7018 vs 6011

is merely a rod that has some additives to be able to run on AC. Most people run it on DC however. It can be run on machines that are not capable of running , in some cases, and in other cases not.

is a rod used for structural work and is a low hydrogen rod, which requires it be stored in an oven. People like me don't store it in an oven and it works fine for me, but if you were doing code work that spec'd you would be required to keep it in an oven while you were using it.

Now for my simplistic approach.

/ are hard digging rods that can weld on less clean metal, the hard digging action creates a lot of splatter and IMO is not as pleasant to use, but the fact you can use it on metal that is not as clean is the plus for me. Because of this digging action it is often used for root passes, but for me that doesn't matter as much as I don't need to do root passes on most of the project I do for myself. Could matter for what you do though. I tend to think of this rod as being better for work outside, or metal that hasn't be cleaned thoroughly. It requires a whip-n-pause or similar technique to get a good bead. Slag can be harder to get off than .

is just a good all around rod for structural welding. For me it's more pleasant to weld with as it lays down pretty smooth. I look at this as being one of the best rods for all purpose use. It has a couple annoyances, like slag covers the end of the rod if you stop, so you need to learn to fling it off quickly or clean it off before you start again. It's much harder to clean with a file or knocking it on the ground (not the best idea, but I do it ). It's more difficult to start also. Slag comes off the bead nicely when done correct.

I don't have a machine that runs , so and are the rods I will typically use. However, is not a bad rod either and is not as difficult to run beads as , so not bad to have.

As far as tensile strength, most of my welds would be fine with less than 60,000 lbs, so the difference between 60,000 and 70,000 lbs. is moot for me. Hope that helps. All of our mileage varies.

I'm also not a professional welder, so take a much more simplistic approach to vs. . First some important details about these rods. is merely a rod that has some additives to be able to run on AC. Most people run it on DC however. It can be run on machines that are not capable of running , in some cases, and in other cases not. is a rod used for structural work and is a low hydrogen rod, which requires it be stored in an oven. People like me don't store it in an oven and it works fine for me, but if you were doing code work that spec'd you would be required to keep it in an oven while you were using it.Now for my simplistic approach./ are hard digging rods that can weld on less clean metal, the hard digging action creates a lot of splatter and IMO is not as pleasant to use, but the fact you can use it on metal that is not as clean is the plus for me. Because of this digging action it is often used for root passes, but for me that doesn't matter as much as I don't need to do root passes on most of the project I do for myself. Could matter for what you do though. I tend to think of this rod as being better for work outside, or metal that hasn't be cleaned thoroughly. It requires a whip-n-pause or similar technique to get a good bead. Slag can be harder to get off than . is just a good all around rod for structural welding. For me it's more pleasant to weld with as it lays down pretty smooth. I look at this as being one of the best rods for all purpose use. It has a couple annoyances, like slag covers the end of the rod if you stop, so you need to learn to fling it off quickly or clean it off before you start again. It's much harder to clean with a file or knocking it on the ground (not the best idea, but I do it). It's more difficult to start also. Slag comes off the bead nicely when done correct.I don't have a machine that runs , so and are the rods I will typically use. However, is not a bad rod either and is not as difficult to run beads as , so not bad to have.As far as tensile strength, most of my welds would be fine with less than 60,000 lbs, so the difference between 60,000 and 70,000 lbs. is moot for me. Hope that helps. All of our mileage varies.

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i am not a professsional welder. i am a farmer who makes most of his implements. i have bought several batches of rods over the past few years and have had repeated troubles with them (the counter guys at the welding supply store keep pushing them). i either have tremendous difficulty restarting them or they become a red burning inferno after i get about half way through the rod. i only have a little lincoln "buzz box" that welds a.c. i have been given the explanation that the is a d.c. rod. i bought that until i read on a chart that it isn't. for general 1/4" steel welding, should i just stick to the or what am i doing wrong? thanks, rich

By

thirdeye

Date

07-16- 03:23

07-16- 03:23

Rich,
Welcome to the forum! This is a great place to ask for help. There is a AC rod just for AC machines.

Your local welding dealer should be more helpful. Explain the type of equipment you have and they will be able to steer you in the right direction and should have plenty of advise when it comes to selecting different rods for farm applications.

