# [EVDL] MC grade welding rod?



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Another lister suggested the book "How to Weld Damn Near Anything." I ordered it, and it is an excellent book.
The book suggested using expensive "MC grade" welding rod for TIG welding. It claimed this better rod would turn a mediocre welder into a great welder. Well, I need all the help I can get, and like the idea of using really high quality material anyway.
My local welding shop, a well equipped shop, never heard of "MC grade," nor did the other shop they called. So here are my questions:
o Where can I find this "MC grade"
o Is there something similar, like an aircraft grade?
o Does it help to use expensive welding rod?
As always, many thanks for the helpful info.





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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hello David,

Just go to your local welding supply company. MC grade is metal core 
welding wire in all type of alloys. Use in coils of MIG welding and 36 inch 
TIG wire.

It is a wire of a metal jacket and a core of a alloy that matches the alloy 
you are welding. There are different types of wire for mild steel to a high 
tensor alloy.

Unlike a FC grade wire, which is a flux coated wire. I do not like this 
wire, because it has too much spatter. The MC grade has hardly no spatter, 
weld bead is flatter and you can cut the gas pressure back some.

The old school welders may be set in there ways, and only use the solid wire 
and stick flux wire. I ran into one old guy that still welds thin wall 
tubing with a buzz box with a lot of burn threw and lumps of weld bead and 
does not know or want to learn about any high tech welding methods.

Roland




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Dymaxion" <[email protected]>
To: "Electric Vehicle Discussion List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 6:14 PM
Subject: [EVDL] MC grade welding rod?


> Another lister suggested the book "How to Weld Damn Near Anything." I 
> ordered it, and it is an excellent book.
> The book suggested using expensive "MC grade" welding rod for TIG welding. 
> It claimed this better rod would turn a mediocre welder into a great 
> welder. Well, I need all the help I can get, and like the idea of using 
> really high quality material anyway.
> My local welding shop, a well equipped shop, never heard of "MC grade," 
> nor did the other shop they called. So here are my questions:
> o Where can I find this "MC grade"
> o Is there something similar, like an aircraft grade?
> o Does it help to use expensive welding rod?
> As always, many thanks for the helpful info.
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> For subscription options, see
> http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev
> 

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

never heard of MC grade, was this book british?.
tig is good as it gets I have never seen tig rod come in grades , only metal
types, mild steel, stainless so on, tig is the hardest to get good at.
great for rockets and little stuff a waste of time on a car frames or batt
box.
A monkey can be trained to wire feed, and anyone can stick if they have the
right rod for the job.
depends on what you are welding??

On Wed, May 28, 2008 at 7:14 PM, David Dymaxion <[email protected]>


> wrote:
> 
> > Another lister suggested the book "How to Weld Damn Near Anything." I
> > ordered it, and it is an excellent book.
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

wow I spent a year in welding school and never used the term MC, we talked
flux core, but just called anything not flux core solid wire.
I thought he was talking about tig?
not wirefeed



> Roland Wiench <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > Hello David,
> >
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Why all this speculation when Google is at your fingertips?

"MC-Grade" is actually a registered trademark

http://www.usweldingcorp.com/

Very first product hit

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/mepages/4130steelwire.php

In short, "MC-grade" means "really good sh*t" 

John

On Wed, 28 May 2008 21:17:16 -0500, "Randy Eckert" <[email protected]>


> wrote:
> 
> >never heard of MC grade, was this book british?.
> >tig is good as it gets I have never seen tig rod come in grades , only metal
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> Neon John <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> >Why all this speculation when Google is at your fingertips?
> >
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Call me an old fart then,
I've been using TIG for 30 years. I like the fact that I can switch from
aluminum to steel to stainless at the flick of a switch and grab a different
rod. I've repaired cast aluminum crankcases and even nickel welded cast
iron. I think you get a much better weld with TIG then MIG. I always thought
MIG was good for body work but I am not sure it should be trusted for
structural work. I guess I am just stuck in my ways.

Mark Grasser
Eliot, ME

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf
Of Randy Eckert
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 10:17 PM
To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List
Subject: Re: [EVDL] MC grade welding rod?

never heard of MC grade, was this book british?.
tig is good as it gets I have never seen tig rod come in grades , only metal
types, mild steel, stainless so on, tig is the hardest to get good at.
great for rockets and little stuff a waste of time on a car frames or batt
box.
A monkey can be trained to wire feed, and anyone can stick if they have the
right rod for the job.
depends on what you are welding??

On Wed, May 28, 2008 at 7:14 PM, David Dymaxion <[email protected]>


> wrote:
> 
> > Another lister suggested the book "How to Weld Damn Near Anything." I
> > ordered it, and it is an excellent book.
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> Call me an old fart then,
> I've been using TIG for 30 years. I like the fact that I can switch from
> aluminum to steel to stainless at the flick of a switch and grab a
> different
> rod. I've repaired cast aluminum crankcases and even nickel welded cast
> iron. I think you get a much better weld with TIG then MIG. I always
> thought
> MIG was good for body work but I am not sure it should be trusted for
> structural work. I guess I am just stuck in my ways.

