Welding Tips and Tricks

Anyone have any luck running 6011 on this machine? I see Jody doing it on the videos but mine will light up and catch fire and burn out after 5-7 seconds. It will run a 6013 well, and a 7018 pretty good. I'm not a great stick welder so any help is much appreciated. Thanks

christiankeith90 wrote:Anyone have any luck running 6011 on this machine? I see Jody doing it on the videos but mine will light up and catch fire and burn out after 5-7 seconds. It will run a 6013 well, and a 7018 pretty good. I'm not a great stick welder so any help is much appreciated. Thanks

what rod DIA and amps are you running.. i get this running 3/32 6010 on my AHP160ST.. its from running to high of amps on it to keep it lit.. i am trying to find the min amps and techneque to run 6010 on it..

on my AHP160ST i run around 70-80A on 3/32 and 85-100A on 1/8 and

I'm using 1/8" rod. I'm looking at maybe just getting a Hobart stickmate Lx235 and just using my powermig for steel and aluminum mig.

I got mine to run 1/8 6011. I do run it on 220volts. I can't remember what my settings were. I usually use a diferent machine for my tig and stick work. I can give it a try again later this week and post the settings.

Ran some rods with the Lincon 210mp tonight. 1/8 6011, 1/8 6013, 3/32 7018, 1/8 7018, 3/32 316.
The 1/8 6011 that were in question I was able to run at 115-140 amps with a hot start of 5 amps. I also varied the arc force from 3-10. This machine will run the rods nice , but is very fickle about arc length. I went through about 5 lbs of 6011 1/8 and was able to duplicate what you described. It comes down to arc lenght. If you can't feel the rod touching the base metal then it's about to drop out. I tried push and pull as well as odd angles and got the same results. I did check the digital display on the machine after thearc drop out and noted that it only ever puts out 29.9 volts max. Think that's why it has a hard time with 6011 and 6010. Side note the nice slag was from an 1/8 6013 and I had similar results with the 7018 and 316ss.

Those inverter machines dont run 6010-6011 very good. Definitely not 6010 but it should run a 6011 better than you are describing. Your going to have to watch arc length and the amperage range for 1/8 6011 should be 70-120. Maybe try different brand

SchweiBer wrote:Those inverter machines dont run 6010-6011 very good. Definitely not 6010 but it should run a 6011 better than you are describing. Your going to have to watch arc length and the amperage range for 1/8 6011 should be 70-120. Maybe try different brand

I have 2 inverter based machines that both disagree with you ("don't run 6010 very good"). My Dynasty (2005) runs about a sweet stick as any machine I've ever used, and my small MultiMatic does an amazing job for what it is (portable, multi-function). It has a menu to switch between rod types to internally set weld parameters for "Dopey Welders" like me.

I agree it's not because it's an inverter. My TA 186 and all the millers at work run 6010 just fine. But the the 210mp is geared more towards Mig. That's what I bought it for primarily. It did run the 6010 and 6011 it just wasn't very forgiving about arc length.

Poland308 wrote:I agree it's not because it's an inverter. My TA 186 and all the millers at work run 6010 just fine. But the the 210mp is geared more towards Mig. That's what I bought it for primarily. It did run the 6010 and 6011 it just wasn't very forgiving about arc length.

ill have to second the inverter thing.. as my AHP160 runs 6011 very well and can run 6010 to some degree.. honestly if i do it right it runs prety decent but its all about that arc length there.. short for the 6010..

Thank you Poland308! I got out again today and ran some 7018 and 6011. The 7018 all had porosity and still having the same problems with 6011. I just now saw your post though. I was only running the 6011 on 95 amps. For the 7018 I don't know why I'm having porosity problems. I may just get a different stuck machine all together.

christiankeith90 wrote:Thank you Poland308! I got out again today and ran some 7018 and 6011. The 7018 all had porosity and still having the same problems with 6011. I just now saw your post though. I was only running the 6011 on 95 amps. For the 7018 I don't know why I'm having porosity problems. I may just get a different stuck machine all together.

that is realy weird you are getting that with the 7018.. what brand of rod are you running again? and how old are they?

you might need to but seems kinda odd but who knows for sure with out some lab like testing.. id say if your looking at a second machine for stick i recamend the AHP160ST.. will be less of a upfront cost and dose realy good with anything ive thrown at it.

They are Lincoln Electric 7018 rods. I bought them a few months ago. I bought some Lincoln Electric 6013 from the same place on the same day and they run fine. I was looking at getting a Hobart LX235, anybody run one of those?

7018 porosity is usually extreme contamination I.E. water or oil. Or arc length. Long arc it and you will get porosity. Try to whip and pause too fast or to far and you will get porosity. Your shielding gas is created from the burning of the flux on the rod so if you whip to fast you end up arcing outside of the gas zone. Try running the rods without any whiting action. Just drag it slow and steady. You can never hold totally still so even if you try you will have a small weave pattern. That is the best way to get a smooth bead with clean edges that's even width. Practiceing padding beads like Jody says helps you to get concistant beads. Because your focusing on doing the same thing over and over it allows your brain to start to see subtle diferances.

Yeah I've been trying to hold a close arc and not use any manipulation. Maybe I need to get some new rods. I don't have a rod oven, but I tried to stick the rod to my table and get steam to come out (a trick taught to me by an old welder) but nothing came out after 5-6 seconds. So I guess these rods don't have moisture in them but who knows.

christiankeith90 wrote:Yeah I've been trying to hold a close arc and not use any manipulation. Maybe I need to get some new rods. I don't have a rod oven, but I tried to stick the rod to my table and get steam to come out (a trick taught to me by an old welder) but nothing came out after 5-6 seconds. So I guess these rods don't have moisture in them but who knows.

if i was you and your on 220V power and got the amps.. get some 5/32 7018 and see what they do.. perhaps there is something funky going on with the welder and pushing it up on amps might get the thing to rear is ugly head in a more dramatic way..

i i would also try pushing the amps up so that as your dragging the rod along you can feel the flux dragging on the steel and evan braking off.. what i usaly do..

but also try some difrent rods.. get one of those hobart 1 lbs cartons.. go over to Orilly auto parts.. get some firepower ones.. i know there not super scocum but i do know they run..

I'll get some new rods and try that. I know you can run 7018 on AC or dcep but what do the structural guys and pipeline welders run it on?

DCEP is typical for 7018 on structural and pipe. For 1/8 rods I like to run them at 120-125. A nice clean with the grinder to prep the metal is always a good idea.You don't have to dig in, just get rid of any crud. Slag,mill scale, dirt, rust, grease, oil, or any other boogered up stuff is not good. The arc length should not be greater than the diameter of the rod, so 1/8 or less for 1/8 rod.

Stick is simple but can be difficult. Once you get it though, it's great.