6013 stick problems

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new to forum but have read alot of helpful stuff here. I am welding t joints with 6013 3/32 dcep at about 80 amps. no problems with burn through but having alot of problems with slag in weld and in middle of weld .  Did similar joints with 7018 other day no problems and some vertical also no problems. Haveing trouble getting hold of the 6013 tricks for good welds. any advise would be appreciated. thanks
Reply:Try DCEN.  It is a bit smoother.  Maybe slow down and tight arc.  You can actually drag 6013 with the flux coating resting on the parent metal if you want.
Reply:post some pics if you can. if your doing good with 7018 you should not have any probs with 6013 as it's about the easiest rod to weld with. pics would help.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:thanks i will try to literally drag the rod that may be it. cant post pic today am at work, will try ya'lls advice thankyou
Reply:slow down and make sure you build your weld bead.  also you want to try and weld with the rod at nearly 90 degrees to the direction of travel and 45 ish to the joint.  you can tilt the rod 10 degrees or so into the direction of travel.
Reply:Is it at the start of the weld? Inclusion is common at the beginning if your not paying attention to your puddle and moving to quick. Quick and easy answer: crank yer heat.Lincoln Power MIG 210 MP ( boat anchor )Lincoln Weld-Pac 100 HDHobart IronMan 230Cutmaster 42Jackson NexGenSumner Ultra ClampsDWM120
Reply:i ran one more at 90 amps and that seems to help not positive yet. The chart says it can be welded as low as 50 amps doesnt seem like it would do well at that amperage
Reply:Why use 6013 if you have 7018? Anyway, pretty much what everyone has stated plus work on distinguishing the puddle from the slag.
Reply:Originally Posted by tapwelderWhy use 6013 if you have 7018? Anyway, pretty much what everyone has stated plus work on distinguishing the puddle from the slag.
Reply:Yep,However, the only mood that makes me run 6013 anymore is if I am out of 7018.  Use to run 6013, because it ran better on my small inverter, not anymore.
Reply:If you can run 7018 then ditch the 6013 there is no need for it then.
Reply:first off thankyou everybody for the advice i tried everything people said and found amperage to be biggest problem i think, bad welds were in range of 50 to 80 amps the better welds were run at 90 amps dcen. I am useing 6013 rod because what i need to weld is some pipe where one piece fits in to another poor fit and cant get it very clean , about 1/8 to 3/16 thick so i thought the med penetration of 6013 would help. i am trying to post pic. thanks again very good info and awesome forum. Attached Images
Reply:That first pic was all your fault, 6013 has a heavy slag, and you really should watch the slag puddle ahead of the weld pool.Poor fit-up? Pipe? 6010....Lincoln Power MIG 210 MP ( boat anchor )Lincoln Weld-Pac 100 HDHobart IronMan 230Cutmaster 42Jackson NexGenSumner Ultra ClampsDWM120
Reply:I use 6013 quite abit due to finding them on sale.  the last 3, 50lb boxes of 6013 I have bought I purchased at $35.00 a piece.  SO 150lbs of rods or 50lbs of rods at the same cost for noncritical welds is a no brainer for me.  6013 is a great rod for non critical welds.
Reply:MadMax31 hit the nail on the head. If you let the slag get ahead of you, or you don't maintain a proper rod angle, that is the result you are going to get. That is not the proper rod to be using for poor fit ups until you develope some skill. The shallow penetration characteristic of the rod makes it desirable for sheet metal work, but with practice, any rod will work for what you are doing. I hope this is not for a paying customer.
Reply:no this is not a paying job just something non critcal for a friend. thanks for all the help and advice it will help as i burn more practice rod
Reply:As has been said, MORE current. About 100-110A will help alot with 6013. (for shorter runs or your rods will go black) 100A is fine for most things. The 6013 has a heavy slag is difficult to distinguish between it and the puddle. No more than 15 degrees drag angle and keep a TIGHT arc.By nature, the 6013 and a long arc means lots o slag inclusion and worm holes.On a side note: I don't know why all you yanks hate these rods so much as they produce fantastic welds with the right technique. Us aussies cant use 6010 rods for **** so we use what we use and you do the same. Please stop telling people what they should and should not be using because it's their choice in the end.Support Bacteria -  It's the only culture some people have!
Reply:I agree to a certain extent with our aussie friend. It seems to me that E6013 electrodes are quite misunderstood by some on this forum, and 90% of the time when people make posts stating to use E7018 electrodes there is actually no need. Most people asking about electrode selection on this forum are using common or garden mild steel, which can be welded up to 20mm thick (3/4") perfectly well with a 6013 (and in some cases thicker). Even for pipe work 6013 can be used, depending on the tensile strength of the pipe, wall thicknessand aplication. Some structural steel can, and is also welded with 6013, again , depending on the material and wall thickness. With regards to the photos posted the second fillet looks fine although I'd go easy with the chipping hammer and use a cold chisel instead. I'd run a 2.5mm(3/32)  6013 at about 95amps for that weld, making sure to push it right into the corner.
Reply:Originally Posted by Baila La PinzaI agree to a certain extent with our aussie friend. It seems to me that E6013 electrodes are quite misunderstood by some on this forum, and 90% of the time when people make posts stating to use E7018 electrodes there is actually no need. Most people asking about electrode selection on this forum are using common or garden mild steel, which can be welded up to 20mm thick (3/4") perfectly well with a 6013 (and in some cases thicker). Even for pipe work 6013 can be used, depending on the tensile strength of the pipe, wall thicknessand aplication. Some structural steel can, and is also welded with 6013, again , depending on the material and wall thickness. With regards to the photos posted the second fillet looks fine although I'd go easy with the chipping hammer and use a cold chisel instead. I'd run a 2.5mm(3/32)  6013 at about 95amps for that weld, making sure to push it right into the corner.
Reply:Originally Posted by Scott Young95 amps for a 3/32???  Maybe for a 1/8th.  A 3/32 would catch fire before you burned half the rod.
Reply:I didnt want to cause a war between Aussies and Americans over weld rod, but i do thank everyone for input and ideas. The best beads i get are around 90 amps dcen, have started to get some better ones around 75 amps so my technique for this rod must be improving a little, or so i hope anyway. thanks for help.
Reply:No war here.  I have run some 3/32s at 95 and my machine must be running on the hot side.  I need to stop before I use up the whole rod.  It turns black and at times catch fire.  No biggie.  Glad you are getting the hang of it.  For what the rod does, it does it well.