FWIW MIG is what is used to weld together the hulls of battleships, it
doesn't get much more structural than that.

I'd love to have a TIG, but until I win the lottery I guess I'm stuck with
MIG.
P.S. My wife insistes that my chances of winning the lottery would
increase dramatically if I'd just buy a ticket. However, I've done the
math and statistically I can't see a difference.

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

So stuck in my ways I'll have to try to get out of. Maybe someday I'll try
it, I know it is a lot faster for sure.

Thanks for the head-up,

Mark Grasser
Eliot, ME


-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf
Of Peter VanDerWal
Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 3:09 AM
To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List
Subject: Re: [EVDL] MC grade welding rod?

> Call me an old fart then,
> I've been using TIG for 30 years. I like the fact that I can switch from
> aluminum to steel to stainless at the flick of a switch and grab a
> different
> rod. I've repaired cast aluminum crankcases and even nickel welded cast
> iron. I think you get a much better weld with TIG then MIG. I always
> thought
> MIG was good for body work but I am not sure it should be trusted for
> structural work. I guess I am just stuck in my ways.

FWIW MIG is what is used to weld together the hulls of battleships, it
doesn't get much more structural than that.

I'd love to have a TIG, but until I win the lottery I guess I'm stuck with
MIG.
P.S. My wife insistes that my chances of winning the lottery would
increase dramatically if I'd just buy a ticket. However, I've done the
math and statistically I can't see a difference.

_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev

_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
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----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Awesome, thanks Neon John, that was just the kind of info I was looking for and having trouble tracking down.

Here are some answers to other comments in this thread.

Q: "Why MC-grade rod?"
A: According the the book I had read, it is much easier to make a good weld with it. MC-grade does not have the lubrication, oxidization, and copper impurities of regular welding rod. If a little more money gets me a better weld, why not? I also like the thought that welds restraining my motor and battery racks are as good as possible.

Q: "What are you welding?"
A: Right now, my motor adapter. Battery racks are coming up next. Eventually I'm going to put a cage in the car (I have already done a roll bar in my other car, you can read about it here: http://explodingdinosaurs.com/rollbar .

Q: "Why TIG?"
A: Race teams often use TIG, it is preferred when you do one-off kinds of welds that you want to be highest quality. MIG is definitely easier, and much faster, so it is much preferred in production environments. Both methods can produce good welds. In any case, it is a good idea to do a test weld, hammer it to test for strength, and cut through it to make sure you have thorough fusion.

----- Original Message ----
From: Neon John <[email protected]>
To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 11:32:27 PM
Subject: Re: [EVDL] MC grade welding rod?

...
"MC-Grade" is actually a registered trademark

http://www.usweldingcorp.com/

Very first product hit

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/mepages/4130steelwire.php

In short, "MC-grade" means "really good sh*t" 

...




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For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

On Thu, 29 May 2008 09:29:24 -0700 (PDT), David Dymaxion


> <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> >Awesome, thanks Neon John, that was just the kind of info I was looking for and having trouble tracking down.
> >
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hi David,

Before going much further, I'd check with the folks at Aircraftspruce.com
and see if it really is $65 per rod (I might be reading the page wrong)

Personally, if it really is $65 a rod, I think I'd just practice a bit
more until I got good using the cheap rods.


> Awesome, thanks Neon John, that was just the kind of info I was looking
> for and having trouble tracking down.
>
> Here are some answers to other comments in this thread.
>
> Q: "Why MC-grade rod?"
> A: According the the book I had read, it is much easier to make a good
> weld with it. MC-grade does not have the lubrication, oxidization, and
> copper impurities of regular welding rod. If a little more money gets me a
> better weld, why not? I also like the thought that welds restraining my
> motor and battery racks are as good as possible.
>
> Q: "What are you welding?"
> A: Right now, my motor adapter. Battery racks are coming up next.
> Eventually I'm going to put a cage in the car (I have already done a roll
> bar in my other car, you can read about it here:
> http://explodingdinosaurs.com/rollbar .
>
> Q: "Why TIG?"
> A: Race teams often use TIG, it is preferred when you do one-off kinds of
> welds that you want to be highest quality. MIG is definitely easier, and
> much faster, so it is much preferred in production environments. Both
> methods can produce good welds. In any case, it is a good idea to do a
> test weld, hammer it to test for strength, and cut through it to make sure
> you have thorough fusion.
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Neon John <[email protected]>
> To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List <[email protected]>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 11:32:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [EVDL] MC grade welding rod?
>
> ...
> "MC-Grade" is actually a registered trademark
>
> http://www.usweldingcorp.com/
>
> Very first product hit
>
> http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/mepages/4130steelwire.php
>
> In short, "MC-grade" means "really good sh*t" 
>
> ...
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> For subscription options, see
> http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev
>


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