Tried running some 6011 electrodes

On dragging 6011 I don't think you'll be able to or like the results. One is the fact that you're running a AC machine. My experience with my old buzz box is that 6011 won't drag with it unless the current is set way to high for the thickness of metal that you're welding (it's possible on really thick stuff and high amperages but still not recommended). Now I can drag it some with my stiffer high powered DC industrial machines but it produces a high narrow bead that's not wanted (the only exception I've seen is that the root pass on pipeline work around here is done that way).

You should be watching the trailing edge of the weld pool primarily with secondary attention to the leading edge (just to make sure it's actually melting into the metal on both sides). The trailing edge tells the most info of how the welds going. If it's melting into both sides you'll see the molten metal drawing itself into the work in. If it's building up to much you can see it in the trailing edge. If there's not enough build up you can see it there as well. In other words you can tell most of what you need to know by watching the trailing edge. Did I say that enough times. :-)

It can be difficult to weld with a high slag rod on a deep groove provided by a round object sitting on a flat object. It's not impossible but it does take practice and personally I've never liked

6013 for that particular reason.

My advise here is to butt the corner joints corner to corner leaving a nice 90 V for the weld to fill. In this case properly run 6013 will give a nice smooth round cornered appearance to the box. Though my preference is still for 7018 for jobs like this.

I like 7018 for it's smooth weld with less slag than 6013 making it easier for me to run. However it's a DC only rod unless you buy the kind specifically made for AC. As for the purist cry that it's has to be kept in a oven all I can say is that there's many many pounds of it run all the time that's not been oven kept. If it's a critical job then yes it should be kept in a oven. But for mild steel as long as it's kept reasonably dry then it's perfectly possible to make acceptable welds with it.

Wayne Cook Shamrock, TX

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Wayne Cook
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It's not easy being a Brit expat American!

Reply to
Don Foreman

Thanks!

Harold

Reply to
Harold and Susan Vordos

Wrap up in poly - and stuff in new postal express ? box - anywhere any weight - $7.++ IIRC. I sent a bunch of CD's out that way - I had confirm on the other side and it was

11.45. It was 4lb 1.90 oz. Might be 11.45 - not 7.++.

Martin Martin Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH & Endowment Member NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

Gunner Asch wrote:

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

Yes, you said it enough times. Thanks for the tip. I'll concentrate on watching the trailing edge :-).

I might buy some 7018 or 7014. Am I right in thinking that 7018 is more penetrating, but that 7014 deposits metal at a higher rate?

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

I think this is what we used to call "shoe laces" at school. Long strings of red liquorice? I preferred black liquorice, though. And Liquorice Allsorts are the best!

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

Thanks for the link. Odd that they don't keep 6011 or 7014, don't you think?

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

A short arc is good though. You need to keep a very short arc with

7018, as you only get so much shielding gas from breaking up the limestone in the flux -- CaCo3 -> CaO (flux) + CO2 (shield) -- and you are likely to be working outdoors if you are doing commerical welding, as MIG indoors and stick outdoors.

Richard Smith

Reply to
Richard Smith

That's because what Wayne is telling you is very crucial advice.

That is especially so when you are using "low slag" processes. Like

6011. You can see the weld metal solidifying at the back of the pool and what you see there is what you get as your finished weld. So if what you are seeing is not good, you better do something about the technique of rod manipulation, etc.

Sometimes with 6011 used open arc, if you simply move the rod down the joint at a steady rate you get a good weld with deep penetration and a smooth flat top bead without undercut. Other times it doesn't behave for reasons I have never deduced and you have to "whip" the rod to take control yourself of the weld bead shape you are producing. In "whipping" you oscillate the rod quicly along the direction you are going, by about a rod core diameter. You can both "dig" a deep pentration into a fillet corner and drop metal where it is needed on th eweld pool, giving a flat weld fillet.

6010 and 6011 are "cellulosics" - the main part of the flux cover on the rod is cellulose.

Only cellulosics can be manipulated really fast, as they put out so much shielding gas. Rutile can be moved around a fair amount. Basics (typically 7018) must not be moved around. You must doing everything (thanks Ernie L.) s...l...o...w...l...y.

Cellulosics are "fast freezing", probably mainly because there is so little slag. Good for a lot of bits of welding, as you metal goes where ou put it and it stays there. Godo for postional welding, where you don't want big sloshing volumes of liquid falling out of the weld (and probably down your neck!). Good for full-penetration root runs, where form a neat underbead by surface tension and freeze that into place quickly before anything can muck it up. OTOH, you get a rough weld top surface. Apart from these really skille dfolk who know how to manipulate the process so well they get a smooth top surface anyway! As someone once said to me "you could used cellulosics and get good weld fusion, but your weld will look like s*%t". Well, with the control which Wayne poointed you to most correctly, you can fairly easily master getting a good weld profile, but it will always be slightly "ribbed" in the direction of welding.

With "high slag" processes like for example 6013's (rutiles) the thick slag covers the weld blocking view of weld shape and the function of the slag is to take command of shaping the finished weld. You get a very smooth and well-shaped weld. I think but have not enquired or had it explained to me that the length of time in the liquid state under a thick insulating slag enables surface tension to pull the weld top bead very flat and smooth. BTW - look up "self-peeling slag" - nott only is a smooth profile engineering desirable, it makes for the welding economical feature that a correctly formulated slag peels itself off the weld.

Richard Smith

Reply to
Richard Smith

I have used a rod, that I can't find, a 6012. When I first started welding, too many years ago, this was used to build car haulers. Best mild steel rod that I have ever seen. Bead looked like the 6013 but not all of the flux. Man you could run downhand, and it would look as if it was painted. Anyone got any idea why this rod is not being made? Of course now, all I use in my shop is a MIG. Have to go for speed and no slag. Building handrails and stairs, MIG is the way for me. All of the other shops around use the MIG like I do and very little stick welding. I do stick in the field on installing, but I also have a 110 volt MIG that I can carry when leads cannot be used, like on the 5th floor of a building.

Please for everyone, keep in mind, when you are doing welding for somone that there is a LOT of liability. I carry over a million dollars of liability insurance with products completed insurance. Typicial liability insurance ceases when the job is completed. Products completed carries the liability insurance forever, which is extremely important. Also if you are not incorporated, you are putting you, your family, and your home at risk of being lost if you are sued and don't win. I have known of cases where this does happen.

OK, that is my soapbox for today.

Reply to
Paul Wilson

I've heard of this rod, a 6012. Described by national Lincoln headquarters folk.

It's there to be seen on Lincoln website. Is called a "Fleetweld 7". Most Fleetweld's are cellulosics, but this one isn't. I found for instance

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1/8th inch 6012

Is a sodium-binder rutile. 6013 is potassium-based-binder rutile.

6012 was decribed to me as being slightly harsher and fiercer than 6013. And seems particularly likes to run on AC.

My own AWS classigication list copied from goodness-knows-where lists this:

"Exx12 High rutile. Quiet arc, medium penetration."

Reason had this conversation - was trying to deal with problem of technical colleges here demanding melting of fillet corner as pass criterion for "weld penetration" for T-fillet welds Lincoln mentioned

6012 which they said is more penetrative than 6013, which is almost the only rod you meet here in the UK in technical colleges (they keep some 6011's "for the pipewelders" and usually get very upset if you use them open-arc and for any other purpose).

Richard Smith

Reply to
Richard Smith

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