I frequently run 6013s at work, I wouldn't say it is the easier rod to learn on (beginners are typically recommended this rod because of how easy you can start an arc on it), but with that said I don't think it's a great rod to use if you dont have a whole lot of experience in welding. Based on my personal experience, I started learning stick welding with 6013 and I didn't actually learn the fundamentals of stick welding until I tried burning other rods like E7018 and E7016 mainly because I didn't know how to distinguish the puddle from the molten slag. A big issue with 6013s is the slag and the puddle, it is very easy to let the molten slag chase after the puddle and engulf the actual weld puddle causing severe porosity (the slag holes you see in the video), this is also due to the puddle not fusing to both walls on the base material properly. To avoid this issue, as Tim has pointed out in his video, you will need to establish a good puddle and never let the slag chase over the puddle. The molten metal puddle will look shiny and bright while the molten slag will be dark and more heavy/less fluid. A good tip when welding with 6013s is to always establish a good puddle when you first strike the arc, this is a good indication to make sure that you are fusing both sides of the wall in your weld. Remember, no puddle=no fusion. I hope my advice is useful to anyone that's using 6013s.
Thank you! I am having trouble starting an AC arc with 7018 1/8" rod, until it eventually starts and keeps going easily. Too many amps help, but blows holes in the steel. Is difficulty starting due to rod temperature or is that my imagination?
@@firstmkb Hi Kevin, 7018 electrodes are hard to start by nature, the filler metal seems to always burn back and get burried into the flux when the arc is terminated, this may be due to the Low-Hydrogen flux coating of the rod. I usually just carefully break off a bit of flux on the tip of the rod before I start, this helps with the arc initiation. Also, if you're facing problems when using 7018s on AC current, the most obvious and probable reason to this (if you are not yet aware) may be because you're not using the right 7018 rods. For AC application, you will need to use E7018 AC rods, these 7018 rods are specifically designed to run on AC. Normal 7018 rods will only best with Direct Current and not so well with Alternating Current. Hope this helps.
Thank you sir! Very educational! Now I know why I have holes and gaps in my welds with 6013. I guess my amps were too low. I should also better adjust my rod angle.
I’ve always had the classic love/hate relationship with the 6013. I learned the basics of welding in high school shop using 6013’s and those big Lincoln Idealarc AC machines with the crank wheel on the front. After graduation in ‘78 I certified and for the next 40+ years burned nothing but 6010’s & 7018’s. I loved the way 6013 started and burned, but hated chipping off the slag only to find slag inclusions and what I call “weld vaginas” in the end crater! I’m retired now, and much like you I have a fondness for those tombstones, and although I have and stick/TIG machines, I use the buzz box more often than not! I noticed on one of the RUclips welding channels from India that the guy was using green 6013’s and not having any issues with trapped slag and blowouts, si questioned the brand. Turns out it’s an ESAB Sureweld 6013. I had my local supplier get me some and I can honestly say that by far that is the best 6013 I’ve ever burned! Highly recommend them to anyone with an AC low OCV welder! I get them in 5lb. plastic containers.
Hello there. Actually in most of Europe 6013 is the most used electrodes. If you enter almost any hardware store and ask for general purpose electrodes you will almost for sure get some kind of 6013.
I use the 6013 all the time on my 230 amp inverter welder, so much fun, especially when you build sculptures, like spoon art. Thanks for your tips, I’m no pro, and never taken a course, but I still pride myself on the home welding jobs👍
Dear TW, You were actually the first professional I saw across my timeline in regards to welding. I made the jump and purchased a machine and tools because welding was always a mystery to me. Welders are an elite group of men and women. When you are capable of building, the world will be in awe of you singing praises to your name. Thank you for the videos. They're guiding me especially with your instructions in the manner in which you've presented. Great job, man! Panther Strike
A thousand thanks Tim. Am learning to weld, got myself a small DC welding machine. Goes up to 250 amps. I have been having difficulty with thin (1,2 to 1,6mm steel), when they are at right angles. I am using 6013, 12 gauge rods, using between 60 to 90 amps, DCEN. The weld is either sticking on one side only, frequently alternating sides. I try to zig-zag to spread the weld. I end up blowing a hole through the plates. I get a lot of slag between the two sides. I can't seem to see the difference between the metal puddle and the slag. Sometimes a weld comes out good, sometimes its a nightmare. I feel defeated. I'll watch this video 10 times more. Many thanks. Was feeling almost defeated, almost. Much love and respect all the way from Zimbabwe, Africa.
@@autodidacticartisan I'm so envious. I've seen them, what's painful is the delivery cost. $80+. Unless I know someone who is coming back home from the States, its too expensive for me. Unless I buy a whole box of them, that's the only way it would make sense
@@malcolmmutambanengwe3453 you can easily weld 1.2mm and above with 2.4mm rods (12guage). Use stitch welding technique and hold on the arc for 3-4 seconds before pause. Make sure base metal is grinded and shinny, dirty metal is hard to weld.
Ive started practicing welding using electrodes, I usually do MiG or TiG, my main two have been 6013 and 7018. Your videos have been a HUGE help to this learning process
Thanks for another great video Tim 👍 I find 6013 starts really easily and because of that it’s good for tackling parts. I don’t do as much stick welding as I do MIG but i do find all the points you make in this video to be spot on 🙂 Thanks!
@@TimWelds Hi， This is Jane from Qfun, i would love to invite you to test Qfun digital caliper and other tools, are you interested in testing it on your channel? If so, pls let me know how to contact you, thank you in advance. yafantch@gmail.com
I like the way you keep an open mind on 6013s. This electrode is big down in Mexico. Also, the AC only buzz boxes are everywhere. Cheers, from El Paso Texas, take care my friend.👍👍
Wow . . . now I know why my E6013 beads looks so bad . . . your video is very timely Tim . . . back to the shop for more practice! Thanks for sacrificing your time to help new welders!!!!
Hi Tim, interesting video. I grew up on a farm and we had a Forney 180a "plug and chug" (model looks like a "C3") transformer welder. We mostly used 6013 (3/32") as it seemed like you could do no wrong. That's what I learned stick welding with. We were usually fixing something we broke so it was far from ideal welding situations. Always seemed like it was real easy to lay it in there and get it put back together. We ended up with a box of 6011 (1/8") that I got pretty decent with. Dad hated it. It clearly had better penetration, and was generally noisier, more spatter, etc. It was a helluva lot easier to burn through thin stuff with it. But it also made better welds, it seems. Contrary to what you and others have said, the 6011 seemed harder to weld with, for me anyway. Right or wrong, that was my experience. Keep up the good work!
I do the field maintenance weld jobs and fab welding for a relative who owns an Ag/Industrial repair shop. In the field we have a Miller Bobcat 250NT on the truck. I am currently beefing up the cow dividers in a feed lot's cow pens, where the ladies go to lay down under a small roof. Tighten all bolts and then we are wire brushing with a drill, and running 5/32 6013 between the C channel beam and the galvanized flat plates with bolt holes on the ends of the round tubing formed into dividers, keep them tight. Running my fine current control about 7-7.5 on the dial. Burns in nice. I am working kinda blind, witha wall right there, I can't lean in to watch my puddle. All by feel. Slight side to side oscillation, to direct my arc to both surfaces as I drag. It's burning in pretty good.
