Yep...I'm an old schooler... love my stick welding!! ...2nd would be TIG and lastly .. would do Mig... Each has its area of usefulness but, I always prefer stick!
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. Attachment 1730977
This is a poster case for demonstrating the principle. I like the point you make with this about running the rod at the right heat. If I am running light sheet it is turned down some if its anything substantial but not a lot.
I used to be a bit more pretyentious when I had a golden arm but now a bit more like I used to see the old farts that didnt get all excited about it all. Some guys can even master a certain rod. Maybe be generally passable, it all doesnt gotta be perfect to work. A guy on a forum,, maybe here mentioned about being a self learned 6013 buzzer guy and I ask him to show some pics and was real surprised to see quite good work and wouldnt have had a problem paying the bill for repair he did. I got another bud the same way, all us idiots use 10, 11 and 18 and he knows more than most people, he discovers it all so I saw a couple projects, did a bumper and some overhead and it wasnt bad, wouldnt be scared to hire him.
Aint noithing wrong with the 7016 weld we see here either. The operator is profecient, running it hot, its rated for the work, has a bit better mechanicals I believe than 13, be a bit better on rugged equipment.
I didn't read through the thread yet, but here's my 2 cents on stick welding thin stuff....
Thin stuff is PROBABLY better off wire welded or TIG'd. That said, I honestly prefer stick. You can get rods down to 1/16". I've burned those in 7014 and 6013. I think you can get 1/16" 6011, too, but the smallest I've used was 5/64". They work fine, but starting is a PITA 'cause they're so flexible. 5/64 being easier to start than 1/16. I steady the rod between my index and middle finger on my "stinger hand" - like a cigarette. Personally I don't touch the electrode with my free hand. I'd rather not defibrilate myself.
Once the arc is struck, use a shallow rod angle (i.e. laying it down, opposite of straight up and down if you were welding a flat plate). You need to move fairly fast, lingering will blow through the material. If you're welding REALLY thin stuff, either stack tack welds, spread out short stringers to keep from building up heat, or run even quicker. Last one is hard to do and easy to make look sloppy.
Welding 1/8" steel with a stick welder should be hard. I like 3/32 6011.
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.
Have to remember that the next time I'm hard surfacing cultivator shovels... thanks for the tip. Usually I just bounce around between 4 or 5 shovels doing 2" at a time, starting at the tip and working down the sides to keep from concentrating too much heat in the tip.
With 1/8" I would still use the arc, usually with 6013, 7014 or 7018 rods, probably the 1/8 ... 14 gauge or thinner I switch to MIG.
Last edited by whtbaron; 02-13-2022 at 08:04 PM.
250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC Stick
F-225 amp Forney AC Stick
230 amp Sears AC Stick
Lincoln 180C MIG
Vevor MIG 200A
Victor Medalist 350 O/A
Vevor Cut 50 Plasma
Les
With 1/8" I would still use the arc, usually with 6013, 7014 or 7018 rods, probably the 1/8 ... 14 gauge or thinner I switch to MIG.
That sounds about right. For me 16 gauge is probably when I start thinking wire welding. I just don't do enough wire welding to be proficient. I mostly just do tacks and other quick welds with it. I don't even remember the last time I replaced a spool.
E7014 or E6013 works well for welding down to 18 gauge
If you go over 10 gauge use E6013 or E7018
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.
They used to make sheet rod. It was 3/32 6011 and had bare spot in the center for the stinger and you flipped it around. The reason they make all those dinky rods is people buy them. I do have some 3/32 other than 7018 but rarely use it. They are for somewhat misguided attempts imop and now have internet following. Both 7014 and 6013 are hi current, the real sheet rod because of fast freeze and low current is 6011. I use 1/8 down to 16 and really like the larger rod to bridge and fill.
The other part technique which I forget to take about is a short welding this maybe a few seconds let cool for a few seconds. This technique works with mig and flux core too.
There is a using a backup bar too.
It is easier to use a low pen type rod a high pen as the name implies.
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.
Lotso the guys welding drywall studs use 6011. I used it for a sheet metal contractor called Zack one time, all 3/32 6011 dcrp. While its true the others are lower pen the current is higher and they freeze slower.
Thin material is not for those without patience keeping your lens on your hood very clean is very important I have found straight polarity eliminates a lot of problems if you have a lot to do or as William McCormick said 6013 if your new at it it takes a lot of learning
keeping your lens on your hood very clean is important
Yep. Helps to have a couple hoods. Dedicate one to higher amp or otherwise nasty welds where your lens doesn't have to be super clean. That way your other hoods don't get all coated in crud.
This is just another day at the office for me. Rusty thin stuff that needs to hold 100 PSI. welded at 75ish amps off my TB 302 with 1/8" 6011C. It held pressure with no leaks for 3 months until that section got replaced.
I do some stuff very similar. I happend to find 10# box of Hobart 6010 sitting on the bottom of a cart. Had been sitting there long enough it tended to fingernail a little bnut nothing 5 more A couldnt handle. Also. on occasion when I get a change I dont roll something like this as I simply need a little practice. This is a 150# water line also. Hey,,, you pressure test these???? hahahhahahahaha
Not me,,, wire if its practical. I chipped enough slag as it is. Tig is last on my list, 1st is wire.
With the 7016 I just tap off what will come off which is often not much, and then I hit it with the wire wheel. It ends up being faster because even with the 7018 I have to use the wire wheel anyway, so for me it is just easier to grind after each weld it helps the quality of the weld too. On thin galvanized sheet metal for roof curbs downhill MIG is about all that works. For nice stuff TIG is great.
Sincerely,
William McCormick
If I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
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.
`
With 7016 you can keep such a tight ARC and just let it melt down into the puddle.
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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Master Welder
Originally Posted by William McCormick
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