Is it just me, or are 6013 rods a nightmare to do T-welds with?

[Mr Penguin]

I'm using a 220v 100amp AC welder, and use two types of welding rod: 6013 and 6011. I'm no professional by any means, but I do pretty good with 6011 rods.

I love the appearance of 6013, but it seems 6011 has all the other advantages. Every time I try to weld lap welds or T-welds with 6013, the slag gets in the way and makes for a horrible weld job. I can grab the 6011 rod, and do a flawless bead just fine on the exact same piece of work!

Is it just me? Or does it take a lot more skill to use 6013 for lap and T-welds?

Are there any real advantages of using a 6013 over using a 6011?

Thanks!
Robert

[yorkiepap]

Hey Robert,
Personally, I like 6013 over 6011. I use strictly DC though and have also done both dcen & dcep and really couldn't see a difference except for penetration. I've been using dcen for the thin joints with excellent results and stay with dcep for all welds over 1/8" thickness. Try adjusting your heat, rod diameters, & use varying techniques to get the "feel" of 6013. Just wanted to relate my own usage parameters..... Denny

[Mr Penguin]

Hey Robert,
Personally, I like 6013 over 6011. I use strictly DC though and have also done both dcen & dcep and really couldn't see a difference except for penetration. I've been using dcen for the thin joints with excellent results and stay with dcep for all welds over 1/8" thickness. Try adjusting your heat, rod diameters, & use varying techniques to get the "feel" of 6013. Just wanted to relate my own usage parameters..... Denny

Hey Denny,

I appreciate your insight and thoughts! I love the "feel" of the 6013 rod, along with the looks and ease of slag chipping (chips off so nicely). The resulting beads, when they turn out, they make me look like a pro! :cool:

I will tinker around with my 6013 rods some more. I just hate to overlook a great rod just because I'm not experienced with it.

Thanks so much!
Robert

[txfireguy2003]

I had a similar problem with 6013 on the first few T joints I welded. It would weld to one side of the T but not the other. What I was told to do was up the amps a bit, hold a slightly longer arc and be sure to lay the bead down in the very center of the joint. You might end up with a concave bead, but you can do a second pass if needed. It has worked well for me. I found that I tend to lean a little toward the low end of the amp range so I have to force myself to run hotter, or slower to make sure I'm getting good roots. Just my experience, which is very limited, but might help you out some.

[smyrna5]

The biggest problem (aside from the fact that the arc is easier to start with 6013) I have seen with 6013 vs 6011 or 6010 is that by design 6013 has more slag, which makes it harder to see the puddle. In essence it seems like with 6013 you are really watching the slag and not the molten metal. It does make a pretty weld though. 6011 is also supposed to be designed for more penetration, so I can understand why a 6013 would take a bit more amperage to do the same job on a t-joint than a 6011.

[jerryo]

Having a slag stringer in the start of a 6013 bead is very common. As noted above, what you are seeing is the heavy flux on top of the weld pool, and not molten metal. I've found that getting a slightly slower start to the weld bead will solve this problem. A little hesitation before moving the rod will give the puddle time to bridge between both surfaces and solve this problem. If you're using a 1/8' rod at 100 amps you're probably a little cold, unless the metal is fairly thin.

[Sberry]

Yes,,,,,, it is just you.

[Rocky D]

You control slag deposition in 3 ways...travel speed, arc length, and angle of electrode. Experiment with all 3.

[Mr Penguin]

Wow, I appreciate all the input and suggestions. I now have 220v power on the side of the house, which means it's a LOT easier for me to practice...

I have about 15lbs of 6013 rod (in sizes 5/64, 3/32 and 1/8th) so I'm hoping to make good use of it.

[Mr Penguin]

Just wanted to post an update. I figured out what I was doing wrong (I think)!

I was holding too long of an arc length, and it was difficult to manipulate the metal where I wanted it to go. I began to put the rod right into the crack and weave in/out, and it works like a dream.

WOW, I have fallen in love with 6013 rod now... :D

Thanks for all the help and suggestions!
Robert

[Rocky D]

We have all been in your place at one time in our experience...welcome to the club! :D