I have ran tons of 6013 and I come in at a 45° angle for my best results, like you said with a slight gap and definitely try not to thunderbolt it, I also run anywhere between 75 to 95 amps and I move slowly to allow my pool to build and get good penetration on both pieces on 1/4" plate with my ancient Marquette redi-arc buzzbox it's an AC machine. On work that may need some extra strength I cap that with some 7018, but I usually don't have to. I'd like to have an inverter setup like that, it looks nice. I'm not a pro though I've just been hobby welding and working metal for 20 years now, I love 6013 and have ran through pounds and pounds of sticks over the years, it's a fun and fairly easy stick just be careful on thin stuff you'll blow holes like crazy if not careful enough.
The very first rod I used was a 1/16" 6013 and still use it for small and thin stuff. I do more tacking and filling with the small 6013 than laying a bead but it definitely works well and I can use them between 20-50 amps with no problems. I use a 6011 regularly mainly because my area has a small selection of rods.
Very excellent video I’m over 60 and just learning welding as a hobby After months I’m just beginning to getting the knack of close but not touching while welding to hold a continuous strike now I can introduce your tips of angle of rod plus angle of direction travel and I think height of piece to you is important while learning so your comfortable and you can expand height and distance from the metal piece as you improve. I can’t download your chart unfortunately but it looks a great guide very excellent tuition and video great teacher thank you
I'm 16 and I use basically nothing but 6013. I really like they rod I can make some good welds including multipass welds with relative ease. I want to learn 7018 but my stickmate is AC only. I tried those AC 7018 rods and they didn't work very well at all.
So I just bought a Miller Master 161 S welder and purchased 6013 3/32 rods to try for first time. I'm currently in rolled in welding school, about half way through the course. I did like using 6013 but now only using 7018 1/8 and 3/32. Keep up them great video's.
It's good to know. As always, you provide a good video tutorial. Moreover, your english is understandable even for not native english speaker person, like me. Thanks.
This video came in handy. Just bought a $50 Hitbox stick welder. Didn't know anything about the sticks, so i just ordered the Amazon special. Turns out Hobart 6013 1/8". I'll be practicing with mostly thin steel tubing. I'll post my follies on my new U-Tube channel. Thanks for your insights...
I haven't done any welding at all. I decided to try and repair a broken garden support post. The metal is absolute junk but it's what the manufacturer used....Made in China. So yesterday I did my first weld job [small but fun] I bought a DEKO MMA 160/200. A new hood gave me fits at first but finally settled down. All in all I'm pretty satisfied with the results. It ain't pretty but the post was repaired. Thanks for the video
I learned to weld in high school shop 55 years ago on a 180 amp GE buzz box (which I bought at the school auction 45 years ago and still use occasionally), 6013 was the teaching rod for ease of arc start and weld appearance when done correctly. We also used 6011 for material over 3/16" due to better penetration when appearance wasn't an issue. I've just started dabbling with 7018 just for fun, and have used MIG and TIG mainly for years. Stick welding can be a lot of fun on structural steel. Great points, Tim! Thanks for sharing!
02:43 1)Arc length (how far ur electrod is away from ur work piece). In general u dont want the gap really larger than the diameter of the metal part of ur electrod. If u run a 2.5mm electrod, then gap should be no bigger than 2,5mm. 03:16 2)U also cant drag the 6013 electrode right on the surface of the metal part, like u can do with the 7018. With 6013 if u maintain a 0mm gap on the surface of the metal, u will end up sinking into the slag and making a mess. So u do need to maintain a little bit of gap with 6013. 03:37 3)Rod angle. In order for the weld puddle to be even btw both sides, u adjust the rod angle. For a 90` filler weld, i want to bet at a 45`, but since gravity, then im gonna use like a 40` to make sure i get material on the upper plate of metal. 04:08 4)Travel angle. With stick welding u want to be dragging at about 10-15`. That just helps to push that slag back behind u. 04:28 5)Weaving. U can do a very small movement weave with the 6013 electrode, but Tim wouldnt go any wider than the weld pool. One of the biggest problems when u are running the 6013 electrode: If u use too low amperage, that can lead to ur slag looking ok, but once u chip it off, u see that it didnt fuse to both sides of the plate. It is very easy to let the molten slag chase after the weld puddle &engulf it, causing severe porosity. You will need to establish a good puddle &never let the slag chase over the puddle. The molten metal puddle will look shiny and bright, while the molten slag will be dark and more heavy/viscous. A good tip when welding with 6013s is to always establish a good puddle when u first strike the arc, this is a good indication that u are fusing both walls of the metal. Remember, no puddle=no fusion. When to use 6013 electrode? Probably best for sheet metal. In general for any metal that is 3mm or thicker, Tim recommends 6010, 6011 or 7018.
I have the same problem that you show at 5:48 in the video. At 75A it runs too cold. When I turn the amps up to 90A to get a good bead with 3/32", the rod gets too hot. It seems to work better once the base metal has heated up, but the first bead usually has lack of fusion and lots of slag inclusion when it's still cold. Another thing I notice is that when trying to make a weave bead the center of the bead will usually have a lot of slag inclusion. Something else is that when running vertical up the problems are magnified. Stringer beads in flat position seem to be about all that works fairly well. Now, I just use the 6013 rods for practice or when the welds don't have to look good or be strong. Might as well just use 7018 and have a good strong weld that looks right.
@@benkeysor7576 That's been my experience too. My welder is a Hobart stickmate and it practically won't even run 6010 but does OK with 6011 and as I said, it produces a real mess with the 6013. It runs 7018 just fine. I think the problem I have had with the 6013 might be because the only rods I used are some that I got from Fastenal from their clearance catalog. There are probably some other rods that will run better but I don't see any need to get other brands and keep trying them to find out what will work. When I weld thin steel, I use a mig welder so I don't see much use for the 6013 anyway.
For 3/32, 90amps is too much, try 80amps with more slanting angle, 45* drag angle and tight arc, not touching base metal but adjust by touching and lifting and fight a sweet spot.
Great rods, I use 'em overhead, uphill, downhill (for light applications where the bead has to look perfect) underhand, you name it. Great results. Even 2mm plate @30 amps.
Tim, the most important part of a stick electrode is the flux coating which is identified by the last number. (i.e. there is a huge difference between a 6010 and a 6013). The last number is everything when stick welding. It lets you know how to run it, electrode positive, negative, AC and the makeup of the flux.
I have been struggling with my new inverter machine and 6013. I have a Lincoln buzz box like yours (30+ years), and I am going to do a test/comparison just like you did. I am a novice welder, but this 6013 makes me feel clueless sometimes. This vid should help.
I've never had good luck with 6013 but I'll try it again. I'm not much of a welder but always been able to lay a nice bead with 7014 with an old Lincoln Buzz box and can say I've never had a weld break. Not sure why not to use 7014. Great video.
@@jefffrayer8238 I personally dont weld much else besides 7018 - sometimes with a 6010 or 6011 root ... 2nd time in my life I welded 6013 was only to weld those box cutter blades .... I have seen 7014 welded ... but I dont understand why a guy wouldn't just use 7018 instead ....
@zila. Not everyone has access to a DC machine. 7018 SUCKS on AC! Also some material is prone to arc blow. Arc blow disappears with AC. The only thing worse than running 7018 on AC, is restriking. 7018 is notoriously hard to restrike.
@@cammurray8453 i know ! I weld magnetic conveyor rollers with ac to get rid of the arc blow …. There are some special AC rated 7018 rods that run pretty nice ….. otherwise some maintenance rods like MG80T ac are the once i personally prefer … sooo much cleaner, stronger and smoother than 6013 or 7014 on ac and dc !!! And a true all position rod … vertical up or even down ….. no problem ….
