E-6010 problems

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I've got a box of Atom arc e-6010 stick electrodes that weld funny. After a few inches of the rod get burned up they have a strong tendancy to fingernail on one side depositing all my filler to the top of the plate when doing a 2F weld. I've tried changing my rod angle as soon as i see it happen but its just too extreme. I dont think its arc blow either. I'm tired of having to stop welding and rotate the stick in my stinger, maybe the flux is thicker on one side over the other? Any other ideas?
Reply:Finger nailing is a common problem with E6010 electrodes.  It can be due to mis handling, damage to the coating, or manufacturing defects.E6010 is designed to have a small, but specific amount of moisture in the coating.  If your rods are very old, and have been sitting in a very dry climate for a long time, or accidentally put into a rod oven,then they may be ruined.Likewise, if they're bad from the factory, you may be out of luck.  Poorly made rods will have the metal rod not centered in the flux coating.  This will surely cause the rods to fingernail.From what you describe, in that they light off OK, but go to crap after a few inches, I'd guess they're too old and too dry.  The heat of welding is baking the last of the moisture out of the coating before the rod is completely burned up.If you're running them at too high an amperage setting, that can also cause problems, so double check your settings and see if you're running too hot.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:thanks alot! it seems to be the box i got was bad cuz ive burnt up about 50 sticks and about every other one wants to fingernail. im only welding on quarter inch plate and am at 70 amps so it must be the rods, but ill go fart around in the shop a bit more and see if the problem persists
Reply:If you can't take the rods back to your supplier, give a couple of them a quick dip insome water, let them dry off a bit, and then test them out. Like the man said, the moisture content should be within a specific range, but you are just going to check for improvement. Having said that, they will work better too wet than they will if too dry. I have done this on a few occasions with old rod and been able to use them up in non critical applications. If you can't get warranty, and it helps you out, you have nothing to lose.
Reply:If they have a slight greyish haze on the flux that's one indicator they got TOO humid and they can fingernail from that too.It's easier to see on "red" electrodes but I've seen it on gray rods too.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmallIf they have a slight greyish haze on the flux that's one indicator they got TOO humid and they can fingernail from that too.It's easier to see on "red" electrodes but I've seen it on gray rods too.
Reply:Grab a handful of rod and look down the at the tips and check to see if the coating is eccentric, sometimes u will get a bad batch like that.Nothing Ever Got Done By Quitting, Never Give Up.
Reply:I was told by an old welder to take a rod and dip in in water and then grab 8-10 more and roll all of them together in you hands until all of them absorb the water.  It will help stabilize the arc.  I had the same problem with a box of Firepower E6011's a while back, they were just old and too dry to weld good.
Reply:Drop em in some water and then crank the heat up and use them to cut with.  It will make for a long day with a grinder dressing up the edges.  Seriously though, dunked in water they will pierce almost anything turned up high.  The water keeps the flux from catching fire.  I was welding on a pipe fence and needed to cut some holes for sucker rods pieces.  It was faster using this method than it was using a torch or hole saw.  I carryed a bucket with a 10lb tin filled with water and 6010s.  It made short work of my fence project.I love working with reclaimed oilfield pipe.  You never know what is in that pipe.  I don't know what I hate worse: tar, concrete, wasp, snakes, or having them magnetic.
Reply:Originally Posted by Scott YoungThe water keeps the flux from catching fire.