Does anyone here use 3/32" 6010, 6011, 6013, or 7014 rod to weld 1/8" mild steel? I have trouble with sticking because I have to run the rod so cold to keep from burning through.
1/8 is pretty thick. 16 ga can be done with 1/8 6011 but its fussy and needs some tacks and shorter welds, professional that welds every day is another thing. 14 ga substantially easier and despite the raves about 6013 I dont use it, I should run a few just to remember why I got a DC machine and as for light material like 10 or 11 better they need so much less current. I turn down a pinch for light sheet, not a lot, 5A or so but 1/8 11 will run 85 and 13 is 115,,, real close, might as well use lohy.
3/32 lohy is not bad either as its a 92A rod and turn it down to 85 for light work. 3/32 6011 is 65A, 13 about 85 and 11 is so fast freeze and am used to it but stich with 1/8 most of the time. Its not so fussy about arc length.
Does anyone here use 3/32" 6010, 6011, 6013, or 7014 rod to weld 1/8" mild steel? I have trouble with sticking because I have to run the rod so cold to keep from burning through.
I use 3/32" 7016 for almost everything. It does well on thick and thin metals, you can run it down at 70 amps, up to about 105 amps and it performs well. You can run it in Straight Polarity for even less penetration.
Sincerely,
William McCormick
If I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
Sure. I've used 1/8" 6011 on 14 ga. purlin many times, at about 85-90 amps. Use a cautious whip, be careful not to long-arc it. Sometimes the 1/8" is actually easier to use than the 3/32, because it deposits more filler quicker, which makes it easier to avoid burn-through. This pic is a lap weld; not pretty, I can do much better, but you get the idea.
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I can weld down to 1.5m or 16 ga. leaving a nice smooth weld without burn through with 6013
reverse the polarity may help a little too But I have never tried it
I like the pic above. As you said, it really shows the idea. Its easy to slip out of practice too. I am with you on the 1/8 actually being somewhat easier. When I bought my Maxstar I figured to get a couple boxes smaller rods and have used 10 of them in 15 years, I fell back to the same thing I had been using.
Another simple technique I forgot to mention. And I find works well for me. Is keeping the rod angle flatter than
you normally would for down hand welding. I suppose the heat isn't digging into the metal as much?
I also discovered the same principle applies for down hill welding. Keeping the rod angle flatter and pointing up more
Made my down hill welding a lot neater and better looking anyway.
I was fooling around with some 1/16" material fillet welded to 1/8" material, 3/32" 7016 rods and I love that rod. You can create what looks like a rough TIG weld. You can blow through the 3/32" material, and just sit there and wait till it fills. My problem is I do not really know the amperage. I am using my P&H in Mid-range which goes to 210 amps I have the dial down to 2 which should be 42 amps, it seems like 65-70 on the Miller 110 volt machine I use sometimes but I do not have it to compare. When I put the P&H down in Low range which goes up to 70, even at 70 it did not perform as well so it is a crapshoot you have to work out for yourself with your machine. The only problem with 7016 is the slag, you have to beat and wire wheel it off. But darn it looks good when you do. I will try to get a picture.
Sincerely,
William McCormick
If I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
If you can get to the back side of the sheets being welded,,,
clamp a piece of copper to the back. The thickness of the copper pretty much does not matter, 1/8" or thicker is what I use.
With the copper clamped to the back, you can weld the thin sheet steel like it is 1/4" thick bar.
Use 1/8 inch, 7014, 7018, whatever, crank up the amps, 100 or more amps is OK,,
When you weld, the excess heat will be taken away by the copper.
Unless you get real crazy, and weld over 130 amps, you can not make the copper stick to the parts being welded.
I have used this same technique to add 1/8" hard facing rod to the edge of a thin tiller tine,,
the weld feathers out, and lays on the copper, when you remove the copper, it looks like you ground the hard face weld to a sharp knife edge.
This is 3/32” 7016 rod at perhaps 30 amps on my P&H but seems more like 65-70 on the miller 110 buzz box.
That is a 1/16” wall square tube welded to 1/8” flat. I have not done steel fence and rails in over a decade but it came out alright and when you grind it, it is clean material. I can do that flat horizontal or vertical up.
Sincerely,
William McCormick
If I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
This is 3/32” 7016 rod at perhaps 30 amps on my P&H but seems more like 65-70 on the miller 110 buzz box.
That is a 1/16” wall square tube welded to 1/8” flat. I have not done steel fence and rails in over a decade but it came out alright and when you grind it, it is clean material. I can do that flat horizontal or vertical up.
When I was welding on fencing I would tack and then lean against the railing and not stop at the corners but in the vice I had nothing to lean on so I had to stop at each corner. I can do welds like that horizontal, and vertical up or over head.
Sincerely,
William McCormick
I welded those like I would on the job, because we always ground them when done. So I start away from the weld and run in or start on the weld where I left off and preheat a bit but I don’t care because I am going to grind it anyway. The material inside is good and clean. If you stop and you want to not grind when done you have to grind to start.
Sincerely,
William McCormick
If I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
I butt welded two pieces of that 1/16” wall tube but I used straight polarity 3/32” 7016 rod and it welded great, it penetrates but didn’t blow holes. And it didn’t stick.
Sincerely,
William McCormick
If I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
If you can get to the back side of the sheets being welded,,,
clamp a piece of copper to the back. The thickness of the copper pretty much does not matter, 1/8" or thicker is what I use.
With the copper clamped to the back, you can weld the thin sheet steel like it is 1/4" thick bar.
Use 1/8 inch, 7014, 7018, whatever, crank up the amps, 100 or more amps is OK,,
When you weld, the excess heat will be taken away by the copper.
Unless you get real crazy, and weld over 130 amps, you can not make the copper stick to the parts being welded.
I have used this same technique to add 1/8" hard facing rod to the edge of a thin tiller tine,,
the weld feathers out, and lays on the copper, when you remove the copper, it looks like you ground the hard face weld to a sharp knife edge.
That is all true, setup is king. I used to do railings and I know I would press up against the rail before I started to weld and use the rail to brace myself it helps a lot. I did some test pieces before I remembered that and then it got better. For railings most of the time you cannot chill them or back them because of the tubular material.
Sincerely,
William McCormick
If I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
I use 6013 DC- and can weld 1/8” no problem. With 6013, I really angle the rod over quite a bit to keep the flux pushed back and prevent worm holes..
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NRA Life Member
I have used ⅛ and ⁵/32" E6013 for welding down to 16 ga 0.060"
Dave
Originally Posted by scooby
Does anyone here use 3/32" 6010, 6011, 6013, or 7014 rod to weld 1/8" mild steel? I have trouble with sticking because I have to run the rod so cold to keep from burning through.
Hi William,
Where are you sourcing your 7016 rods? .. LWS?
Thank you
Kell
I have been getting them on the internet and now once again from Coast Welding supply near me. If you would like a few pounds send me your address in a message or something. I will send out some you can try. I couldn’t get them I couldn’t get them and all of a sudden everyone got them. Now I have more than I will use in my lifetime I hope, haha.
Sincerely,
William McCormick
If I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
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WeldingWeb Apprentice
Originally Posted by scooby
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