Welding Rods....

[Wirenut2266]

Folks: Need to re-stock welding rod selection. Looking for good all purpose rod with minimal splatter and decent penetration. Thinking about #7018 x 3/16"....Unless someone thinks theres a better all around rod out there????

 

[thenorth]

try 6011,,,,,, then final cover with 7018

john

 

[Valkyrie Rider]

7018 is nice when the metal is really clean. Doesn't do to well otherwise.

6011 is good and will handle steel that isn't as clean.

If you are running an AC machine, 6013 is a good all around for general use. I believe that they also make a 7018 that is geared more to AC machines also.

When I was in welding school, 6011 and 7018 was what I ran 95+% of the time.

 

[mysawmyrules]

Google a company called Arctec Alloys see if anything is near your area. They have a 223 rod that I found 4 years ago and I havn't bought a box of anything else since. Might not be worth your trouble depending on how much you use. I have a salesman that stops at the house twice a year with a case of rod's in hand.

 

[mysawmyrules]

And if not 7018 is always a go to rod.

 

[ShoerFast]

Dittos to Valkyrie Rider

7018 is a low hydrogen rod, there best keep in a super dry storage,,,, or there is a trick to stick the rod for a few seconds on a chunk of scrap to dry it out,,,,,7018's are a real good choice for an all-round structural rod.

6011's are a deep penetrating - all position rod that dose not need super-clean surfaces to perform, they will burn past most anything to get to what needs holding. 6011's dont do thin stuff well.

6013's are a good rod for new mild-steel, and are a good choice for a lot of uses as there easy to weld and make a champ out of most anyone. 6013's are better on the thin stuff, but excellent for multiple pass welds also.

You might want to stock a few (there expensive) NiCi or Nickel Alloy rods if you have any cast-iron work. They require a preheat and a slow cool down, shop wood stoves can do that for you.

Another idea may be a few hard surfacing rods to protect ware areas, never a pretty weld, but there a lot of fun as they will really extend heavy ware equipment. Ask you dealer about them.

 

[tomtrees58]

7018 best get your heat right tom trees

 

[ant]

6010

here is a great welding forum.


http://weldingweb.com/

 

[gtstang462002]

6011, 6013
7018 for looks

 

[farmer]

A variety of rods is best as no single one will do everything well. 7018 needs preheat on the to be welded metal to get rid of moisture that will cause porosity. Also you need rod in different diameters for different thicknesses of metal to be welded. Try some smaller packages of different rod to get a feel for the different kinds.

 

[user 19670]

Have worked with Welders for 34 years in my trade.

6010/6011 are essentially the same rod, 6010 for DC and 6011 for AC. They were the rod of choice for first pass where deep penetration was required or for a poor fit-up. Contrary to what has been already posted these rods are excellent for thin sheet metal and are what I use all the time for that purpose. You don't have to believe me - try it and see for yourself. You whip this rod for best effect (in to melt and puddle and out to let freeze and back in again in line with the joint and all time maintaining the arc). Am repairing a Dump Truck tailgate as we speak with 6011 and some of it has rusted pretty thin.
These rods will splatter a lot and you don't have to worry about keeping them dry.

6013 is a nice, shallow penetrating rod that is very forgiving. It is harder to stick 6013 than some of the other rods so it is a good one to learn on. This is a low splatter rod that is plagued by slag inclusions. Contrary to what you will read, 6013 is not a good rod to use for thin sheet metal because it will burn through before you get a good puddle. You don't have to believe me - try it and see for yourself. You don't have to worry about keeping this rod dry like you do with the low hydrogen rods. It is a drag rod and is often called a "farmer" rod.

7018 is a low-hydrogen rod for structural steel welding. It is commonly used for pipeline welding. Good fit-up and cleanliness is important and you won't likely get slag inclusions as long as you don't run over a weld that hasn't been chipped. 7018 is a low splatter drag rod. With practice you can actually rest the flux on your work and let it melt out from under the rod while you weld. Most people will not be happy with the weld if they expect no undercut so if you want to grind the weld and leave a surface so smooth you can't see where it was welded you shouldn't choose 7018. Rods should be kept dry for work with high quality steel but not so necessary for run of the mill mild steel such as angle iron or flat bar since hydrogen embrittlement isn't a problem with such metal.