Thank you very much for that, i been watching lots of welding videos over the years and i never been more happy with a good explanation and approach like yours!
This is literally the video I needed! I've recently picked up a £150 DC machine and starting learning welding with 6013 rods. I was actually practicing today with 2.4mm rods on 3mm mild steel haha. 90 degree welds are super frustrating, as you've mentioned in the video. I really struggled to weld both pieces together, usually I end up with the weld on the bottom piece or the arc jumps from one to another. Definitely my complete lack of skill, as you've demonstrated it could be done well haha. Great video, I'm all up for more of these beginner 6013 videos! P.S. any suggestions on how to properly restart? Can't seem to get enough heat in the beginning and end up with the blob on top of the first weld :(
It may not be that you lack skill. It may be the rods you are using. Try some 6011 and 7018 and you might notice a world of difference. I wrote about this in a comment above. Here are some of the important variables: Switching the polarity from electrode positive to electrode negative, or the thickness of the base metal, or the temperature of the base metal, or the position you weld, or the diameter of the rod, or the Amps, or the travel speed, etc. There seems to be many ways for it to go wrong and only a few conditions where it will work right. That's been my experience anyway.
Arc jumping and hard restarts are typically an indication of too low of an amperage. 6013s are by far the easiest rods to start an arc on (when compared to other rods like Low-Hydrogen 7018s). I would recommend you try welding on something thicker so you dont blow through that easily (constantly blowing through and getting a bad weld wasn't really good motivation for me when I started out welding). Get some thicker steel plates (I'd say anything about 6mms is good to practice on without blowing through), and use a bigger 6013 rod (you could get 2.6mm or 3.2mm) and make sure to turn the amperage up! Usually there will be recommended amperage values for the rods written on the electrode box itself, those values are good for a starting point but you will need to further fine tune the amperage based on how you feel when you are welding. Also, most of the cheap welding machines will almost never have an accurate amperage number, some will read high and some will read low, again you will need to burn the rod and see what works best for you. Always make sure you're seeing a "puddle" (this is the molten metal and not the slag) when you're welding, if you don't see one then your weld probably isn't come out looking very well. Hope this helps.
@@JarrenW83 Thanks mate. Yeah, I also have 3.2mm 6013s and it is a little easier with thicker materials when you can slow everything down and focus on your technique. Starting it easy with these rods and the machine I believe has an automatic "hot start", at least thats what the product description says. But if I try to restart half way through the bead, I can get the puddle hot enough initially to penetrate and end up with a blob of metal just sitting on top of the material lol. I believe my machine reads high as Its pretty hard to keep the puddle looking nice @75amps or so (unlike in the video). Let say I run first half of the bead @85amps, should I go to 95-100 apm when I restart and just increase my travel speed? At least that way I can get enough head right at the start. That's in my theory, but I don't know what I'm talking about lol
i love to run 6013 rods. I learned to stick weld with 6011 and 6010 rods, which kind of reminded me of solid fuel rocket motors ...then i ran a lot of 7018 rods and like they way they flow out but i hated sticking them and that thing they do, shrinking into the flux coating. Its got to be in my head but 6013's seemed like the best of 6011 + 7018 .....easy arc start at lower amperage and they run steady + the flow-out and mellow arc characteristic of the 7018
Hello, all. i converted my tombstone 225 lincoln, to DC. Using 300 amp bridge rectifier, 600 volt. I also, installed about 65 microfarad capacitor, (large metal oval shaped cannister type, high voltage) across the + and --- negative side, of said rectifier. Then, i added a choke. This was made, using salvaged microwave transformer with all windings removed. Then wound welding cable , 5 turns, onto this core. This then was wired in SERIES with the + electrode. It welds the 70 series rods, better than the 6013 ones, but i can still weld with the AC side, as well. i installed welding plugs/sockets, so as to switch from ad-dc and vice versa. GOOD to all, attempting to improve themselves !!!
Good sir, you are an absolute scholar when it comes to sharing information.. if only the teachers I had going through school had your skills and abilities to teach , I some what think I wouldn't be swinging a hammer for a living... thank you very much.
I usually end up grabbing 6013's on anything 1/8" or thinner and then running on AC or DCEN so I don't burn through as easily. I find you have to lay the travel angle down a little more than other rods to push the slag to the back of the puddle(your angle looked great tho).
I'm still very new to welding, but using the 6013 just to get comfortable striking and running a somewhat competent bead was super helpful to me since it's way easier manipulate to than 6010. If I'd only had 6010 to learn with then I'd have probably quit by the end of the first week. 😂
Correct me if I'm wrong, but my 80's Tombstone should NOT change setting unless powered off?.......I have been doing this with it for 40 years and she still gets it done!
Yes its known as the repair or farmers rod. I will get slag inclusions too but my best solution to this is lots of amps. I drag the stick at a very low angle to force the slag away and just contact on the flux and drag the rod at the bottom of the joint and basically feed it in as it is consumed. Smaller weld bead but no slag inclusions and much neater weld.
Hi Tim I use the 6013 all the time being a beginner I have advanced quite well thanks to your previous video's, you suggested white chalk to me some time ago to keep me from wandering off my weld line it has helped a lot but but I still occasionally wander. I have to wear glasses for all occasions and seem to just see the ark, maybe I'm doing something wrong or do you think it may happen to other spectacle wearer's. Thank you so much for your video's they have been such a good help to me.
Did u hv a uv block or photocromic glasses? If that is the case i think thats why you only see the arc.. Weld produce a lot of uv arc actually. Or you might consider an adjustable/auto darkening helmet that can cater to your eye need..
I don't have much trouble with them, but I do tend to weld on the hot side. I would have done a test weld at 80amps, that's where I would have begun . As you say, it's a bit subjective. I have an Excelarc 200 portable inverter that runs them smooth as, you do have to smack the amps in a bit though.
Ooh man, your 6013 welds on 1/8 inch look so much better than mine, though you've probably welded more in one day than I've welded in my entire life. Good to know it can look that smooth though, and without doing over 100 amps! Thanks for the tips, I've got a 5lb box of 3/32 6013 just sitting waiting for me to burn them... I'll probably grab a pound of 7018 just to try out at some point. Got a few lawnmower related projects to get to. I know you've got the tig not the mig yeswelder, but maybe you have another cheapie machine with so called "synergic" settings, where you don't set ipm wfs and voltage but instead have like a material thickness and a kind-of amperage dial? All the info I can find online for flux core (I don't have a bottle yet) is more about the normal settings and the "synergic" ones my mig yeswelder has just baffle me. It's not easier if nobody else talks about the settings! I made a project with it, but it felt weird like I wasn't sure I was doing it right. (Part of that is probably because I had seen advice on that machine to switch it to mig mode for thinner material even with flux core, because it will let you turn it down lower, but then I had trigger delay from mig "pre-flow" I guess)
Hi Tim, I'm fairly new to welding and to date have used only 6013 and despite trying my best to to follow your great instruction videos, I'm still producing poor welds including going through material, making a hole, spatter and also finding that many parts of the weld fall only on one piece of the metal and not the other. I have 2 questions for now. 1) How do I fix a hole created by going too slowly (I think this is most likely the cause as I try to stay close and don't go beyond 70-75A on 2mm thick square section) and 2) I try to clean up and re-weld most of my welds to improve their looks and strength. Is this recommended and do you have any guidelines for 'weld-fixing'. Perhaps this can be the subject of one of your videos! Thanks, Neil
Use them on every conveyor i weld. Run 120 amps slight weave and i leave a beautiful weld. Do hold a tight arc. No undercut like i say beautiful weld can knock slag of with my next rod. Easy rod to use i prefer 7018 but they can be aggravating at times
On Darlington’s Farms channel he made a video a few years back using 6013 to weld up his buddy’s trailer hitch!!!! If I remember right, he used 5/32” or maybe even 3/16”, I just don’t remember now. But while his welds “looked” beautiful, 6013 is not known to be used for trailer hitches, as it’s not as strong nor ductile as 7018!
