Welding rods

[Blagadan]

Blagadan:

I was able to pick up a nice welding table used. It's 72" by 28". Nice setup..

Nice... Took me years of welding on concrete floor with aching knees before I figured I needed one!! You're starting off right!!!

Best of luck to you.

With my "electrode holder", I usually hang it over the handle on the front of the welder to stop it from coming into contact with the piece when I'm done.
There is a risk of electrocution if you "complete the circuit", i.e., you hold onto the ends of both electrodes... Even though it is low voltage, you will probably get a shock. Newer welders are safer in that respects, by, I remember my dads old ac welder, you get a belt off of that machine, you would feel it...

If you are concerned about welding, heres an interesting link.
http://www.ic.polyu.edu.hk/new/Facilities/d3/ee/KennethReport2k0208.pdf

 

[AlanB]

What the heck, let me throw in a couple things.

6010 = DC, deep penetration rod
6011 = AC deep penetration
6013= AC low penetration rod
7018 = (normally a DC rod but some AC available) High strength (the 70 is that many thousand PSI so it is 10,000 PSI stronger then a 60 series rod properly applied) The biggest things learners do wrong with 7018 is they cannot restrike the rod. It forms a bead of glass slag on the end when you stop, you have to STRIKE, as in hit, as in tap it on the steel to break that glass end, and restart your arc, after the first if you do not draw an arc, you can then scratch (like a kitchen match) start.
7014 = AC fast fill, fast Freeze.

Everything is a trade off, and you look to get the charachteristics that are most important, deeper penetration is a trade of with surface looks and splatter, etc. etc.

My suggestion, if you have clean steel to practice with

6013, on AC and spend an hour a night running beads for a week. Stick to one size rod (1/8") vary your heat a bit up and down, I would probably burn that about 100, a general rule of thumb is convert the rod diameter to decimal ie a 1/8" would be .125 and run that many amps, ie 125 amps. I usually run colder then that. That will vary between welders, and Weldors as well as different makes and types of rods.

Most farm stuff, I would reccomend 1/8" 6011 on AC, not the popular thing on this board, but hey, it is my reccomendation.

Just work the basics.

As to shutting the machine off. Quit.

as you gain experience, jerk the rod off the base when you feel it start to stick. If you do stick and you cannot wiggle off quick enough, realease the rod from the holder, then when it cools wiggle it off and go again, or start with a new rod.

Set your electrode holder down so it is not in contact with what is grounded, as someone said, hang it, set it on concrete or wood, or most are designed when no rod is in, that the electrode is surrounded by insulated material.

All is said and done, a quick Vo-tech course, or a buddy that is profiecient coming over and welding for an hour with you will greatly speed the learning curve.

Good luck.

 

[unreconstructed]

the 6011 a size over the 1/8--I believe its a 5/32--works pretty good if you run a cutting torch like I do--wide gaps that need some fill. I use these on welding up pipe fence and works well for me. If you cut closer tolerances, then the 1/8. I am just a shade tree welder however, but that's been my experience with the 6011.

 

[canoetrpr]

AlanB: What is the advantage of running the 6011 on AC vs. DC?

 

[Sully2]

DC and 7018 rods to learn on. If you cant weld with that combo...you arent going to weld with anything. Not sayings its the BEST ROD for everything..or anything like that...but its what I FINALLY learned on and was sticking metal together within 10 minutes....after TRYING for more than 30 years with an AC welder!

 

[AlanB]

AlanB: What is the advantage of running the 6011 on AC vs. DC?

Probably not an advantage, but more what I am accustomed too.

As a general statement, 6010 rods were designed for DC while the 6011 where the AC version, my belief (could well be wrong) is that most 6011 rod is optimized for AC work.

When working with AC you have the reversal of current (might be using the wrong terminology) but basicly your sine wave goes top to bottom, when it does that you tend to get some "freezing" of your weld, if you will allow me some latitude, it is almost a pulse, which sometimes helps new welders.

Oh, and far better then I can write, here is Lincolns electrode chart.

http://content.lincolnelectric.com/pdfs/products/literature/c210.pdf

 

[canoetrpr]

I've heard mixed things about 6010 vs 6011 - on which is easier for a novice.

One opinion is that 6011 has flux stablisers which somehow makes run better. Another is that 6010 run smoother. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

I might as well pick up 1 lb 1/8 rods of each and give them a shot.

I'll pick up 1 lb of 1/8 7018 as well and see how I do with that.

I'm pretty confident at being able to run some nice beads with 7014 but I don't know what the penetration of it is like. Should be able to get something done with it though.

 

[escavader]

I've heard mixed things about 6010 vs 6011 - on which is easier for a novice.

One opinion is that 6011 has flux stablisers which somehow makes run better. Another is that 6010 run smoother. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

I might as well pick up 1 lb 1/8 rods of each and give them a shot.

I'll pick up 1 lb of 1/8 7018 as well and see how I do with that.

I'm pretty confident at being able to run some nice beads with 7014 but I don't know what the penetration of it is like. Should be able to get something done with it though.

My take on it ,from personal experience for 20 years of welding jack of all...master of none
6013-easy to light,generally used for thin stuff,makes a pretty good lookin bead
6011[what i use the most of]best all purpose rod imo,makes nice bead,great for dirty rusty stuff
7018 harder rod to use,but will hold the best,i use for things i dont want to ever break loose .Icant remember... but i think its called high tensil strength,
Never heard of a 6010 up in this neck of the woods.Ithink once you get the hang of it youll use 6011the most,6013 for tacking stuff and thin,cause it lights easy.You will use 7018 only on occasion,like i said for super strong applications.If you build alot of stuff,tools etc,wear surfacing rods are available[i used them on my backhoe thumb teeth,they work well]
have fun!!
ALAN

 

[Deerlope]

I been maintenance welding for 30 years and I finally threw out all my 60 &70 series rod and now just use MG 500 or 600 for everything, except cast iron.

 

[escavader]

I been maintenance welding for 30 years and I finally threw out all my 60 &70 series rod and now just use MG 500 or 600 for everything, except cast iron.

Ive never heard of them,can you tell us more?