My references to "deep" and "shallow" penetration should be taken with a grain of salt. It is not as dramatic as what you might expect. Cut across a weld with a grinder and view it from the end and the weld is elliptical with the bead being wider than it is tall. What you see above the surface is the same size as what exists under the surface - SIMPLE and that ain't much.

All the rods I commented on are for welding mild steel in all four positions.

I have NO EXPERIENCE with 7014 but plan to try it one day. Have been told that it is a good "farmer" rod for all around joining of mild steel so I am curious.

A couple of weeks in a welding course will pay dividends. It allows you to try different rods while you learn. The best thing you will learn is safety.

Just my $0.02

 

[Patrick62]

7014 experience here

7014 is everything that the 6013 is, only better. I like to run it on DC straight.

Recently I have been using 7018. The AC version runs real nice. Ran 5 pounds of 5/32 last week. Burns real nice at 175A-AC.

I have very little experience with 6010/6011 They are a little bit jumpy to suit me. I can run them, just prefer not to.

-Pat angry2: )

 

[RaisedByWolves]

I was wondering when the talk would turn to "Farmers Friend", 7014.



These are great beginner rod as their considered to be a contact rod, just hold the rod at about a 45* angle, start the arc and let it touch and fall into a nice (relitivly) bead. Theres not much technique required, but you can do good if you know how.




Still makes bubblegum and bird #### if your clumsy, but play with the heat and once your there let the rod do the rest.


.

 

[blackdoggy]

Unless you get your self some good tight rod containers stick with your 6011. I have a 50lb box that has been sitting on my friends table here for months and I can pull one out and run with it. Where as his 7018's are mostly toast from moisture but he can't afford (too cheap) to keep a light bulb on in his refrigerator so they have mostly gone to hell. Having an old Ideal arc welder also helps to put down nice beads opcorn: .

 

[olyman]

go to your local welding supply--and ask them to get out the info on different rods--and see what happens when 7018 gets even a little bit of moisture in the flux--the weld strength drops like a rock. when this is used on bridge welding--the rods have to be heated, and the rods have to be in a heated container by the welders sides---serious---

 

[pdqdl]

try 6011,,,,,, then final cover with 7018

john

My best climber used to be a welder for a fire sprinkle company. He is buddies with a steel worker/certified welder. That is exactly what he recommends for deep penetration on rusty surfaces, with a strong weld and low porosity.

6011 by itself is great for fracture cracks, burning past paint and rust, but it's not very strong. I have a hard time welding anything but close to horizontal with it, because it is so hot.

7018 is so much stronger, but it doesn't like a dirty surface.

 

[Patrick62]

Ain't no big thing

I simply put a hand full in the toaster oven at about 300 for half hour.
If they still got water in them I can't tell while welding.

In fact it is best that ALL rods be kept dry.

There is another trick.... stick them for a few seconds and let em heat up a little before striking the arc.... I never intentionally did that.... (Bzzzzzzzz....)

-pat

 

[SnaykeByte]

7014 is everything that the 6013 is, only better. I like to run it on DC straight.

Recently I have been using 7018. The AC version runs real nice. Ran 5 pounds of 5/32 last week. Burns real nice at 175A-AC.

I have very little experience with 6010/6011 They are a little bit jumpy to suit me. I can run them, just prefer not to.

-Pat angry2: )

7014 or Jet Rod like it's called is ok flat, but out of position the puddle will no freeze fast enough to prevent falling out, resulting in undercut and porosity.

 

[kevin j]

I use mostly 6011 on an old forney AC welder. It is aggressive, deep penetration through rust or paint or old stuff repairs, and fast freeze for out of position. Not real smooth surface because of the fast freeze, but good functional welds.

 

[farmer]

On 6011 you can get much smoother bead by holding a longer arc. In a welding book i have it has a chart for cooking the moisture out of rod. The heat and time required is much more than you would think. 6011 is 60000 lbs sq in of strenth. 7018 is 700000. Not that much difference in our world.