By

billvanderhoof

Date

07-16- 04:18

07-16- 04:18

Your complaints are not unusual. Restarting is often difficult, the wire burns up inside the flux coating and doesn't touch when you try to restart. Scratching the rod on something rough (like a stone) to even up the end before you restart helps. If you tap the rod on the work instead of scratching it it works better for me. I've seen some pros who just don't restart a rod, just get a new one. Usually they haven't bought the rods themselves though. likes to be run hot and it will tempt you to overdo it. Not hard to wind up with red hot stubs. I doubt that you are keeping those unused rods in an oven the way the book says. The humidity from the air makes everything worse and also defeats the low hydrogen property of the rods. As stated above there are rods optimized for AC use. If you are not using high strength steel there is not a lot of advantage to be gained from .

In the end a weld that is well made with is probably going to be stronger than one that is poorly done with .
Bill

By

jwright650

Date

07-16- 14:37

07-16- 14:37

Another thought on restarting the is to (with gloved hand) pinch off the end of the rod before trying to scratch start it again. I don't mean to take all the coating off, just a pinch to get the end of the electrode closer to the end. This helps me with restarting the so-called lincoln "drag" rod too.
John Wright

Another thought on restarting the is to (with gloved hand) pinch off the end of the rod before trying to scratch start it again. I don't mean to take all the coating off, just a pinch to get the end of the electrode closer to the end. This helps me with restarting the so-called lincoln "drag" rod too.John Wright

By

SteelDet

Date

07-16- 15:15

07-16- 15:15

If you want to learn more, please visit our website what is a welding rod used for.

I too am a farmer that has been repairing and making my own stuff for quite a while. From what I've read, and someone please correct me if I am wrong, here is a general breakdown of the most common rods and their purpose....
70 series rods mean 70,000 psi tensile strength (, , AC)
60 series rods mean 60,000 psi tensile strength (, etc)

rods are easy to use and work best on equipment that is dirty, rusty, oily, etc.
easy to use, great looking welds, for clean surfaces. (tip this rod can be drug across the surface as you weld)
the book I have says this is a good rod for sheet metal. I haven't used any in a long time so I can't really say much from experience. I am going to get some today for use on thin wall tube though...just to see.
a low hydrogen rod, good looking welds (except I get a lot of spatter with them) a lot of people use them, they are used in structural seel etc,rods very susceptible to moisture damage (see post below welding w/ vs )

Personally, I love the rods, use them all of the time. Try them next time you buy. I'll bet you like them too, just clean the surfaces to be welded best you can with a grinder. On dirty stuff that you can't get to to clean stick with the . If you don't already have some, get a couple of those plastic tubes with the rubber seal to keep your rods in.

There are other rods, but I don't have any experience with them except for the cast iron rods and that's a story in it's self. :)

By

thirdeye

Date

07-16- 17:26

07-16- 17:26

SteelDet is right about the ease of use of electrodes, we use them for general maintenance around the shop and for low amperage welding thin sheet metal. For me, the 's are the easiest rod to run and I like the higher deposition rate. The heavier slag is self lifting and the weld bead has a very smooth appearance. (almost no prep for painting)

Some of the dealers in my area carry Forney brand rods. They have a big assortment of rods including hardfacing and cast iron. In addition to the 25, 10, & 5 lb. boxes, they have 1 lb. boxes so you can try them out without spending too much.

By

jwright650

Date

07-16- 20:21

07-16- 20:21

Another easy to run rod is the . You can just make contact and watch it burn. We use them to get the guys that are just starting to weld, excited about welding. Then we let em' have the rod with the "magnet in the end" if their head gets too big too quick.
John Wright

Another easy to run rod is the . You can just make contact and watch it burn. We use them to get the guys that are just starting to weld, excited about welding. Then we let em' have the rod with the "magnet in the end" if their head gets too big too quick.John Wright

By

CHGuilford

Date

07-16- 16:21

07-16- 16:21

The best thing to remember about rods is that they run best on machines with a high open circuit voltage. The little buzz boxes (AC or DC) force you to turn up the amperage to compensate for the low voltage. Usually the result is a glowing welding rod that falls apart before it should.
It is not that the rods won't work at all on AC or with the buzz boxes. It's just that they run best on the right welding machine. I recommend sticking (no pun intended) to the rods that are made for AC machines. because it will be a lot easier to make a good weld. And when you are comfortable with what you are doing, you will do your best work.
Maybe the next time you are at the welding store, the counter guys can give you a demonstration on welded with a buzzbox? That might prove interesting.

Chet Guilford

By

dseman

Date

07-17- 01:52

07-17- 01:52

Rich,
It's true that with your machine the limited OCV will make starting and maintaining an arc with a regular very difficult. However, there are other versions of which are specifically designed to work with these machines. Try Lincoln's -AC, or Hobart's 18AC. They'll work on DC of either polarity or AC.

-dseman

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