SMAW basic electrodes

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Have identified a few electrodes that a novice (me) might buy to learn and perhaps stick a few pieces together:  6013, 7014, 7018.  Not sure where all this will lead but so far I need to make wood lathe tool rests from round and rectangular CRS bar, woodworking tool tables from 2x2 mild steel angles, tool boxes (torch tips, cutter head rods etc) for O/A tank cart, various fixtures and miscellaneous repairs. Thought 1/16 6013 would be good for sheet metal, 1/8 7014 for thicker angles and shapes, and the 3/16 7018 to fill when parts do not line up well for welding.  Plan to be doing flat, horizontal and a few vertical welds but no overhead.  Have only used O/A previously so I assume arc welding is somewhat similar...part A needs to be joined to part B...very simple .  Am sure there is a lot more to it!Purchased the Hobart Stickmate LX which is capable of 230AC/160DC or somewhere close to that.  Backed off the bottom end 230 volt MIG since it apparently does not have the versatility of the plain AC/DC stick welder (but I can be reoriented if necessary and can exchange the welder since the box has not even been opened).One question: should an electrode or O/A be used to cut materials (have heard of cutting with electrode but have no information other than it can be done).Any suggestions in these areas would be appreciated.Chris
Reply:Hi Chris. 6013 and 7014 are exelent beginner rods. both fill basically the same need. They are medium fill-freeze rods that can be used in any position. The 1st 2 numbers refer to the strength of the rod so the 70 rods are stronger than the 60 rods. Either one will do a wide variety of things for you depending on the rod size and amp settings. 7018 is a great rod but a bit tougher to get the hang of. You have to hold an arc as opposed to dragging the rod like you do with 6013/7014. 7018 has a tendency to stick if not run quite right. It's not hard just takes a bit of practice.Add 6010/6011 to your list. This is a deep penetrating rod good for rusty metals. Not a sheet metal rod but good for heavier metals.As far as cutting use the torch. You can cut with rods but the true cutting rods require a lot of amps and an air supply, though I have made some rough emergency cuts with 6010/6011 when I had nothing else handy.I'd rather see you with a good stick machine than a crappy 220v mig. A good quality 220v mig like a Hobart, Lincoln or Miller will do a lot of stuff. They are a bit easier to learn, but as with anything there are trade offs between mig and stick. Stick is cheap and good for thicker materials and rusty metals. Mig is a bit simpler, but doesn't like to weld on windy days outdoors and doesn't like rust. The call depends on what you plan to do.I'll pm you some other stuff.
Reply:i started out with 6013 and 7014 they are good beginner rods easy to weld with but now i weld mostly thicker rusty metal on the farm so i stuck with a 6010 its got good deap penatration and can handle the old pipe i deal with and if i dont like the way it looks ill cap it off with a 6013 or a 7018 i like a good mig but like dws said i weld mostly outside on a hill and the wind just wont allow for it so stick it is for meBuild It       Run ItBreak ItFix ItREPEAT
Reply:6011 ftw
Reply:welcome ..that 3/16 7018  will use a lot of heat...filling a void from bad fitup is possible with smaller rod and a whip technique that will let you use a deposit metal-let metal cool-deposit metal-let metal cool   type of sequence to buildup metal..not sure if i described that well ..not really sure i do it that well either...
Reply:If your stick welder is AC, use 6011, 7018-AC and 6013.   These are the 3 most common rods you will find at most home hardware stores (Home Depot, Lowe's, etc).  If your stick welder is DC, you can use just about any rod you want.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Thanks guys.  Reads like the rods selected are ok except the 7018 might be a challenge.  Will get a small box of 6010 or 6011 and look at specs to determine which does what,  though it probably will not matter to a novice. Still have to run the 220v line, which will take some time although I have the sub-panels, breakers, cable etc; makes me think a small 110 AC MIG would be so much faster but underpowered.  Still trying to determine if I made the best choice between a Hobart Handler 187 MIG and a Hobart Stickmate LX (which I have here but unopened) or a MIller or a Lincoln equivalent.Thanks for you help. Got the rods down pat but still not sure of the welder.Chris
Reply:I believe no one on the board would throw a nasty remark toward the Lincoln Tombstone or the Miller thunderbolt.   The Hobart would be fine but I would question its duty cycle and long term survival.Look, A lot of guys start with Mig.  A lot of guys start with stick. The issue isn't the machine. It is what you will be doing with it that matters.  I personally think that you need to learn on stick first.  But if funds are limited, get the machine that suits your needs first.  You can "unlearn" the bad habits that you learn on Mig when you go to stick if that's what you have to do.If you are doing fab work on sheet metal,  Mig is the way to go.  If you want to be repairing on heavy objects or doing semi-industrial or agricultural repair or fab work, you will want to buy you a buzz box.  I think you will have to figure out what you want to be working on.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Originally Posted by lugweld.   The Hobart would be fine but I would question its duty cycle and long term survival.