Drying Rods

[Rufus]

Hi all:
Some people use an oven or a toaster oven to dry rods and some people use a hot water heater to keep them warm. Has anyone ever tried a campstove to dry rods, such as a coleman?
Thanks
Rufus

[tnmike]

Rods need to be kept in a dry environment all the time. You can buy a rod oven or you can make a wooden box, line it with tin foil and put a light bulb in it.

This is especially true of a hydroscopic rod like a 7018. A coleman oven would work but you would be back to sqaure one after they sat in a wet atmospheric environment for any length of time.

[Rufus]

TnMike:
You gave me an idea. I was just thinking about building a box within a box and putting insulation between the two boxes and lining the inner box with foil and lining a wooden lid with foil as well and installing a lightbulb
Thanks for the idea partner
Rufus

[USMCPOP]

Some rods need a little moisture to work well, some don't.

http://www.rodovens.com/welding_arti...lding_rods.htm

Here's a temp chart:

http://www.rodovens.com/welding_arti...rage_chart.htm

[tnmike]

And also made using just a box with the foil backed insulation board taped to the outside. I guess it depends on how fancy and presentable you want it to be. I would say a 100 watt light bulb would keep a box easily up to temperature. You may find a simple thermostat to keep it where you want it.

[CEC]

find a discarded Hotel fridge. Already insulated just need the heater (lightbulb)

CEC

[Blackdog]

I have a steel bucket that sits permanetly on the wood stove in the shop that I toss all the wet rods in. Only works in the winter though.

I have always wondered if an airtight container with dessicant would be enough to keep welding rods dry. I just stash my rods above the furnace in plastic bags.

It seems wasteful, at our 0.075 cents per Kilowatt/hour rate, it is 18 cents a day = ~$66 a year, to keep a 100 watt heater going 24/7 for ocassional hobby use.

What about some dessicant and vacum sealing with a foodsaver?

If I was to build a "home-shop" rod oven; I would use a screw-in heater element "bulb" (pet store, used for lizards) as they have a very long life. I would also use a cheap bi-metal thermostat (grainger) and super insulate the box. mark

Originally Posted by USMCPOP

Some rods need a little moisture to work well, some don't.

http://www.rodovens.com/welding_arti...lding_rods.htm

Here's a temp chart:

http://www.rodovens.com/welding_arti...rage_chart.htm

I knew there was a reason I like 6013 and 6011 rod, doesn't need to be dried or kept warm!!! mark

[Rufus]

Thankyou all for the information. There are so many options to choose from and I think I will just build a box out of wood and use aluminum foil (real thick foil) along with some insulation and a light bulb. I thought maybe a coleman stove would work for short term use (like outside the shop) since it uses no electric and burns hot. I suppose in a pinch, laying rods on the manifold of a truck would work as well.
Thanks again everybody
Rufus