Welding two 6mm rods is not bridging

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Hi.My Dad is trying to weld two 6mm steel rods together using a 2.5mm med quality welding rod, and an electric arc welder.  He runs the rod down the length of the rods, using a cross stitch method, running back on himself to get maximum coverage.  He is a fairly experienced welder.However, the weld is not bridging and he is left with two lines of weld on either rod that are not joining.  On his forth attempt he gets enough weld on to join the rods, but then he has to file it off.Can anyone advise us?
Reply:So the two 6mm rods are laying parallel to each other and touching?He is getting fusion on both rods?Do you have a picture of the set up?
Reply:Based on the metric measurements in the post the OP is in a foreign country. It would be nice to know what rod is being used.Many of the other countries use 6013 rod as the "go-to" rod. I have seen the exact type of bonding, or lack of, as described in the post when using 6013. My advice is to use a different rod, maybe 6011, if it is available. Run it at the lowest setting that will keep an arc going.
Reply:Originally Posted by GWD...Many of the other countries use 6013 rod as the "go-to" rod. I have seen the exact type of bonding, or lack of, as described in the post when using 6013.
Reply:Picts would help.Failure to get the two puddles to join is often the result of rushing and going to fast and failing to wait for the puddle to really form.  This is frequently the case when someone tries to weld small or thin materials with a hot process like stick.Also it's fairly typical of welders who are inexperienced with stick. They haven't yet learned to distinguish between slag and molten steel, so they assume everything they see "weld"..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I'm guessing he is moving too fast and not letting the puddle catch up to the rod.
Reply:I`ve experienced this problem with 6013 on T-joint fillet welds!Problem in my case was:a) too long an arc,b) not enough amps,c) not waiting for the initial puddle for form and bridge the the two pieces of metal.The main solution in my case was to keep a very short arc, more amps and to wait until the two puddles bridge before moving on down the weld line.Rick V 1 Airco Heliwelder 3A/DDR3 CTC 70/90 amp Stick/Tig Inverters in Parallel1 Lincoln MIG PAK 151 Oxy-Acet