6013

[Dog Byte]

To answer your question directly, the reason 6013 has a "bad rep" is because of its mild penetration. When it is used on structural welds with dynamic or cyclic loading by inexperienced weldors, weld failure often occurs due to having an excellent surface appearance, but poor penetration. The same thing can be said of many mig welds not set properly, or other rods, in inexperienced hands.

Okay, I appreciate all the good commentary, but this is what I was looking for in particular. I find your comment on mig welds interesting because that was one of my questions. No one seems down on mig welding, although I see a lot of videos using tig, where I thought mig would have worked just fine.

Thanks to all for all the input. This is the kind of discussion I was hoping for.

[vicegrip]

To answer your question directly, the reason 6013 has a "bad rep" is because of its mild penetration. When it is used on structural welds with dynamic or cyclic loading by inexperienced weldors, weld failure often occurs due to having an excellent surface appearance, but poor penetration. The same thing can be said of many mig welds not set properly, or other rods, in inexperienced hands.

This is what I was waiting for !!
Terrific verdict your Honor !

vg

[usmcpop]

Here's a pic from a pipe welder from the UK. He uses a lot of 6013 and says it's his favorite rod. Pic shows 6013 fill and cap (TIG root and hot pass).

[vicegrip]

I'm really strugg'ln with the sudden drop from insane overtime hours.
But at least I get to join the brain-trust here a little more often.

This has been a good thread for me. Kinda fills in 30 years of missing details.
vg

[Sberry]

Okay, I appreciate all the good commentary, but this is what I was looking for in particular. I find your comment on mig welds interesting because that was one of my questions. No one seems down on mig welding, although I see a lot of videos using tig, where I thought mig would have worked just fine.

Thanks to all for all the input. This is the kind of discussion I was hoping for.

This is all good, to add there is just plain a lot of interest in tig. Some stuff its the only way to do it but as I have pointed out before,,, I don't. I really weld anything that can possibly be wire welded with wire. Its a cost speed deal and I am about as general, fab, maint as you can get and its a rare day I got to tig something, I have a fair amount of alum and a compact HH210 has really replaced it in my work.

Mig is the real workhorse in most small shops, I could darn near do without every other machine I own but would be at a loss for some kind of mig.

[Sberry]

As for the first part of that post I also agree. My deal is I sacrifice just a bit of purdy on most days for having it cranked to the max for what ever I am doing, just shy of burning a hole in it, I like a lot of gaps. Not much we build is so highly engineered that welding is critical, nothing fancy but its got to be melted on.

A critical joint may have parameters but a blast or bead in our case can simply be laid on 10A too hot and its not an issue.