E6013....help!!!

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I am currently taking an intensive 25 hour/wk stick welding class, and I am just plain stuck on horizontal welding a T-joint with E6013. At first, part way through I would lose the puddle, or I'd have varying widths at different places in the weld. My teacher told me that was b/c of my arc length, and keeping that consistent has helped a lot. I don't think my angle is right, though. I've heard conflicting advice about rod angle and how hard to press the rod against the base metal. I would love any advice about this, or just horizontal welding in general or T-joints or E6013 in general. Thanks for taking the time to help a newbie!
Reply:Hi. Don't lose heart if you hear over and over again the virtues of practice. (You know, muscle has memory and all of that?) While I don't get the chance to burn lots and lots of rod these days, I always did well to just skim the surface of the base metal when using filler rods, like my old friend...6013. Manual arc welding is 100% your manipulation, so, rule number one is, get comfortable. Relax. Welcome Aboard! City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:What size rod, how many amps?  Angle should be lilke this /  with the tip of the rod pointing to the start line and the arc should be no bigger than the diameter of the rod (the wire part).David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Don't be afraid to experiment when you are having a problem,----with any rod. Change your rod travel speed and see what happens. Change the angle your holding the rod at and see what difference that makes. Change the amps and see what that does. You will find what works and what doesn't pretty quickly.
Reply:I cant believe an instructor would teach welding with a rod that has that much flux. Must be cause its purty. 6013 is a drag rod if I remember right. I never buy it and surely wouldnt use it if I wanted something welded. For AC use 6011. DC use 6010 7010 7018. 6013 has no penetration so when you learn how to weld you wont use it either.
Reply:Telling him "don't ever use 6013" doesn't mean a thing as the question was how to make a sound weld with 6013,not 6011,6010, etc.Turtle, watch your puddle! 6013 like to leave slag on the edges, so you need to keep an eye on what you are doing to be sure you flow in.
Reply:Originally Posted by J HallTelling him "don't ever use 6013" doesn't mean a thing as the question was how to make a sound weld with 6013,not 6011,6010, etc.Turtle, watch your puddle! 6013 like to leave slag on the edges, so you need to keep an eye on what you are doing to be sure you flow in.
Reply:Sorry I was told there was no box. There are plenty of welding intructors who just plain suck. But at any rate play with the rod, thats what you are in class for and enjoy.
Reply:The 6013 really begins to shine when you have to weld something thin like sheet metal. You need to use straight polarity, electrode negative. Every rod has its place or they wouldn't make it. 6013 give you a pretty weld when you are welding something that doesn't need a lot of penetration, like something thin.
Reply:"Those that can't, teach".
Reply:Or you could ask the ladies!City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:6013 is not my favorite but it is capable of making good welds. Just look at some of Pipefitter's work, it's a work of art.
Reply:Try changing your machine, also i do believe 6013's use reverse polarity ... so double check your leads.
Reply:Thanks you for all the advice. I kept at it for several days and think I have a pretty good grasp of it now. I just started welding lap joints in the vertical down position using -- you guessed it! -- 6013. It's going quite well. After I pass this, I have to try vertical up. Any advice?  Newbie
Reply:Any advice?
