How-To: DIY Welding Rod

Metalworking Workshop
How-To: DIY Welding Rod

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Brooklyn-based maker Chris Hackett is founder and director of the Madagascar Institute, whose slogan is: “Fear is never boring.” Can’t argue with that! In MAKE Volume 33, Hackett shows us how to make our own welding rods.

In his intro he writes:

There are a bunch of DIY welder articles and how-tos out in the maker ether, ranging from the super-simple, dumb, and brutally effective (three car batteries, wired in series) to the high-tech and fancy (TIG machines from microwave bits, oxy-hydrogen torches from split water and plumbing supplies). With all of the information out there, it is safe to say that experienced makers will be expertly fusing metal even if an oddly specific, exceptionally brutal catastrophe were to strike the welding industry. If civilization and supply chains collapse the anti-zombie fences will still get built, and the Thunderdome will be sturdy and made from steel.

However, all of the DIY welders I have seen assume you have access to welding rod. … The standard, coated arc-welding rod is the common currency of welding, used to hold the world together. They are ubiquitous. You can get them everywhere. Until you can’t. … Even the finest DIY welder is useless without welding rod. I did a bunch of research, Google-ing and drilling down through increasingly sketchy forums, ranging from the mainstream DIY to the super-sketchy survivalist fringe. Tons of interesting information on every imaginable topic, but, as far as I can tell, it seems like no one has ever made their own welding rod and documented it online. A minor, but potentially crucial gap in the DIY world, solved here.

Basically, a steel rod is wrapped in cellulose (paper) soaked in sodium silicate. The wrapping is crimped to maintain close contact with the rod. The electrodes are then dried out (I used a toaster oven — a rod oven, or some time in the sun should do the trick as well).

You know those silica gel packets (usually labeled “Desiccant: Do Not Eat”) packaged with things that shouldn’t get damp? With this project, you finally have a use for them. Hackett shows us how to make sodium silicate from water, silica gel, and sodium hydroxide (lye). Then you use wire hangers for the rods, wrap them in newspaper soaked in sodium silicate, and bake them (Hackett used a dedicated toaster oven). After that, weld with your new homemade rods and take pride in your clean welds.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

hackett welding

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

You can check out the full how-to starting on page 72 of Volume 33, or here online.

m33_wp_cover1

MAKE Volume 33: Software for Makers

In our special Codebox section you’ll learn about software of interest to makers, including circuit board design, 3D CAD and printing, microcontrollers, and programming for kids. And you’ll meet fascinating makers, like the maniacs behind the popular Power Wheels Racing events at Maker Faire. You’ll get 22 great DIY projects like the Optical Tremolo guitar effect, “Panjolele” cake-pan ukelele, Wii Nunchuk Mouse, CNC joinery tricks, treat-dispensing cat scratching post, brewing sake, and more.

Buy or subscribe today!

4 thoughts on “How-To: DIY Welding Rod

  1. Jake Spurlock says:

    I totally dig hackett’s style. I want him to do more!

    Imagine a world with more hackett and DiResta videos for Make…

  2. Brandon A Boyer says:

    Can’t really tell much from the cross section he cut. It’s not polished enough for a proper etch. It looks like he didn’t get proper penetration at the root of the weld though. It’s a cool concept and an interesting look into the chemistry behind filler materials and the flux used in early electrodes. Depending on the electrode specification there may be quite a bit more to it than just steel and sodium silicate. Don’t trust these to anything critical.

Comments are closed.

Discuss this article with the rest of the community on our Discord server!
Tagged

I'm a word nerd who loves to geek out on how emerging technology affects the lexicon. I was an editor on the first 40 volumes of MAKE, and I love shining light on the incredible makers in our community. In particular, covering art is my passion — after all, art is the first thing most of us ever made. When not fawning over perfect word choices, I can be found on the nearest mountain, looking for untouched powder fields and ideal alpine lakes.

Contact me at snowgoli@gmail.com or via @snowgoli.

View more articles by Goli Mohammadi

ADVERTISEMENT

Maker Faire Bay Area 2023 - Mare Island, CA

Escape to an island of imagination + innovation as Maker Faire Bay Area returns for its 15th iteration!

Buy Tickets today! SAVE 15% and lock-in your preferred date(s).

FEEDBACK