30 year old stick eletrodes?

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Hey WeldingWeb, I haven't been around here for a while, But I have a question about how long 6013 rods last. My school finally finished cleaning out their metal shop (closed in '06) and I got to make off with about 400lbs of 1/8 and 3/32 6013 rods. They're still in the cardboard boxes, with dates going back to the late 70's marked on them. I'm wondering if they're still good? Can just stick them in the oven if I need to? Would I be able to trust them for anything structural like building trailers and go-karts?-Alexedit: Dammit I meant eleCtrodes-AlexSears/Craftsman 230A Buzzy BoxSears/Craftsman 180A Buzzy BoxChicago Electric 80A InverterALL STICK...ALL THE TIME!I spent a lot of time with the square peg and round hole.
Reply:I myself wouldn't really use 6013 for anything structural.   i always thought of it as something for sheet metal, or maybe a light fillet weld on something.   I think mig took the place of 6013.   I go to a surplus warehouse where they have a pallet of the stuff.  its kinda a agticultural town, and in months time, the pallet really hasn't shrunk.    They are trying to get 40 dollars a box of 50lbs.     I keep it on hand, but use a tiny bit here and there rarely.    I know where your coming from, ya hate to waste something.
Reply:30-40 year-old flux? Obsolete filler?I wouldn't do anything with them that risked injury to myself or others.My reccomendation would be to put 'em in the scrap pile for reclamation.Be wary of The Numbers: Figures don't lie,. but liars can figure.Welders:2008 Lincoln 140 GMAW&FCAW2012 HF 165 'toy' GTAW&SMAW1970's Cobbled together O/A
Reply:Put them on craigs list or ebay and use the money to buy some real electrodes.I have turned 6011 electrodes orange hot with a Lincoln ideal arc 250 putting a ton of amperage through them trying to get penetration and you still cant.Last edited by mad welder 4; 11-15-2013 at 10:38 AM.old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder
Reply:Originally Posted by mad welder 4Put them on craigs list or ebay and use the money to buy some real electrodes.I have turned 6011 electrodes orange hot with a Lincoln ideal arc 250 putting a ton of amperage through them trying to get penetration and you still cant.
Reply:Fire some up ! Stored in a controlled enviro they should still be OK. Shoot the maker an email and engineering will respond.Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:Yeah, try them out, test the welds.  What can it hurt to try burning a few on some scrap.  seabee78
Reply:I got some old rod a while back. Some of it was losing the flux in chunks and I scrapped it but the stuff that looked pretty good worked fine.
Reply:I have some 6011 that is so old it only has 3 blue dots on it, no 6011 markings. It was in a sealed tin. Lincoln Fleetweld 35, it welds fine for stupid dirty repairs on chain link fence posts and lawn mowers.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Originally Posted by TozziWeldingI have some 6011 that is so old it only has 3 blue dots on it, no 6011 markings. It was in a sealed tin. Lincoln Fleetweld 35, it welds fine for stupid dirty repairs on chain link fence posts and lawn mowers.
Reply:I decided a long time ago 6013 is useful for learning to weld, not much else. It burns nice, produces a beautiful bead, satisfactory results with an AC buzzbox,  etc. I have a carton dating back to the 1970's, a gift from my parents when I was learning to weld. Now my 14yo son is learning the fundamentals, with the same box of rod I used as a kid. Cheap stuff & I dont care how much of it he burns.Hobbyist - At what point is a "hobby" out-of-control?
Reply:6013, in the UK and large parts of europe, is the standard pressure piping consumable short of the exotic pipe. They are happily putting some slick xray code welds on high pressure pipe every day. Google the fine Scottish welders work if you must, it's beautifull.It's not the standard procedure in North America but it's working just lovely in a lot of places under harsh inspection and harsh conditions. The farmers may disagree : ) but that's a fact.30 year old cunsumables are like 30 year old ketchup, may be just ok somewhere, but really probably not ok. Cept on your lawn mower.....maybe.The internet myths are strong obyone.J
Reply:C'mon JTMcCI, you gotta be  yankin' our cords about the pipe standards.  -------------As to "aged" 6013. With 30-year-old 6013, stored in conditions as found at a typical school, to be used for typical 6013 applications?No problem.
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepC'mon JTMcCI, you gotta be  yankin' our cords about the pipe standards.
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveUm, what?6013 and 6011 both work just fine. I've not tried 30 year old electrodes though.
Reply:RE: the EU pipe, we have one here but he does blackwater pipe IIRC, never the less - it's some serious weld bling in his thread for sure. http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?19742-6013-dcenMatt
Reply:I gave a bunch of boxes to local high schools for practice.  They were thrilled, as they did not have enough money to buy new.  I told them how to dry the 7018, even though they were sealed and told them probably shouldn't be used on serious projects.  Maybe that school can find others trying to keep their trade programs open.  Boy Scouts just started a welding badge, I'm not sure what is needed for it.
Reply:A couple of years ago my old boss picked up a pallet of rods that were all dated 1981, I burned up countless boxes of these and they ran fine. They were Manganese rods and I was just doing build up work on wear parts in a crushing plant, so not critical.I do live in a dry part of the driest state on the  driest continent on Earth, which probably helps Cheers Andrew
Reply:They will be fine ,in Pa Jeddo Coal used WW 2 surplus rods till 1970 s on the largest dragline in Pa the8700 Marion.They still use Westinghouse circuit braker welders from 1965.
Reply:Soon as I work out how to post pictures, I'll try to put up some 6013 work UK style. The 6013's available here are really good quality and used on pipelines and some structural over here. Murex market a 6013 they say is suitable for pipelining.
Reply:I used up the last of my 6012's that were over 40 years old.  They were left-overs from my grand dad's weld shop.  Always kept dry and they worked great on my Lincoln buzzbox every time.  They did produce some heavy slag, but it scraped off easily.  I must messed around with them for hobby welding and some outdoor furniture products I made.Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member