6013

[deereman75]

Well for the first time in two months, I had the time to do some welding. I started with my normal rod, the 6011, and it welded like crap, I tried differnt heat settings, and it just wouldnt make a decient bead. Then I tried a 6013, I have never liked this rod, it has always made a mess, and no bead. I had been doing some reading on welding with it on my vacation, so I had a better idea of how to use it. Well it was amaizing, my first bead with it was a nice, even, fish scale look, and all of the rest seemed to be nice. The only problem I had was that there was almost always a worm hole at the end of the bead, and there were often them in the middle of the bead, my question is, how can I prevent these worm holes. (any advice or tips will help)

 

[Shield Arc]

Did your 6011 act like arc blow? Burn off on one side?

 

[deereman75]

Did your 6011 act like arc blow? Burn off on one side?

Not really, it was more just making a ton of splatter, and the slag looked like it had boiled, and was more glass like then normal, also there wasnt much of a bead at all.

 

[Shield Arc]

That is strange!:confused2:

I've always heard of reconditioning 6010 / 11, but never done it until last week. When welding for a living I never ran much 6010, all 7018 and Innershield. Anyway I have quite a bit of 6010 that has dried up, so I took a hand full of 6010 placed it in a plastic rod storage container, and filled the container full of water! Let the rods soak for a few seconds, and turned them over in the same container full of water. Removed them from the container, and let them drip dry for a couple hours, then replaced them in the same container, but didn't use them for a couple days. WOW, just like brand new rods!:thumbsup:

 

[nybirdman]

I cut my teeth on 6013,that was all we used for years in the pipefitter world.I ended being a certified pipe welder.Were you welding D.C?That's what 6013 is suppose to be run.6011 is an A.C rod.I would guess your 6013 was old or a little wet.Now standard practice is 6013 root,hot pass and 7018 out.

 

[deereman75]

my rods have been sitting in the open blue shield cardboard box that they came in, for the last 2 or 3 years, do you think they are dried up?

 

[deereman75]

I cut my teeth on 6013,that was all we used for years in the pipefitter world.I ended being a certified pipe welder.Were you welding D.C?That's what 6013 is suppose to be run.6011 is an A.C rod.I would guess your 6013 was old or a little wet.Now standard practice is 6013 root,hot pass and 7018 out.

I have an AC lincoln, and the 6013s I was running today were over 3 years old, they came with the used welder.

 

[Shield Arc]

Now standard practice is 6013 root,hot pass and 7018 out.

I've read where 6013 is "Standard Practice" for pipe welding in Europe, but not here in the states.:confused2:

pipe - MIG Welding Forum

 

[Shield Arc]

my rods have been sitting in the open blue shield cardboard box that they came in, for the last 2 or 3 years, do you think they are dried up?

Yes I do, try soaking a hand full of them.

 

[deereman75]

Yes I do, try soaking a hand full of them.

Ok I will go try that now, thanks.

 

[deereman75]

:mur::mur::mur: I went to go soak some 6011s to get them to work better, but I grabbed about 1# of 6013s, not 6011s, and didnt notice until they were wet..... Is there a way to save them?:mur::mur::mur:

 

[Shield Arc]

Spread them out on something outside and let them dry. I bet they'll be fine in a couple days.

 

[deereman75]

Spread them out on something outside and let them dry. I bet they'll be fine in a couple days.

Oh, great. We actually have some hot sun here, at last.........

 

[nybirdman]

I started in the pipe-fitting business...40 years ago.Like I said 6013 all the way out was normal.After some of us started doing nuclear work we got introduced to Tig root,hot pass and 7018 out.After a few years we talked the local contractors into buying 7018 and going with the 6013 root.Works really well,strong and nice looking.
The pipe-liners(gas,oil) use a rod similar to 6013,not sure of the number.They are down-hill welders and speed is money.

 

[Shield Arc]

That is surely not my understanding of the pipe world, in the US of A.:confused2:
I wouldn't go over to any of the hard core welding forums and post this! I've seen some really heated discussions on the use of 6013 by professional pipe weldors from Canada and the states on Welding Web, Miller, AWS, and Hobart. 6013 is not looked upon fondly on those sites.
But I have to admit that Flange Jockey from Ireland can make some fantastic looking welds with 6013!

 

[deereman75]

Well I did what you recomended to the 6011s, and they are even worse now... It is almost impossible to get an arc going with out sticking the rod now. After a while of frustration, I got out a box of brand new princess auto brand 1/8 inch 6013s, and I cranked the buzz box up to 130 amps ac, and it welded like a dream. A nice, smooth, fat bead, with no worm holes, or defects. It seems that old rods just dont work that well.

 

[Shield Arc]

Let the 6011 rods dry for a couple days.

 

[deereman75]

Let the 6011 rods dry for a couple days.

Ahh ok, thanks.

 

[nybirdman]

I typed a little too quick...my mistake..6010 not 6013 is what I started with.
Like I said times change ,but there is nothing wrong with (6010) for all position pipe welding.
What the pipe-liners use was always refered to as "hippy" rod...don't know the number.
By the way ,I am a union pipefitter with 40 years under my belt,served as an instructor for years.....many times certified x-ray.I worked in the powerhouse industry for many years in several states,just making my point. Most nuclear work was:either open butt heli-arc first pass or some kind of consumable insert,hot pass...7018,8018 sometimes 9018 out.

 

[deereman75]

That makes more sence, I have always heard that 6010 is one of the standerd pipeline rods. I have heard it is still very common to use 6010 root, hot pass, and 7018 out.