Wish I would have found this before and not after my run to tractor supply run and everything was sold out but this. 65a and I just couldn't see the pool like 6010 or 7018. Gonna try it on some sheet metal to see if that jazzs better.
Other than the low tolerance for an unsteady hand……I like 6013 rods for outside edges or working near the bitter end of material. Less chances of burn through when compared to 6011 or 7018 in the same application.
6013 takes quite a few more amps to weld properly compared to 7018. for some reason the 7018 is more energy efficient when it comes to penetration vs amperage. the nice thing about 6013 is you can get them dirt cheap (10 bucks per kg) and they restrike fantastically. not so with 7018. The welds are definitely weaker, but this only matters in a situation where the weld is under really heavy stress. I just recently welded a bunch of U-profiles with 3mm wall thickness. that took about 90A with 2.5mm electrodes. a 7018 would probably run just as hot on that material with 70A
I admit that I’m not fond of stick welding, particularly indoors, even with an exhaust. So I rarely do it. So my stick isn’t great. Because of that, I’d rather use a 70xx material just because it’s stronger. So if I’m not getting the best weld, it’s still going to be stronger than lower rated material. For most welding, I really don’t see the need for stick at all. I know where it’s better, it I also know when it’s not.
i find 6013s great to use for quick jobs, but its hard to see the puddle, it helps really push the rod against the metal not as if you wanted to go throuh but carresing it.
6013 is the main welding rod that you will find in the PHILIPPINES so I am living with it. I find this welding rod difficult to weld a sch 40 pipe to a half inch plate steel with out using a weave or a whip style process or I will get that gap where the weld bead is not fusing to the upper thinner pipe. It's more like a burn through or a non fused weld bead...
5:43: So that's exactly the result I was getting in my welds, welding thin vs thick plates. I assume I'll need to improve my technique to be allowed to use more amps. Any suggestions for welding plate with different thickness? Thanks for sharing your knowledge, un abrazo amigo!!
Running 6013 on a Lincoln Portable inverter for farm style work,mixed metals and mixed thicknesses. Generally they perform well but I find 6013 a bitch on verticals. Had a heap of 5mm bolt plates to 3mm hot dip gal pipes today and the 6013 was all over the place, with a heap of grief, plates won't come off, but welds are not pretty! Would love to find a better rod for this, but don't have too many options in a small country town, nearest big town is 6hrs trip!.
I've been making bar stools with 2mm square tube and 6013 electrodes(started with 2mm but the perpendicular welds didn't worked that good, now I'm using 2,4mm) and I'm using a Stanley inverter at 80 amp but most of the times I get the same result as your example for low amp(5:47) , when I try to go slower it burns through, I've been watching my rod angles and I don't think that's the problem 😕 any suggestions? And thanks for your videos, I've been improving a lot thanks to them 😁 Keep up the good work 💪
Try turning up the amperage a little from where you are and you may be able to run a little faster. Beyond that, just make sure your angles and arc length are right. If I were you, I’d get some 3mm material to practice tee joints with until you get the hang of it. Hang in there; stick welding material that thin is definitely challenging.
@@TimWelds with 3mm I have no problems, I'll try your tip, I haven't done that yet because I thought I was already running high for that thickness, but your probably right, just need more training 😅
Working with sticks on thin metal is a challenge. I think there are three possible solutions; 1) get a wire welder, 2) get thicker materials, or 3) accept that most welds won't be pretty or according to code.
Top video Tim as always 👌 I do a lot of repairs on equipment out in the field I have a 7 and a half horse power Honda 200Amp AC welder I never had any issues and the only rod I used is 6013 but since I have started watching RUclips I think it's a DC I need , I tried running a 4mill 7018 one time and my 200amp would hardly even light it up, if I bought a DC inverter could I still run 6013
Cool thing with welding is that it can be learned in 2 hours. I just used the instructions that come with the welder, and all my welds are ok. I also test the welds, and it's generally stronger than the base metal if done correctly. I'm not sure what a bad weld looks like, all of my welds always look like the one at 2:47 using my 120A Hyundai MMA inverter welder that I bought for less than $100
Hi Tim, thanks as always for your excellent videos. I still use my stick welder occasionally and find your electrode chart very helpful. Before I screen capture and print it, Is it available as a JPEG or PDF - or better yet - as a laminated "for sale" item? Thanks!
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I frequently run 6013s at work, I wouldn't say it is the easier rod to learn on (beginners are typically recommended this rod because of how easy you can start an arc on it), but with that said I don't think it's a great rod to use if you dont have a whole lot of experience in welding.
Based on my personal experience, I started learning stick welding with 6013 and I didn't actually learn the fundamentals of stick welding until I tried burning other rods like E7018 and E7016 mainly because I didn't know how to distinguish the puddle from the molten slag.
A big issue with 6013s is the slag and the puddle, it is very easy to let the molten slag chase after the puddle and engulf the actual weld puddle causing severe porosity (the slag holes you see in the video), this is also due to the puddle not fusing to both walls on the base material properly.
To avoid this issue, as Tim has pointed out in his video, you will need to establish a good puddle and never let the slag chase over the puddle. The molten metal puddle will look shiny and bright while the molten slag will be dark and more heavy/less fluid. A good tip when welding with 6013s is to always establish a good puddle when you first strike the arc, this is a good indication to make sure that you are fusing both sides of the wall in your weld. Remember, no puddle=no fusion.
I hope my advice is useful to anyone that's using 6013s.
Thank you!
I am having trouble starting an AC arc with 7018 1/8" rod, until it eventually starts and keeps going easily. Too many amps help, but blows holes in the steel.
Is difficulty starting due to rod temperature or is that my imagination?
@@firstmkb Hi Kevin, 7018 electrodes are hard to start by nature, the filler metal seems to always burn back and get burried into the flux when the arc is terminated, this may be due to the Low-Hydrogen flux coating of the rod. I usually just carefully break off a bit of flux on the tip of the rod before I start, this helps with the arc initiation.
Also, if you're facing problems when using 7018s on AC current, the most obvious and probable reason to this (if you are not yet aware) may be because you're not using the right 7018 rods. For AC application, you will need to use E7018 AC rods, these 7018 rods are specifically designed to run on AC.
Normal 7018 rods will only best with Direct Current and not so well with Alternating Current.
Hope this helps.
Jarren Wong thanks!
You called out the exact reason I came to this video as I learn how to weld, really bad porosity and lack of connection, thanks for the advice!
@@Tsizzle-ns8br I also find that on 6013 I lay the travel angle down more than usual to help push the slag to the back of the puddle.
Thank you sir! Very educational! Now I know why I have holes and gaps in my welds with 6013. I guess my amps were too low. I should also better adjust my rod angle.
