Welding Tips and Tricks

New to welding and due pretty good with 6013's tried 6011's on 1/8" and I can't do a thing with it? Tried low amps 75 tried 105 and I still can't get it to flow. The arc length seems long and go's out and have to restart any shorter and it sticks. Tried higher and lower angle no help. Thanks for any and all info

I'm just a hobbyist welder, but I know at the beginning I would have an issue with 6011's also. I found out that you have to have the amps higher than 6013's and you have to focus more on keeping the proper gap between the electrode and your work piece. it seem to work for me. also 6011 welds won't look as pretty as 6013's unless you're really good at welding.

6010 and 6011 are called a fast fill fast freeze rod. They don’t flow. It’s the nature of the design and why they are used in the way they are.

what welder are you using?

a lot of inverters don't run 6010 or 6011 at all, or rather poorly.
i suspect the issue is low welding voltage.
cellulose rods are high voltage low amp rods. if your having to crank up the amps or long arc it, especially if it keeps going out, your welder is probably not putting out enough volts to run it.

6011/6010 Uses a different way to weld to 6013
Using 7018, 7014 and 7024 are different
All rods have there way to weld.
Some manufacturer will some clues how to use the rod

Dave

tundrapup wrote:New to welding and due pretty good with 6013's tried 6011's on 1/8" and I can't do a thing with it? Tried low amps 75 tried 105 and I still can't get it to flow. The arc length seems long and go's out and have to restart any shorter and it sticks. Tried higher and lower angle no help. Thanks for any and all info

Thanks for the reply's. I found if I light it then let the puddle get going then I can get a tighter arc and get moving from there. It still looks like a mess but its moving. I also found turning down the amps to 85 helps my ego as I can make lines, but I'm sure its the wrong thing to do. It's going to be a long road.

I run 1/8 6010 at about 75-85 on my open butt root for pipe. And sometimes on my hot pass.

Guess I'm not as far off in the weeds as I thought. I just need a 40lbs worth of practice to get on the field

tundrapup wrote:Guess I'm not as far off in the weeds as I thought. I just need a 40lbs worth of practice to get on the field

General rule of thumb is 50# per position, per direction to become competent. Get after it!

I find learning to weld 60xx rod very tricky to do without someone who can do it, showing you how to do it in-person. 70xx is MUCH, MUCH easier in my opinion. If you started with 70xx, 60xx is rather different and you're expecting it to be the same motion and technique. Doesn't work that way, unfortunately. But I do know guys who can weld with 60xx rods that make my TIG welds envious. Real frickin' studs with a rod in their hands.

By the way, just pay attention to the fumes for your longterm health...

You're welding 1/8" metal? First, what size 6011 are you using? 3/32, I hope. 1/8 is way too big for 1/8" metal. I would set it at about 65A; that should be plenty for 3/32 6011, if you're doing it right.

I assume you're doing straight, flat welds on 1/8" plate. Keep your arc short, no more than 1/8" max. With 3/32 it should be almost touching. Make a puddle, move about 1/2" out of it, then move it back and make the next puddle, and so on. It's called "whipping." It's almost like your weld bead is a series of overlapping spotwelds, instead of one continuous weld.

I've seen some very experienced welders use 6011 by "stepping" instead of whipping. Make the puddle, move it down about 1/4" and make the next puddle, etc..

In any case, focus on the puddle, and making sure each one is the exact same size as the previous one. Focus on making the puddles as identical as possible, and as evenly spaced as possible. Of course, be sure your arc and rod angle stay absolutely consistent.

Let the appearance of the puddle determine your speed, not the other way around. "Be one with the puddle," as my instructor used to say.

It sounds like you would benefit from making a pad. Make 4 or 5 layers of beads on a 3/8" pad; this will be enormously helpful. Virtually all welding schools start their students off welding several pads using different rods and positions.

There are two kinds of skills. The first kind, you learn how to do it, then you can do it, e.g. baking a cake, operating a lawn mower. The second kind, you practice and practice and over time, you gradually get better. For example, playing a musical instrument. Welding is the second kind.

Thanks for all the info/help. I started doing/trying lines till I ran out of rods not pretty but it's addicting. I went back and ran the rest of the 6013 and 7018's. Off to the store. Thanks again