Arc Welding

I am going to use an ARC welder this week end on my frame. I am looking for an all round electrode that will penetrate my 2x4 box tubing and at the same time be used at any angle. Anyone have a suggestion on what size code or type of electrode is best?
Thanks

 

I like 6011. Many call it a farmer's rod, but if you get used to it it does a nice job.

 

http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/weldrod.html

Practice first on scraps to get the feel for the different rods before you jump in.

Oh, AC or DC?
I'm using an old AC buzz box and I have good luck with 6011 for the dirtier stuff, I also use 7018 when I really want a prittier bead. I use an old toaster oven to dry my rods before use.

Good luck.

 

How does it act?? Can you weld at all angles?

 

yeah 7018 1/8" or 6011 and do a few passes first to get the fill of whats going on

 

At the bottom of the page is a chart with material thickness vs rod size also quite a bit of general info. 6011 or 7018 will work
http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/stick-welding.html

 

Copy that. All position, good penetration, very forgiving, and tolerant of less than clean materials. It's tensile strength exceeds that of the tubing so no problem there. Farmer's rod is a good description because it's a popular rod for structural steel repairs and maintainance.

Bob

 

Tommy is right the 7018 makes a prettier weld and it's a low hydrogen rod, maybe a little tuff welding up hill for you, easy for flat or overhead. The 6011 is a deep penetrating rod. the welds are ugly but they are easy to use. I certified in vertical , over head and flat up half inch back in 1973.

 

6011 is the stuff and you can lay a good bead with it all it takes is practice.

 

6011 for the root pass, and 7018 for the cover pass if needed.
first 2 numbers in the rod tell you there strength, 60,000 pounds per sq. inch of weld and 70,000 more than enough for most needs.
like them both with a DC welder for better penatration.

 

I like 7018 1/8 in , but I always try to keep the surface I am welding flat to me..rotate it so I always weld in one postion
7018 is an all position rod, but you need something to break the cup when you start a new pass on the same rod

 

Is your machine AC or DC? If AC 6013 3/32 or 1/8" DC 7018 3/32 or 1/8" Once again practice on simular scrap.

 

7018 is harder wire to weld with then 6011. on a vertical or over head weld 7018 tends to grape. 6011 has a better bite and is used for pipe wilding on steam and gas pipes

 

I personally wouldn't use a 6011. You have to step the electrode to actually make a decent weld. Which takes practice. The welds are pretty weak when you just drag them like a 7018. If you turn your welder up too high, you have a cutting torch, too low and it just sticks and you end up breaking all your flux off.

I would use a 7018 or 6013 3/32 or 1/8. Both are an all-position rod than can be dragged, weaved, and stepped. Make sure your metal is decently clean and slightly bevel your joints with a grinder. It does not take all that long, and does make quite a bit of difference on butt-joints. Set your welder somewhere between 85-110 and weld away. Make good use of your chipping hammer and wire brush and when in doubt, make more passes.

 

yup, 6013 or 7018 if it is nice and clean..

 

I'm a real shitty welder, especially stick welding. My welds look like the dog who laid them should visit the vet asap. That said, the nicest looking stick welding I ever did was with 7024 rod. I forget its intended application--I think the penetration and tensile strength are lower than 6011, but I found that it flowed nicely, and I've hung
fe fords, flatheads and chry hemi's from the engine stand I welded with it no problem. fwiw

Jerry

 

7024 is for flat welds only it's a drag wire and is stronger than the 60 wires . The 60 means 60,000 tensile strength 70 is 70,000. the third # 1 means all position, 2 is flat only.

 

thanks for the info. No wonder I caught my hair on fire trying to weld that muffler!

 

6010?

 

i used to do a lot of 6010 on roll cages, could really hang that where you wanted it, used a DC

 

6010 is similar to 6011 but is a DC rod. 6011 is for AC or DC.

Bob

 

6011 has an aggressive digging action for dirty, scaley steel- hence field repair, hard to not screw up your frame.
6013 will give you a nicer time of it.

by the way, i used some Super 600 rod (Super Missile rod for you old timers)
to add a section to a forging. 50bucks (!!!!) for 1pound of rod (15sticks) but the money went in the right place- it was like pushing butter, and people thought it looked amazing.

better rod will give you much better results....

 

Well OK, update, the two rods I have been using are the 6013 which gives a nice easy weld, easy slag removal, but the specs say low penetration and good for sheet metal.

Then there is the 6011 farmers rod which will weld anything and which gives great penetration, a lousy looking weld (but who cares?).

So I like the ease of use of the 6013 but has anyone used it for making a frame (with front or rear Zee's etc).... beveling edges of the mating surfaces of course... and not have it fall apart on the road ?

Or do you stick (!) with 6011 or 7018 for frames?

 

I use 6013 on stock car chassis work and all of my welds have been tested-tough. 7018 (aka Jet Rod) is a low hydrogen rod and works well for welding tubing. 6011 has much more spatter and it really cooks too. I use that for my heaviest welds.

Bob

 

Because the OP appears to be a novice and we don't know if AC or DC welder, the best choices are 6011 root pass with a 6013 cover pass. These are probably the 2 easiest rods to learn with.
I have a Lincoln 225 ac welder and it will not run a 7018 no matter what I do. I've run hundreds of lbs of 7018 on other welders without a problem, so I know it is the welder, not me.

 

It's really not the rod, it the guy in the hood.
Either one will hold your frame together if the guy in the hood is capable.

 

My AC Miller loves 6011 for root pass and 7018AC for capping the weld. Lincoln and Hobart both make 7018AC rod that lights up and runs vertical pretty well. It has to be designated AC or you will have skippy, sticky, rotten arcs that will make you nuts. DC welders run much smoother. When I used to weld pipe at work I leave a 3/32 gap and root it with 6010. Looking in the pipe looks like it was welded from inside. 6013 when properly applied will work on a frame. 7014 and 7024 flow like butter on flat work and like 7018 the slag should roll up and fall off.

 

USED 7014 and my old Lincoln ac stick welder to weld up the frame of my 32 roadster. used 2x3x125 wall tubing for the frame, brackets etc were various thicknesses. 7014 works best in flat position but with some practice verticle down welds can be made. much easier rod to use than 6011 or 7018.

 

Its been a few years now but i wonder if the guy that started this thread ever finished his frame???? But that aside DC low hydrogens all the way, weldwell ph77's!! save the general purpose rods for mums wheelbarrow i say.