Sounds more like long arcing and moving too fast
I’ve always had the classic love/hate relationship with the 6013. I learned the basics of welding in high school shop using 6013’s and those big Lincoln Idealarc AC machines with the crank wheel on the front. After graduation in ‘78 I certified and for the next 40+ years burned nothing but 6010’s & 7018’s. I loved the way 6013 started and burned, but hated chipping off the slag only to find slag inclusions and what I call “weld vaginas” in the end crater! I’m retired now, and much like you I have a fondness for those tombstones, and although I have and stick/TIG machines, I use the buzz box more often than not! I noticed on one of the RUclips welding channels from India that the guy was using green 6013’s and not having any issues with trapped slag and blowouts, si questioned the brand. Turns out it’s an ESAB Sureweld 6013. I had my local supplier get me some and I can honestly say that by far that is the best 6013 I’ve ever burned! Highly recommend them to anyone with an AC low OCV welder! I get them in 5lb. plastic containers.
Those guys are great welder 😅
Just ordered some. Hope they're good. I'm pretty amateur, haha.
Hello there. Actually in most of Europe 6013 is the most used electrodes. If you enter almost any hardware store and ask for general purpose electrodes you will almost for sure get some kind of 6013.
I use the 6013 all the time on my 230 amp inverter welder, so much fun, especially when you build sculptures, like spoon art. Thanks for your tips, I’m no pro, and never taken a course, but I still pride myself on the home welding jobs👍
Dear TW,
You were actually the first professional I saw across my timeline in regards to welding. I made the jump and purchased a machine and tools because welding was always a mystery to me. Welders are an elite group of men and women. When you are capable of building, the world will be in awe of you singing praises to your name.
Thank you for the videos. They're guiding me especially with your instructions in the manner in which you've presented.
Great job, man!
Panther Strike
A thousand thanks Tim. Am learning to weld, got myself a small DC welding machine. Goes up to 250 amps. I have been having difficulty with thin (1,2 to 1,6mm steel), when they are at right angles. I am using 6013, 12 gauge rods, using between 60 to 90 amps, DCEN. The weld is either sticking on one side only, frequently alternating sides. I try to zig-zag to spread the weld. I end up blowing a hole through the plates. I get a lot of slag between the two sides. I can't seem to see the difference between the metal puddle and the slag. Sometimes a weld comes out good, sometimes its a nightmare. I feel defeated. I'll watch this video 10 times more. Many thanks. Was feeling almost defeated, almost. Much love and respect all the way from Zimbabwe, Africa.
Maybe try smaller rods if you can find them. And put an aluminum heat sink behind the work if possible
@@autodidacticartisan the heat sink idea sounds good, unfortunately smaller rod's are hard to come by. My welding has also improved 👌😊
@@malcolmmutambanengwe3453 here in the states(on Amazon) you can get 16gauge(1/16") electrodes in 6013. Theyre $7usd a pound
@@autodidacticartisan I'm so envious. I've seen them, what's painful is the delivery cost. $80+. Unless I know someone who is coming back home from the States, its too expensive for me. Unless I buy a whole box of them, that's the only way it would make sense
@@malcolmmutambanengwe3453 you can easily weld 1.2mm and above with 2.4mm rods (12guage).
Use stitch welding technique and hold on the arc for 3-4 seconds before pause.
Make sure base metal is grinded and shinny, dirty metal is hard to weld.
Ive started practicing welding using electrodes, I usually do MiG or TiG, my main two have been 6013 and 7018. Your videos have been a HUGE help to this learning process
Thanks for another great video Tim 👍
I find 6013 starts really easily and because of that it’s good for tackling parts. I don’t do as much stick welding as I do MIG but i do find all the points you make in this video to be spot on 🙂
Thanks!
Thanks Mike! I’m not sure why, but I love the simplicity of stick welding. That being said, I run a lot more MIG than I do anything else.
@@TimWelds Hi，
This is Jane from Qfun, i would love to invite you to test Qfun digital caliper and other tools, are you interested in testing it on your channel? If so, pls let me know how to contact you, thank you in advance. yafantch@gmail.com
I like the way you keep an open mind on 6013s. This electrode is big down in Mexico. Also, the AC only buzz boxes are everywhere. Cheers, from El Paso Texas, take care my friend.👍👍
Wow . . . now I know why my E6013 beads looks so bad . . . your video is very timely Tim . . . back to the shop for more practice! Thanks for sacrificing your time to help new welders!!!!
Hi Tim, interesting video.
I grew up on a farm and we had a Forney 180a "plug and chug" (model looks like a "C3") transformer welder. We mostly used 6013 (3/32") as it seemed like you could do no wrong. That's what I learned stick welding with. We were usually fixing something we broke so it was far from ideal welding situations. Always seemed like it was real easy to lay it in there and get it put back together.
We ended up with a box of 6011 (1/8") that I got pretty decent with. Dad hated it. It clearly had better penetration, and was generally noisier, more spatter, etc. It was a helluva lot easier to burn through thin stuff with it. But it also made better welds, it seems. Contrary to what you and others have said, the 6011 seemed harder to weld with, for me anyway. Right or wrong, that was my experience.
Keep up the good work!
I wish all instructional videos were as clear, concise, well organized and clearly presented as this one. Thank you.
Reilly appreciate the metric conversions, Thank you. Here 6013 is the standard for at home use. (Afrox Vitemax welds great)
Good to see people from SA here. Have you ever had to weld a pipe in the 6g position with 6013?
Don’t own a welder, yet, thanks for quickly talking about the basic parts. Videos are fantastic and straight forward.
Hope you got one and started welding!
Omg, i faced the problem of the slug blending in the metal for the 6013 rod today. You saved my day, thanks sir.
I do the field maintenance weld jobs and fab welding for a relative who owns an Ag/Industrial repair shop. In the field we have a Miller Bobcat 250NT on the truck. I am currently beefing up the cow dividers in a feed lot's cow pens, where the ladies go to lay down under a small roof. Tighten all bolts and then we are wire brushing with a drill, and running 5/32 6013 between the C channel beam and the galvanized flat plates with bolt holes on the ends of the round tubing formed into dividers, keep them tight. Running my fine current control about 7-7.5 on the dial. Burns in nice. I am working kinda blind, witha wall right there, I can't lean in to watch my puddle. All by feel. Slight side to side oscillation, to direct my arc to both surfaces as I drag. It's burning in pretty good.
I have ran tons of 6013 and I come in at a 45° angle for my best results, like you said with a slight gap and definitely try not to thunderbolt it, I also run anywhere between 75 to 95 amps and I move slowly to allow my pool to build and get good penetration on both pieces on 1/4" plate with my ancient Marquette redi-arc buzzbox it's an AC machine. On work that may need some extra strength I cap that with some 7018, but I usually don't have to. I'd like to have an inverter setup like that, it looks nice. I'm not a pro though I've just been hobby welding and working metal for 20 years now, I love 6013 and have ran through pounds and pounds of sticks over the years, it's a fun and fairly easy stick just be careful on thin stuff you'll blow holes like crazy if not careful enough.
The very first rod I used was a 1/16" 6013 and still use it for small and thin stuff. I do more tacking and filling with the small 6013 than laying a bead but it definitely works well and I can use them between 20-50 amps with no problems. I use a 6011 regularly mainly because my area has a small selection of rods.
Very excellent video I’m over 60 and just learning welding as a hobby After months I’m just beginning to getting the knack of close but not touching while welding to hold a continuous strike now I can introduce your tips of angle of rod plus angle of direction travel and I think height of piece to you is important while learning so your comfortable and you can expand height and distance from the metal piece as you improve. I can’t download your chart unfortunately but it looks a great guide very excellent tuition and video great teacher thank you
I'm 16 and I use basically nothing but 6013. I really like they rod I can make some good welds including multipass welds with relative ease. I want to learn 7018 but my stickmate is AC only. I tried those AC 7018 rods and they didn't work very well at all.
