7018 vs 6013 vs everything else

[Reyer Farms]

The open root is really not as much as filling the gap but breaking down the walls and getting complete penetration. 6010 is a good rod for it because it burns in there and gives a good weld on the inside ( wedding ring on pipe ). Outside looks like crap. Any all position rod can do it- you might need different landings and spacing.

 

[Arc weld]

Interesting thread. 7018 can be used for open root butt welds. It's not very common but can do a very nice root. We had to do it on vertical up test plates in school. The instructor couldn't understand why some people had trouble with it. Just go straight up with no whipping, weaving or anything else. Sometimes the heavier slag causes problems, especially if it decides to fingernail. 7014 is higher tensile than 6010 but isn't designed for dynamic loading like 6010 is. 6010 is the most preferred rod for root passes for a several reasons. Here's a few: It has a very thin flux coating allowing you to get deeper in the groove. It does have fast freeze characteristics that gives you better control of penetration and the puddle. You can see and especially HEAR when you're getting the right penetration a lot easier and the lighter slag doesn't cause problems like with other types of rods. 6010 can be whipped and manipulated as needed with little effect on weld quality. Because of its deep penetrating properties and ability to be jammed into the joint without snuffing out, you can still get 100% penetration on a tight fit up. It is much easier to clean up in deep grooves.7018 can be a real PIA to clean the slag off in deep grooves. On pipelines 6010 is ran downhand and is very fast compared to all other rods.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Inverter units with arc force control can be used to help "punch" through the open root. But there are more ways to skin that cat. Don't forget both the land thickness, rod size, root gap, all can be manipulated to get easier penetration even with 6010. Although I haven't read any ones with 7018 with open root, I'd have to assume some allowance and redesign of standard protocols have been made to help improve the penetration with 7018.

 

[Oldpath05]

I find that 6011/6010 works the best for open root or filling in gaps, seems like there's lest slag to get in the way while welding, and is good for dirty rusty mild steel. 7014 is a low penetrating fast rod, but still strong, but I don't like it for filling gaps, slag get's in the way easier, 3/32 works good for tacking, and 3/16 for getting a lot of welding done, and lot less spatter with it. 7018 is a good strong penetrating rod, I like using 6010 to fill the gap, then if I want more strength with less passes, I put some 7018 on it, it will penetrate, and burn out hidden slag.

After reading though this and other threads, I think I'm the only one in this country who welds/makes things with discarded bed frames, and truck springs. This steel is very strong stuff, great for bracing up something, and if I can get it free, I'll take all I can get. The best way to tell if you need 6010, 6013 or 7014, 7018, is to but weld a piece of bed frame and or truck spring on one side with one pass, then whack it against something, it should snap right into if it was welded with a 60XX rod, and usually it will crack while welding it. With 70XX, you will have a harder time to break it.

 

[Arc weld]

Suggesting that anyone uses old bed frames and spring steel for welding anything is not very good advice. Bed frames are higher carbon low grade steel and spring steel is even higher carbon requiring special welding techniques. The best way to tell what rod to use is to figure out if it is dynamically or statically loaded and what type of joint it is. 7018 isn't a good rod for burning out slag. If you have slag you need to weld over, clean it completely out with a wire wheel or grinder before welding over it. 6010 will burn out some slag, that's another reason it's good for root passes. It has a lighter slag and isn't affected by it like other rods. Still best to clean it really good before welding over it.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Haven't checked this thread in a few months... its grown 3 pages! Busy now but am coming back later to read it all in detail...

 

[lilranch2001]

Old timers used to swear 7018 would wash out slag, I didn't believe it back then, and have not seen any evidence of it since

 

[Oldpath05]

What little bit of slag left over from 6010 rod, 7018 DC rod will burn it out, and make the weld stronger. 7018 is a penetrating rod, but I just don like it to fill gaps, I rather fill gap's with mig, but long time ago I didn't have mig, so I use to fill gaps with 6010 or 6011. Also at ship yard's and other place's, you cant do that, you have to grind out every bit of slag before you add more weld, so when it get's Ultrasonic Tested (UT), it has to be a perfect weld. Home welding doesn't need to be perfect, I just shoot for what would be stronger then the steel that I'm welding together. I guess the way I do welding would make me part of the Old Timer club.

 

[lilranch2001]

I bet 95% of the hundreds and hundreds of pounds of rod I have burnt over the years has been 7018.

Filled lots of gaps with it, it just wont fill huge gaps, you needs somewhat good fit ups

 

[Oldpath05]

I bet 95% of the hundreds and hundreds of pounds of rod I have burnt over the years has been 7018.

Filled lots of gaps with it, it just wont fill huge gaps, you needs somewhat good fit ups

Yes, good fit up's, that's where I have the biggest problem, I cut something twice, and it's still to short, that why I like working with steel, I can just add on. It's harder for me to do that working with wood, I don't know how many time's I cut a 2X4 1" too short.