[TheForge] old arc rods, election

[dann]

Once I bought about  a half ton of wet welding rod, at a two day auction 
where everything was stacked outside in the rain.   The factory sealed 
nickle rod (sealed case)  that I found  was worth the value that was paid 
for the whole pile.    There were sealed.. un-opened 50 pound canisters 
of  unknown to me rod that made me smile as well.

High hydrogen, low hydrogen...????  hmmm   ...  if  the flux coating 
still  looks good, and you crack the flux off some previously "wet"  sample 
rod that  you  have already baked / dried the  ambient moisture off, and 
the bare rod  is still  clean ( no rust/ oxidation )  where is the harm in 
using  the rod.  It works like new rod for me.

However if the rod  got so wet that the flux decomposed, or the  core metal 
of the rod  appears rusted upon drying.  Maybe that is a good time to see 
if you can twist a dozen rod together and cable weld them in the 
forge.  There must be some artsy thing to do with  waste rod...

Election:   Simply put  your mark(s) on the ABANA ballot and mail it.  If I 
remember correctly, about 10% voted last year.  If so, that  is  sad.

Dann Johnson