So I just bought a Miller Master 161 S welder and purchased 6013 3/32 rods to try for first time. I'm currently in rolled in welding school, about half way through the course. I did like using 6013 but now only using 7018 1/8 and 3/32. Keep up them great video's.
It's good to know. As always, you provide a good video tutorial. Moreover, your english is understandable even for not native english speaker person, like me. Thanks.
This video came in handy.
Just bought a $50 Hitbox stick welder. Didn't know anything about the sticks, so i just ordered the Amazon special. Turns out Hobart 6013 1/8". I'll be practicing with mostly thin steel tubing. I'll post my follies on my new U-Tube channel.
Thanks for your insights...
you make some great videos for those of us who are beginners. Thank you sir
I haven't done any welding at all. I decided to try and repair a broken garden support post.
The metal is absolute junk but it's what the manufacturer used....Made in China.
So yesterday I did my first weld job [small but fun] I bought a DEKO MMA 160/200.
A new hood gave me fits at first but finally settled down.
All in all I'm pretty satisfied with the results. It ain't pretty but the post was repaired.
Thanks for the video
i"m using this electrode but my welding skills was really suck but still trying to practice
I feel you bro
I learned to weld in high school shop 55 years ago on a 180 amp GE buzz box (which I bought at the school auction 45 years ago and still use occasionally), 6013 was the teaching rod for ease of arc start and weld appearance when done correctly. We also used 6011 for material over 3/16" due to better penetration when appearance wasn't an issue. I've just started dabbling with 7018 just for fun, and have used MIG and TIG mainly for years. Stick welding can be a lot of fun on structural steel. Great points, Tim! Thanks for sharing!
02:43 1)Arc length (how far ur electrod is away from ur work piece).
In general u dont want the gap really larger than the diameter of the metal part of ur electrod.
If u run a 2.5mm electrod, then gap should be no bigger than 2,5mm.
03:16 2)U also cant drag the 6013 electrode right on the surface of the metal part, like u can do with the 7018.
With 6013 if u maintain a 0mm gap on the surface of the metal, u will end up sinking into the slag and making a mess.
So u do need to maintain a little bit of gap with 6013.
03:37 3)Rod angle. In order for the weld puddle to be even btw both sides, u adjust the rod angle.
For a 90` filler weld, i want to bet at a 45`, but since gravity, then im gonna use like a 40` to make sure i get material on the upper plate of metal.
04:08 4)Travel angle. With stick welding u want to be dragging at about 10-15`. That just helps to push that slag back behind u.
04:28 5)Weaving. U can do a very small movement weave with the 6013 electrode, but Tim wouldnt go any wider than the weld pool.
One of the biggest problems when u are running the 6013 electrode:
If u use too low amperage, that can lead to ur slag looking ok, but once u chip it off, u see that it didnt fuse to both sides of the plate.
It is very easy to let the molten slag chase after the weld puddle &engulf it, causing severe porosity.
You will need to establish a good puddle &never let the slag chase over the puddle.
The molten metal puddle will look shiny and bright, while the molten slag will be dark and more heavy/viscous.
A good tip when welding with 6013s is to always establish a good puddle when u first strike the arc, this is a good indication that u are fusing both walls of the metal.
Remember, no puddle=no fusion.
When to use 6013 electrode? Probably best for sheet metal.
In general for any metal that is 3mm or thicker, Tim recommends 6010, 6011 or 7018.
Try 7014 for sheet metal, works great for me.
I have the same problem that you show at 5:48 in the video. At 75A it runs too cold. When I turn the amps up to 90A to get a good bead with 3/32", the rod gets too hot. It seems to work better once the base metal has heated up, but the first bead usually has lack of fusion and lots of slag inclusion when it's still cold. Another thing I notice is that when trying to make a weave bead the center of the bead will usually have a lot of slag inclusion. Something else is that when running vertical up the problems are magnified. Stringer beads in flat position seem to be about all that works fairly well. Now, I just use the 6013 rods for practice or when the welds don't have to look good or be strong. Might as well just use 7018 and have a good strong weld that looks right.
A 7018 is going to lay a wider and much nicer/cleaner bead than any 60__ will.
@@benkeysor7576 That's been my experience too. My welder is a Hobart stickmate and it practically won't even run 6010 but does OK with 6011 and as I said, it produces a real mess with the 6013. It runs 7018 just fine. I think the problem I have had with the 6013 might be because the only rods I used are some that I got from Fastenal from their clearance catalog. There are probably some other rods that will run better but I don't see any need to get other brands and keep trying them to find out what will work. When I weld thin steel, I use a mig welder so I don't see much use for the 6013 anyway.
For 3/32, 90amps is too much, try 80amps with more slanting angle, 45* drag angle and tight arc, not touching base metal but adjust by touching and lifting and fight a sweet spot.
@@AS-ug2vq Is it important to have a shallow drag angle (like 45*) instead of more upright (like 15*) as is used with 7018?
Great rods, I use 'em overhead, uphill, downhill (for light applications where the bead has to look perfect) underhand, you name it. Great results. Even 2mm plate @30 amps.
Tim, the most important part of a stick electrode is the flux coating which is identified by the last number. (i.e. there is a huge difference between a 6010 and a 6013). The last number is everything when stick welding. It lets you know how to run it, electrode positive, negative, AC and the makeup of the flux.
Thanks Roberto! That’s exactly why I’m doing these videos focusing on the very basics of each rod.
When the last number is 8, for 7018, what does that mean in terms of current?
Talked about and demonstrated exactly what I was trying to learn. Thank you so much for this!
Build a steel yacht, 6013 rods, welder ac 230v, mounted a large capacitor on 230v supply smoothed out welding and appearance minimising grinding
I have been struggling with my new inverter machine and 6013. I have a Lincoln buzz box like yours (30+ years), and I am going to do a test/comparison just like you did. I am a novice welder, but this 6013 makes me feel clueless sometimes. This vid should help.
6013 is good for welding box cutter blades … a good overall “farm” rod…
I've never had good luck with 6013 but I'll try it again. I'm not much of a welder but always been able to lay a nice bead with 7014 with an old Lincoln Buzz box and can say I've never had a weld break. Not sure why not to use 7014. Great video.
@@jefffrayer8238 I personally dont weld much else besides 7018 - sometimes with a 6010 or 6011 root ... 2nd time in my life I welded 6013 was only to weld those box cutter blades .... I have seen 7014 welded ... but I dont understand why a guy wouldn't just use 7018 instead ....
@zila. Not everyone has access to a DC machine. 7018 SUCKS on AC! Also some material is prone to arc blow. Arc blow disappears with AC. The only thing worse than running 7018 on AC, is restriking. 7018 is notoriously hard to restrike.
@@cammurray8453 i know ! I weld magnetic conveyor rollers with ac to get rid of the arc blow ….
There are some special AC rated 7018 rods that run pretty nice …..
otherwise some maintenance rods like MG80T ac are the once i personally prefer … sooo much cleaner, stronger and smoother than 6013 or 7014 on ac and dc !!! And a true all position rod … vertical up or even down ….. no problem ….
I learned how to weld on 7018 ac rod, and I like it allot. Especially because no arc blow.
Thank you very much for that, i been watching lots of welding videos over the years and i never been more happy with a good explanation and approach like yours!
Excellent knowledge explained to the layman! I always look you up before projects. 🙏
This guy has pretty good videos. I've seen many of them. Thanks for posting !!
This is literally the video I needed!
