method of rating the arc maintainability of an electric arc welding stick electrode by creating an arc between the electrode and a workpiece; moving the electrode along the workpiece while maintaining the arc; decreasing either the current or the voltage until a point is reached where the arc is extinguished; determining the open circuit voltage at the point; and, rating the electrode based upon at least the open circuit voltage point.

Abstract: A system and method of rating the arc maintainability of an electric arc welding stick electrode by creating an arc between the electrode and a workpiece; moving the electrode along the workpiece while maintaining the arc; decreasing either the current or the voltage until a point is reached where the arc is extinguished; determining the open circuit voltage at the point; and, rating the electrode based upon at least the open circuit voltage point.

Abstract: A method of rating the arc maintainability of an electric arc welding stick electrode by creating an arc between the electrode and a workpiece; moving the electrode along the workpiece while maintaining the arc; decreasing either the current or the voltage until a point is reached where the arc is extinguished; determining the open circuit voltage at the point; and, rating the electrode based upon the open circuit voltage point.

Abstract: A method of rating the arc maintainability of an electric arc welding stick electrode by creating an arc between the electrode and a workpiece; moving the electrode along the workpiece while maintaining the arc; decreasing either the current or the voltage until a point is reached where the arc is extinguished; determining the open circuit voltage at the point; and, rating the electrode based upon the open circuit voltage point.

Abstract: A method of measuring the quality of a stick electrode used in forming the root bead of a pipe joint, which electrode has a wire diameter, a length substantially greater than 12 inches and an upper exposed rod head. The method comprises: preparing a standardized workpiece including two spaced plates with a groove between the plates having a set profile including a lower gap duplicating the root gap of the pipe joint and mounting the standardized workpiece on an incline with the groove facing upwardly where the incline is at a fixed known angle. Then a stick electrode of the type to be measured is selected and the rod head of the selected electrode is connected to the power lead of a DC power source set to a given output current correlated with the type of electrode.

Abstract: Stick welding electrode rating and ranking procedures are provided for determining stackability performance of stick electrodes for pipe welding operations. The rating technique involves performance of a standardized vertical down weld procedure using a stick electrode to form a weld bead in a test workpiece groove, in which the electrode is maintained during welding at a substantially constant angle relative to the workpiece groove. The electrode is advanced toward the groove at a slow speed to deposit molten metal in the groove while keeping the molten metal above the stick electrode end or the arc thereof without dripping. The resulting bead distance is measured along with the welding time and the stick electrode is rated according to a ratio of the weld time and the bead distance.

Abstract: A welding flux that includes a flux agent, water glass and colloidal compound formed from small particles of silicon dioxide. The welding flux has a very low hygroscopicity, thus is well suited from low hydrogen electrodes.