7018 vs 6013 vs everything else

[R W]

I would argue that for 99% of the jobs on this forum, there is no need for 7018 rod.


View attachment 354446
6013 is fine if someone knows how to use it. It might not be the best, or the strongest, but is still good rod I just get tired of hearing 7018, 7018, 7018 all of the time. yes, it is an excellent rod, and very strong. (not pertaining to this thread).....but a newbie welder that wants to weld a bracket or hook to something to hang a tool or whatnot, certainly dont need 7018. And given the difficulty of running 7018 on AC, for a newbie, look into other rods.

I am in total agreement with you.
7018 is an over kill in many situations

 

[dieselcrawler]

First picture is 7018 run on a AC buzz box. The second pictures is 7018 run on a DC welding machine.
See how the DC weld is much smoother, and more flowing lines to the weld? See how the AC weld is choppy, raged? That what I mean by wetting out.

So judging by your pictures and compairing them to mine... looks like I used DC rod on AC... ?

 

[Arc weld]

Dieselcrawler, your 7018 weld bead looks very good except you didn't allow it to fill in the undercut at the edges. I would run a quick bead with no weave to fill the undercut. That would eliminate the notch effect where a crack could start. For your application, 7018 was absolutely the best rod for the job!:thumbsup: Standard 7018 will work on AC, it's designed as an AC/DC+ rod. What Shield Arc was referring to was the way 7018 flows on AC current not how "DC" 7018 works on AC. That said, AC 7018 is specifically designed to be easier to use on AC current and give similar characteristics to 7018 on DC. Run standard 7018 on an industrial AC welder and it will run better than on a low end buzz box. Also different brands of 7018 can make a big difference.

As Mark said 7014 is a much better choice than 6013 and is usually a lot easier to use. For production you can use 7024 but if you want something strong, experienced welders will grab 7018 and depending on the application, 6010/6011. I think most people can understand that if you're welding something that doesn't need a lot of strength, any rod will work. Instead of people taking the time to practice using 7018, it's a lot easier to knock it as hard to use on AC and then claim it's overkill anyway. Doesn't it seem odd that experienced welders will choose 7018 and inexperienced welders will choose 6013? Sometimes there's no substitute for experience. Shield Arcs break tests certainly prove the difference between 6013 and 7018. I think understanding different loads and metallurgy goes a long way to understanding the different properties of welding rods and the applications for them. Welding is a lot more than just making sparks the easiest way possible. That's why there's a ton of theory involved in welding and if you're good, you can make the big bucks.

 

[R W]

As Mark said 7014 is a much better choice than 6013 and is usually a lot easier to use. .

I agree. In the 1970s, saw a lot of welding performed with a 7014 on bulldozers etc , and it was mostly satisfactory, to-day if I was doing similar jobs , would use a 7016 or 7018.

 

[stuckmotor]

7018 comes in AC rod, (7018AC) the difference is the flux coating.It runs excellent on ac. Don't let the guy at the supply house tell you it's all the same,it's not. Once you use it you will love it.

Even I can run Lincoln 7018 AC DC rods on my AC Tombstone. I get them at Lowes and the box says AC DC.

 

[lilranch2001]

I would argue that for 99% of the jobs on this forum, there is no need for 7018 rod.

Most everything I have done at home, with the stick, certainly isnt 7018. Cause on the old craftsman AC tapped machine, 7018 dont run at all. Flat out wont do it. But that machine has ran several hundred pounds of 6013, 7014.

We arent talking 1" thick plates here. Most of the stuff people on this forum (myself included) are dealing with is 1/8" - 1/4" stock. 6013 and 7014 are more than capable of good penetration on this stuff.

This trailer is about 20 years old now, and dont have a single weld on it that ISNT 6013. And has hauled MANY MANY loads of wood.
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6013 is fine if someone knows how to use it. It might not be the best, or the strongest, but is still good rod.

If you need to hang a 10 pound sign on the wall, and have the choice of using 1/4" x 3/4" fastners or 1/2" x 2" fastners, what would you do?? Sure the 1/2 x 2" fastners would penetrate more and hold more. But given that the sign will bend and tear and crumple long before the 1/4 x 3/4 fastners fail, is it really any better??

I have said my piece, and I will leave this thread alone now. I am by no means a "pro" weldor. I just get tired of hearing 7018, 7018, 7018 all of the time. yes, it is an excellent rod, and very strong. (not pertaining to this thread).....but a newbie welder that wants to weld a bracket or hook to something to hang a tool or whatnot, certainly dont need 7018. And given the difficulty of running 7018 on AC, for a newbie, look into other rods.

I agree, it is not the best nor the strongest.......
:thumbsup:

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I've used 6013 to weld the replacement lift ball ends on lift arms on Ford industrial and agricultural tractors with 6013. Works great as long as you chip and remove the slag between each pass, and take your time and not try to over fill each pass in the V groove. Also welded cutting edges in too (all that was provided at the time by the business owner I worked for). Never had a come back.

 

[lilranch2001]

You all may be right, 7018 is in many cased overkill.

I like it because I am comfortable with it
It is the rod I grew up with
It is the rod I know how it is going to act
I love watching the slag peel up as I run a perfect bead

The point is, everyone has what they like, some of us simply LIKE 7018

Atom Arc 7018 is my brand of choice

If you eat pizza, do you have cheese pizza because it is cheaper or easier to eat?
Or do you order meat lovers because you like it?

 

[Shield Arc]

I think for the majority of the members here 6013, and 7014 will work great for anything they're going to do. I never seen 7014, or 6013 on a structural job. When I worked in a fab shop we had 6013 on hand, but we never used it because we had Mig machines. I never heard of 7014 until joining these tractor sites, so I bought some. WOW! Childs play to run, that stuff is cool! I'm not impressed with 6013 just because it has no impact quality.
But I did bend tests with both 6013, and 7014. Not a flaw in either one, for most of us here do we need anything more? I say use what ever works best for you, but I'm a 7018 guy, but that comes from spending my whole life on structural jobs, and that's all they will buy for you. True 7018 is over kill for just about everything, even on the job. I guess the reason engineers require it is because it is over kill, but I really don't know why, but I can't remember ever seeing a set of drawing where at least 7018 was called for.

 

[Arc weld]

I guess it all depends on what you're welding and the reason they make so many different rods. I was thinking a lot people would be repairing things that broke or making their own implements and stuff where you don't want the welds and/or repairs to break. If you didn't have your own welder and had to call a guy out with his truck, you can be sure he wouldn't be using 6013. His reputation is on the line. 7018/AC7018 isn't some exotic rod with a fancy name that costs 10 times more than other rods. It's a little more expensive but the benefits certainly outweigh the slightly higher cost.