I've recently picked up a £150 DC machine and starting learning welding with 6013 rods. I was actually practicing today with 2.4mm rods on 3mm mild steel haha.
90 degree welds are super frustrating, as you've mentioned in the video. I really struggled to weld both pieces together, usually I end up with the weld on the bottom piece or the arc jumps from one to another. Definitely my complete lack of skill, as you've demonstrated it could be done well haha.
Great video, I'm all up for more of these beginner 6013 videos!
P.S. any suggestions on how to properly restart? Can't seem to get enough heat in the beginning and end up with the blob on top of the first weld :(
😀
It may not be that you lack skill. It may be the rods you are using. Try some 6011 and 7018 and you might notice a world of difference. I wrote about this in a comment above. Here are some of the important variables: Switching the polarity from electrode positive to electrode negative, or the thickness of the base metal, or the temperature of the base metal, or the position you weld, or the diameter of the rod, or the Amps, or the travel speed, etc. There seems to be many ways for it to go wrong and only a few conditions where it will work right. That's been my experience anyway.
Arc jumping and hard restarts are typically an indication of too low of an amperage. 6013s are by far the easiest rods to start an arc on (when compared to other rods like Low-Hydrogen 7018s).
I would recommend you try welding on something thicker so you dont blow through that easily (constantly blowing through and getting a bad weld wasn't really good motivation for me when I started out welding). Get some thicker steel plates (I'd say anything about 6mms is good to practice on without blowing through), and use a bigger 6013 rod (you could get 2.6mm or 3.2mm) and make sure to turn the amperage up! Usually there will be recommended amperage values for the rods written on the electrode box itself, those values are good for a starting point but you will need to further fine tune the amperage based on how you feel when you are welding. Also, most of the cheap welding machines will almost never have an accurate amperage number, some will read high and some will read low, again you will need to burn the rod and see what works best for you. Always make sure you're seeing a "puddle" (this is the molten metal and not the slag) when you're welding, if you don't see one then your weld probably isn't come out looking very well.
Hope this helps.
@@JarrenW83 Thanks mate.
Yeah, I also have 3.2mm 6013s and it is a little easier with thicker materials when you can slow everything down and focus on your technique.
Starting it easy with these rods and the machine I believe has an automatic "hot start", at least thats what the product description says. But if I try to restart half way through the bead, I can get the puddle hot enough initially to penetrate and end up with a blob of metal just sitting on top of the material lol. I believe my machine reads high as Its pretty hard to keep the puddle looking nice @75amps or so (unlike in the video). Let say I run first half of the bead @85amps, should I go to 95-100 apm when I restart and just increase my travel speed? At least that way I can get enough head right at the start. That's in my theory, but I don't know what I'm talking about lol
@@fastbusiness isn't 6010/11 not very suitable for sheet metal due to high penetration? I'm mostly doing thin stuff 2-3mm or so.
i love to run 6013 rods. I learned to stick weld with 6011 and 6010 rods, which kind of reminded me of solid fuel rocket motors ...then i ran a lot of 7018 rods and like they way they flow out but i hated sticking them and that thing they do, shrinking into the flux coating. Its got to be in my head but 6013's seemed like the best of 6011 + 7018 .....easy arc start at lower amperage and they run steady + the flow-out and mellow arc characteristic of the 7018
You’re videos are EXCEPTIONAL!!! My go to welding guru!
Hello, all. i converted my tombstone 225 lincoln, to DC. Using 300 amp bridge rectifier, 600 volt. I also, installed about 65 microfarad capacitor, (large metal oval shaped cannister type, high voltage) across the + and --- negative side, of said rectifier. Then, i added a choke. This was made, using salvaged microwave transformer with all windings removed. Then wound welding cable , 5 turns, onto this core. This then was wired in SERIES with the + electrode. It welds the 70 series rods, better than the 6013 ones, but i can still weld with the AC side, as well. i installed welding plugs/sockets, so as to switch from ad-dc and vice versa. GOOD to all, attempting to improve themselves !!!
Good sir, you are an absolute scholar when it comes to sharing information.. if only the teachers I had going through school had your skills and abilities to teach , I some what think I wouldn't be swinging a hammer for a living... thank you very much.
I like the scenarios you always demostrate.
This is the rod I use in my high school class. I’ve found that it’s really easy to just move in a straight line at about 110 amps.
Tried 6013 today. I've only run 6010 and 7018. I think I like 6010 better. Anything less than an 1/8in it does just fine in my opinion.
Hi, thank for the educational. I have never known the angles as self taught
I usually end up grabbing 6013's on anything 1/8" or thinner and then running on AC or DCEN so I don't burn through as easily. I find you have to lay the travel angle down a little more than other rods to push the slag to the back of the puddle(your angle looked great tho).
Hello. I am self taught and for my needs the 6013 is all I use with my 50 year old Lincoln 225.
Thanks, got a few of my faults answered, and in the town I live we get only 6013, nothing else
I'm still very new to welding, but using the 6013 just to get comfortable striking and running a somewhat competent bead was super helpful to me since it's way easier manipulate to than 6010. If I'd only had 6010 to learn with then I'd have probably quit by the end of the first week. 😂
Tnx Tim this video helped especially to me! Exactly what I need to know about thin metal!!
Thanks for the refresher, Tim.
Another excellent video. Good information and practical advice.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but my 80's Tombstone should NOT change setting unless powered off?.......I have been doing this with it for 40 years and she still gets it done!
Your a absolute legend I just started welding not long ago and using 6013 rods this video will help so much keep it up
We always called 6013 a farmer rod. Runs pretty good on dirty metal whereas 7018 likes much cleaner metal.
Yes its known as the repair or farmers rod. I will get slag inclusions too but my best solution to this is lots of amps. I drag the stick at a very low angle to force the slag away and just contact on the flux and drag the rod at the bottom of the joint and basically feed it in as it is consumed. Smaller weld bead but no slag inclusions and much neater weld.
Hi Tim I use the 6013 all the time being a beginner I have advanced quite well thanks to your previous video's, you suggested white chalk to me some time ago to keep me from wandering off my weld line it has helped a lot but but I still occasionally wander. I have to wear glasses for all occasions and seem to just see the ark, maybe I'm doing something wrong or do you think it may happen to other spectacle wearer's. Thank you so much for your video's they have been such a good help to me.
Did u hv a uv block or photocromic glasses? If that is the case i think thats why you only see the arc.. Weld produce a lot of uv arc actually. Or you might consider an adjustable/auto darkening helmet that can cater to your eye need..
I don't have much trouble with them, but I do tend to weld on the hot side.
I would have done a test weld at 80amps, that's where I would have begun . As you say, it's a bit subjective. I have an Excelarc 200 portable inverter that runs them smooth as, you do have to smack the amps in a bit though.
Thanks for the sheet, it's really helpful!
Ooh man, your 6013 welds on 1/8 inch look so much better than mine, though you've probably welded more in one day than I've welded in my entire life. Good to know it can look that smooth though, and without doing over 100 amps! Thanks for the tips, I've got a 5lb box of 3/32 6013 just sitting waiting for me to burn them... I'll probably grab a pound of 7018 just to try out at some point. Got a few lawnmower related projects to get to.
