Welding Tips and Tricks

I'm a total newbie to the forum and have only owned a welder for about 3 months. It's an old Lincoln Tombstone AC. Original owner bought it, used it for a weekend to build a small utility trailer and put it in storage, where it sat for almost 25 years. I've been practicing like crazy, reading as much as I can find and watching as many on-line videos I can to learn how to use this durned thing. It came with a whole box of electrodes.............but these are the original rods the fellow bought when he bought the welder..................so they are old. These are 6013 rods, in 3/32" and 1/8". I've been asking questions about the process on another unrelated forum I'm on and have been told maybe I'd be better off buying some new rods. I'm not so sure. I ran almost 30 rods practicing today and got what I consider some pretty nice looking welds................on the horizontal, mind you. Couldn't seem to get a decent weld going up or going down..........or going sideways on a vertical wall. Seems a shame to toss rods that are working if I do my part.

I was directed to this site by a member of the other forum. He said the videos here are extremely helpful, so I just signed up and will start watching. I have no need to become a welding expert but would like to at least become reasonably proficient when I flip the switch and put a rod in the handle.

Anyway, that's who I am and where I'm headed..................just hope I get there.

Welcome Chris.

There are no videos here. The forum is a place for discussion, questions, helping others, and showing off projects and shooting the breeze. Jody has his youtube channel which is where the videos are.

I would also recommend new rods but keep the old ones as well. Run them both and see if you notice a difference. 6013 are good rods to learn on. Most people move on to 7018 in the US but you'd need a DC machine for them (although there are AC versions out there).

Don't be a stranger and ask away! Welding is a journey and it takes time.

would not hurt to get a new packet at some stage. they can go 'off' if not stored well.
however 6013 can be a little tricky vertical and that does vary on what version you get. there is quite a wide variability of 6013 around. everything from panel beating rods to pipeline rods.
6013 can be quite runny slag. that can fool you going uphill.
downhill is usually tricky because the slag wants to run back into the weld/rod. so typically use a fair bit of angle so the arc blows the slag back up and need to go quite quick.

tweake wrote:would not hurt to get a new packet at some stage. they can go 'off' if not stored well.
however 6013 can be a little tricky vertical and that does vary on what version you get. there is quite a wide variability of 6013 around. everything from panel beating rods to pipeline rods.
6013 can be quite runny slag. that can fool you going uphill.
downhill is usually tricky because the slag wants to run back into the weld/rod. so typically use a fair bit of angle so the arc blows the slag back up and need to go quite quick.

Slag definitely takes some practice to read especially in the vertical. Might even try some 6011, light slag so it will allow you to see the puddle while trying to work in the vertical. Realistically 30 rods may sound like a lot but that’s probably like 2 lbs of rod. You probably won’t start to feel comfortable, about your welds and, being in different positions. Till you’ve burned 50 lbs or more.