really fast stick welding (6013 vertical down?)

Hi everyone

What is a really quick way to put down lengths of "stick" (SMA) weld, when strength requirements are very limited? I've heard that vertical-down with 6013 is very quick.

You come to realise that not every job is a nuclear power station, like the standard you learn at college, and on a worksite, you can't have everyone waiting around for hours while you do "texbook perfect" welds.

This was advice from Randy Zimmerman some time back

"Vertical up is the recomended procedure for proper welds with a few exceptions. E 6013 is one rod that likes vertical down. There is no great strength but it will give a nice appearing weld especially on inside corners. Strike up, hold the rod so that it is pointing up to the joint at about 45 degrees and then weld keeping a very tight arc and keeping ahead of the flux that will run down. You are travelling quickly so you can step the heat up."

Is this the answer to what I am looking for?

If I were welding stacks of plates of steel to a counterbalance to bring it back into balance after something has been added to the other side, would this be the way to quickly secure them sealed all round and adequately strong?

What rod size if this is thick steel - say 1inch/25mm?

3.2mm 6013 at 140A is good? 2.5mm 6013 at 95A focuses more?

Richard Smith

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Richard Smith
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I would go for the 3.2 at 140 A seal bead is plenty for the application. I have stack drilled plates with only one inch beads in four places then regretted that I didn't just clamp or use a tie bar. They are darned hard to separate. Randy

Reply to
Randy Zimmerman

"They are darned hard to separate." - yeah - I found out when I had to alter the balance, switching plates from bottom to top of the thing. Ground off beads, slit away penetration bead with cutting disc on accessible side then bar and sledgehammer to prize off from the accessible side, breaking what was left on the inaccessible side...

Richard S.

Reply to
Richard Smith

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