I know you've got the tig not the mig yeswelder, but maybe you have another cheapie machine with so called "synergic" settings, where you don't set ipm wfs and voltage but instead have like a material thickness and a kind-of amperage dial? All the info I can find online for flux core (I don't have a bottle yet) is more about the normal settings and the "synergic" ones my mig yeswelder has just baffle me. It's not easier if nobody else talks about the settings! I made a project with it, but it felt weird like I wasn't sure I was doing it right. (Part of that is probably because I had seen advice on that machine to switch it to mig mode for thinner material even with flux core, because it will let you turn it down lower, but then I had trigger delay from mig "pre-flow" I guess)
Thanks man 😌 that issue with the low amps on that 6013 I was having lol keep it up
Nice slag weld ,well explain amperes chart ,travel ,rod 6013
Thank you very much for posting!
Works well fixing coral panels. Very thin tubing. 1/16 6013 @ 35 amps ac
Hi Tim, I'm fairly new to welding and to date have used only 6013 and despite trying my best to to follow your great instruction videos, I'm still producing poor welds including going through material, making a hole, spatter and also finding that many parts of the weld fall only on one piece of the metal and not the other. I have 2 questions for now. 1) How do I fix a hole created by going too slowly (I think this is most likely the cause as I try to stay close and don't go beyond 70-75A on 2mm thick square section) and 2) I try to clean up and re-weld most of my welds to improve their looks and strength. Is this recommended and do you have any guidelines for 'weld-fixing'. Perhaps this can be the subject of one of your videos! Thanks, Neil
70-75 amps in my opinion is too hot for 2mm. Everything other than an inside corner I would weld at lower amps.
Use them on every conveyor i weld. Run 120 amps slight weave and i leave a beautiful weld. Do hold a tight arc. No undercut like i say beautiful weld can knock slag of with my next rod. Easy rod to use i prefer 7018 but they can be aggravating at times
I asked for this in past, thanks a lot
Used a back step method on all welds had double chines no warping 3/16 plate m/s rotation of hull makes it easier
On Darlington’s Farms channel he made a video a few years back using 6013 to weld up his buddy’s trailer hitch!!!! If I remember right, he used 5/32” or maybe even 3/16”, I just don’t remember now. But while his welds “looked” beautiful, 6013 is not known to be used for trailer hitches, as it’s not as strong nor ductile as 7018!
Great video. I love running 6013
Thank you
Wish I would have found this before and not after my run to tractor supply run and everything was sold out but this. 65a and I just couldn't see the pool like 6010 or 7018. Gonna try it on some sheet metal to see if that jazzs better.
Good demonstration bro
Other than the low tolerance for an unsteady hand……I like 6013 rods for outside edges or working near the bitter end of material. Less chances of burn through when compared to 6011 or 7018 in the same application.
I'm from the UK and 6013 is all you can buy
I love running 1/8 inch 6013 on dc- at 110 amps on my everlast
6013 takes quite a few more amps to weld properly compared to 7018. for some reason the 7018 is more energy efficient when it comes to penetration vs amperage. the nice thing about 6013 is you can get them dirt cheap (10 bucks per kg) and they restrike fantastically. not so with 7018. The welds are definitely weaker, but this only matters in a situation where the weld is under really heavy stress.
I just recently welded a bunch of U-profiles with 3mm wall thickness. that took about 90A with 2.5mm electrodes. a 7018 would probably run just as hot on that material with 70A
6012 is the old school version of this. That's what we started with in trade school. They even pipe line with the 6012/13 overseas
True. In China all pipe and structural welding all done using 6013
Thank you tim!!!
No problem!
I admit that I’m not fond of stick welding, particularly indoors, even with an exhaust. So I rarely do it. So my stick isn’t great. Because of that, I’d rather use a 70xx material just because it’s stronger. So if I’m not getting the best weld, it’s still going to be stronger than lower rated material. For most welding, I really don’t see the need for stick at all. I know where it’s better, it I also know when it’s not.
Thanks 🙏 Beautiful works
Thanks Tim. Looking forward to practising some more.
S
i find 6013s great to use for quick jobs, but its hard to see the puddle, it helps really push the rod against the metal not as if you wanted to go throuh but carresing it.
6013 is the main welding rod that you will find in the PHILIPPINES so I am living with it. I find this welding rod difficult to weld a sch 40 pipe to a half inch plate steel with out using a weave or a whip style process or I will get that gap where the weld bead is not fusing to the upper thinner pipe. It's more like a burn through or a non fused weld bead...
Am going to try that type rod
Can you please make a whole video reviewing the ESAB 180 welder, there are not that many good reviews of it !!!
I’m new to welding, should I go for 6013s or 7018s?
I’m hoping to be welding sculptures etc. All advice will be welcome. Thanks 👍🏽
Wow! Way to go ! From Brazil 😀
Fantastic videos thank you
5:43: So that's exactly the result I was getting in my welds, welding thin vs thick plates.
I assume I'll need to improve my technique to be allowed to use more amps.
Any suggestions for welding plate with different thickness? Thanks for sharing your knowledge, un abrazo amigo!!
Running 6013 on a Lincoln Portable inverter for farm style work,mixed metals and mixed thicknesses. Generally they perform well but I find 6013 a bitch on verticals. Had a heap of 5mm bolt plates to 3mm hot dip gal pipes today and the 6013 was all over the place, with a heap of grief, plates won't come off, but welds are not pretty! Would love to find a better rod for this, but don't have too many options in a small country town, nearest big town is 6hrs trip!.
I've been making bar stools with 2mm square tube and 6013 electrodes(started with 2mm but the perpendicular welds didn't worked that good, now I'm using 2,4mm) and I'm using a Stanley inverter at 80 amp but most of the times I get the same result as your example for low amp(5:47) , when I try to go slower it burns through, I've been watching my rod angles and I don't think that's the problem 😕 any suggestions?
And thanks for your videos, I've been improving a lot thanks to them 😁
Keep up the good work 💪
Are you using electrode + or electrode - ? Electrode - (DCEN) has less penetraton. That may help you out a little.
Try turning up the amperage a little from where you are and you may be able to run a little faster. Beyond that, just make sure your angles and arc length are right. If I were you, I’d get some 3mm material to practice tee joints with until you get the hang of it. Hang in there; stick welding material that thin is definitely challenging.
@@warcheen I've tried bought ways DECP and DCEN and the only difference I noticed was more splatter with DCEN 😕
@@TimWelds with 3mm I have no problems, I'll try your tip, I haven't done that yet because I thought I was already running high for that thickness, but your probably right, just need more training 😅
Working with sticks on thin metal is a challenge. I think there are three possible solutions; 1) get a wire welder, 2) get thicker materials, or 3) accept that most welds won't be pretty or according to code.
I use it basically like the 7018, whether AC or DC.
Top video Tim as always 👌 I do a lot of repairs on equipment out in the field I have a 7 and a half horse power Honda 200Amp AC welder I never had any issues and the only rod I used is 6013 but since I have started watching RUclips I think it's a DC I need , I tried running a 4mill 7018 one time and my 200amp would hardly even light it up, if I bought a DC inverter could I still run 6013
Cool thing with welding is that it can be learned in 2 hours.
I just used the instructions that come with the welder, and all my welds are ok. I also test the welds, and it's generally stronger than the base metal if done correctly. I'm not sure what a bad weld looks like, all of my welds always look like the one at 2:47 using my 120A Hyundai MMA inverter welder that I bought for less than $100
6013 runs great my primary hot pass
VERY GOOD INFORMATION............THANKS
Off shore oil support on boats and jack-ups, king of 6011
Hi Tim, thanks as always for your excellent videos. I still use my stick welder occasionally and find your electrode chart very helpful. Before I screen capture and print it, Is it available as a JPEG or PDF - or better yet - as a laminated "for sale" item? Thanks!