Reply:Thanks, Tanglediver. The suggeston of tilting the piece in varying degrees was VERY helpful. Right now I'm using 7018 to weld a lap joint in the vertical up position.  I've got the hang of filling it out, but I'm having a problem with undercut. Someone in class told me that I should turn up my amperage to correct the problem, and that has helped somewhat. Currently I'm welding it at 95 amps. My question is, if I'm getting undercut, am I lingering too long on that side, or am I not spending enough time on that side?  Newbie
Reply:Taek, 7018 uphill is an important weld to master.  It's a 3F certification weld(industry standard!).With a 1/8" 7018 rod, I use between 95-105 amps.  When you get undercut on the base metal, that's because you are not hesitating long enough before you move the rod.  Lets say you strike your arc, and get your first bead, then you move your rod to the other side of the joint.... once you move your rod to the other side of the joint, you have to hold it still there for a brief moment.  When you first move it in, watch your puddle, your puddle will move upwards as the metal below cools and your rod melts the metal it is facing.  The moment your puddle "moves up", move your rod to the next position.  The puddle "moving up" is filling in the gap where you normally have undercut.  If you don't wait on the puddle to move up after moving your rod, you are left with undercut where the arc blew the metal out the moment you moved it there.Remember practice makes perfect, I am just now graduating from welding school so I was where you are very recently.  Keep your hood down, and burn as many rods are you can in the time that you have.  Repetition is the key.  After a half dozen practice welds, you'll notice that you hesitate and let your puddle rise to prevent undercuts without even thinking about it.  If you are still having trouble, ask your instructor to watch you weld a pass.  He or she should tell you if you are pausing on the sides enough to allow the puddle to fill in undercut.Also...if after pausing on the sides, the middle of your weld has a large "hump", so you have deep valleys next to the side(similar to undercut)...that means you are pausing *too long* on the sides.  Remember to move that rod the moment your puddle moves upwards.Hope that helps!Last edited by module0000; 10-30-2008 at 11:51 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by WelderskelterI cant believe an instructor would teach welding with a rod that has that much flux. Must be cause its purty. 6013 is a drag rod if I remember right. I never buy it and surely wouldnt use it if I wanted something welded. For AC use 6011. DC use 6010 7010 7018. 6013 has no penetration so when you learn how to weld you wont use it either.
Reply:Samm, you are supposed to scrape the ------------ spatter (almost called it something else) off before you take a pitcure.
Reply:I will next time.  Back under familiar rock, in same hole"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Nice weld there SamI wish my stick welds could look like that  I have some 7018 and 6011 rods I may post a couple later so you everyone can show me the ropes weld it like you own it
Reply:I swear, when I opened this thread and saw that picture, I thought I was seeing a desert valley landscape painted by Fermarsamm;  notice the nice banding of the different minerals on the eroded far sloping desert wall, the water waves in the small river headed over the cliff to the left, and the large rocks in the foreground which obviously rolled off the canyon rim far above?(I know, the waves are backwards but don't tell Farmersamm!)I really like it! Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverOr you could ask the ladies!
Reply:a 6013 is a great rod for an old buzz box i use them often it welds very similar to a 7018 i thinkComplete Fabrication Shop specializing in pipe fabrication. Also offering heavy steel fabrication and sheet metal work.
Reply:HELLO TO ALL,6013 is a sheet metal rod, low penatration.i welded with it many years ago, but i neverheard it refered to as a drag rod.for someone who is learning to weld, i thinkthe biggest problem is, the rod is burning off the end,so you must keep feeding it into the weld, and tryto maintain the correct arc length. after you get thisdown pat, you become a better weldor.good luck to all.wlbrownA 6013 is about the best rod one can use in welding those weld-on forged steel tractor 3 point hitch swivel balls in multi passes.  I think forged steel applications may be where it shines.Funny,  my welding instructor made us use 7014's.Great rod unless uphill or overhead.   It can lay down some metal. Come to think of it, we spent half the quarter gas welding with Oxy Acetylene with 1/8 plate and 1/8 steel rods.  On the final exam on the Oxy/Acetylene,  he threw some 1/4" inch plate at us.  Mine passed just nicely.   But most everyones failed the destructo test except for mine and another guys.
Reply:There has possibly been more  welding done with a 6013  than any other rod.
Reply:I find it easier to weld out of position with 7018, but that could be just me.Just burn up more rod.  You will get the hang of it.Once you master vertical up, the rest will be easy.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RI find it easier to weld out of position with 7018, but that could be just me.Just burn up more rod.  You will get the hang of it.Once you master vertical up, the rest will be easy.David