How do I know what kind of welding rods to buy??

[spencerfarmsparmaidaho]

Ive got a DC output welding and I am trying to figure out what type of rods to use. Because every time I go back and try to buy the same E7018 it ends up being different and sometimes harder to strike the arc and keep going. I just want rods for light farm welds like making three points and stuff. Any suggestions??

 

[AKweldshop]

What size of 7018 we're you using and at what amperage setting??

 

[Tractor Seabee]

On DC good old 6010 on R polarity is hard to beat. It will cover 90% of applications and all positions. Use 6011 if you have a lot of dirty material. It can be run on S or R plus AC. There is no such thing as SMAW rods that run themselves, practice is the key. 7018 makes a smooth appearance but is not a deep penetrating rod and metal must be clean. Good fillet fill up and cover pass rod, can be tricky to control if not used often. Practice, practice, practice.

Ron

 

[bigdeano]

I don't use 7018 because of the storage requirements and I only weld occasionally. I use 7014 most of the time, and 6011 for the rare vertical or overhead weld. 7014 makes very nice looking and strong welds for us non experts.

 

[Baby Grand]

Welcome to TBN, spencerfarmsparmaidaho!
Like Tractor Seabee, I reach for 6010 for probably 80% of my welding.
Great penetration and the ability to give you a decent weld with minimum prep can speed up a project considerably.
It requires (in my opinion) a little more skill, as the high penetration means you need to control your heat more carefully or risk blowing through the material. It can also be messy, creating lots of spatter, so plan for that and use some anti-spatter spray to reduce time with the chipping hammer if appearance is important. Oddly enough, most retail outlets don't carry much 6010 - I have to go to a welding supply place to get mine (3/32 & 1/8, mostly). Based on the comments from other TBNers, I picked up a box of 6011, which seems to be easier to find - haven't used it yet, so I can't comment.
Other rod I use frequently is the 7014 for strength and appearance, as bigdeano mentioned.

 

[EddieWalker]

I use 6013 for most things in 3/32. I'm not a welder, I just need to weld stuff from time to time, and this has proven to be a good rod to keep around for those times. If I need something really important welded, I take it to the welding shop and pay them to do it.

Eddie

 

[Thats Hot]

I use 6013 all the time, 3/32 and 1/8 and what I weld with a stick does not go down the road.It's safe to say that I am not on the same page with the stick Gods.

 

[flusher]

I use 6011 (1/8" rod, DC+, 100-130 amps) for most of my work. It takes a little practice to get the necessary hand/eye coordination to run decent beads. It's a deep penetrating rod that will tolerate some dirt, rust, etc. on the work piece. I use it for the first pass and for any additional fill passes.

I use 7014 (1/8" rod, DC+, 90-120 amps) to cap the 6011 beads. It's an easy-to-use drag rod (angle the rod about 30 deg from vertical and drag the rod along the work piece.

Good luck

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

Ive got a DC output welding and I am trying to figure out what type of rods to use. Because every time I go back and try to buy the same E7018 it ends up being different and sometimes harder to strike the arc and keep going. I just want rods for light farm welds like making three points and stuff. Any suggestions??

What brands of rods are they carrying?

Like mentioned, 7014 is a good rod for general use - it also re-strikes very easy and runs well on AC as well.

Run it hot, drag the flux on the plate, and take a nap - yeah, it's that easy sometimes

 

[CNC Dan]

What brands of rods are they carrying?

Like mentioned, 7014 is a good rod for general use - it also re-strikes very easy and runs well on AC as well.

Run it hot, drag the flux on the plate, and take a nap - yeah, it's that easy sometimes

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