Weld/ Coat hanger

[abtanner]

I've heard many time of "Old Timers" welding with O/A using bare(no flux) coat hanger wire as 'filler'. Was this ever an common/widespread practis?Was the technique practical?What were some of the applications?
I have never seen anyone imploy the method. I'd like to get some 'firsthand' info/comments.
TIA, AL

[lilredex]

Probably lots of welds have been made with coat hangers as filler rod, I know I used plenty in the fifties, going to school and money was tight. Nothing was critical though, just exhaust and maybe some bodywork. Today I don't think you'll find too much of that going on as rods are pretty inexpensive and there sure as H. is a lot more money around these days.

Bought a good supply of 1/8" and 3/32" rods about 1981 and still workin' on 'em.............they never go bad.

[ScruffT]

The first time I saw it done was in a muffler shop and they were using the process on my car. To top it all off he used a pants hanger with the velvet type material coating to keep the pants from slipping. I wigged out when I saw what they were doing......turned out the exhaust system rusted away before the weld gave out. Still wouldn't trust that type of weld on a critical joint though.

[Klugger7214]

I saw the whole coat hanger thing used in a body shop I worked at this summer. It was pretty cool. I didn't know you could do that.

[MD Welding]

I have used it to plug holes that need to be re-drilled in the same spot. I was told the coat hanger did not get hard like the regular weld wire so it was easier to drill. A good drill will cut either of the 2. It welded good anyways. I don't think I woild use it as a comon practice. The right wire is cheaper than a law suite.

Mike
MD Welding & Fabricating L.L.C.

[clintonwelding1]

its very simple: Will it work? yes why yes it will. Will it be a good sound weld? No it will be near as strong as using the correct filler.

[tigman250]

Bought a good supply of 1/8" and 3/32" rods about 1981 and still workin' on 'em.............they never go bad.

as long as you keep them warm and dry, rust is the only thing that will wreck them.

[fyoung]

My brother used them a lot..I have too with good results but i prefer a brazing rod for most things if I'm going to be using a torch.
Farris

[Canoe2fish]

I was told to never use them where strength was required because coat hangers are made of the crappiest steel alloys.

[Aerometalworker]

Just for grins I had some coat hangers scanned for composition. An old one from about 1940 from my grandfather has almost identical composition as the old Linde #7 rod. A new Imported hanger from Wally World has the composition of some form of Asian monkey dung as best as we can tell. And people wonder why we buy American.

[richcharles]

I've heard of the old timers using the hangers with a torch. I tried it the other day on an exaust system i was building, they worked pretty well.

[MAC702]

Sometimes you get some that just don't take to it, but oftentimes they do work fine. No reason not to use them on small jobs that just need to stick together, like exhaust pipe or other unstructural things around the shop and home.

[cope]

The problem these days is the questionable metallurgy involved. Thirty five years ago I used a few for O/A welding, but my wife told me to buy some rods or quit welding because she needed all the hangers we had. Unless it's an emergency it's not worth it to me.

[fyoung]

I usually use brazing rods..they are fairly cheap.

[MAC702]

I assumed he meant for welding, not for brazing.

[fyoung]

I had a muffler to weld the other day on a small engine and i went to get a brazing rod and was out so I returned to the clothes rod to..i still would rather use a brazing rod for stuff like this.
Regards, farris