Question
What is the best way to weld pipe so that the weld on the inside of pipe has complete fusion and penetration
Answer
I sure wish I could show you, but here goes….This is how I do it. I want a feather edge on my bevels. Then when I put my coupons together I want a loose 1/8 gap for the first tack, but first make sure the inside on both coupons are as close to being in line with one another as possible. After the first tack bring your other side to a 1/8 gap, you do not want your 1/8 tig wire to slip through , but almost. You will make 4 tacks about 1 inch to 1 and 1/4 long at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. Mount your coupon with a tack at the top. make sure to grind the ends of each tack thin. This is known as feathering. I start with my rod about half way in to the bottom tack . Run your tig rig right up through the middle. once you start you just press the wire with your left hand in the grove. You shouldn’t have to oscillate your rig much. With the right heat, start around 70 to 74 amps, just keep running the rig right up the middle, this takes practice. If your wire keeps keyholing with you, turn down your heat a little. This method is called free handing.
Now for walking the cup… do your coupons the same way. Start with a cup size of about 5 or 6. set your cup on the middle of the bottom tack. walking the cup takes practice and is better learned with watching someone do it. You just wiggle the cup and take little steps with it, as you take these steps your rig will go across your wire. With the right speed of your rig and the right heat you will put a nice root in. I know this is a lot to digest. I hope you understand what I am saying. Please let me know how you do.
Question
What is the best way to weld pipe so that the weld on the inside of pipe has complete fusion and penetration
Answer
I sure wish I could show you, but here goes….This is how I do it. I want a feather edge on my bevels. Then when I put my coupons together I want a loose 1/8 gap for the first tack, but first make sure the inside on both coupons are as close to being in line with one another as possible. After the first tack bring your other side to a 1/8 gap, you do not want your 1/8 tig wire to slip through , but almost. You will make 4 tacks about 1 inch to 1 and 1/4 long at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. Mount your coupon with a tack at the top. make sure to grind the ends of each tack thin. This is known as feathering. I start with my rod about half way in to the bottom tack . Run your tig rig right up through the middle. once you start you just press the wire with your left hand in the grove. You shouldn’t have to oscillate your rig much. With the right heat, start around 70 to 74 amps, just keep running the rig right up the middle, this takes practice. If your wire keeps keyholing with you, turn down your heat a little. This method is called free handing.
Now for walking the cup… do your coupons the same way. Start with a cup size of about 5 or 6. set your cup on the middle of the bottom tack. walking the cup takes practice and is better learned with watching someone do it. You just wiggle the cup and take little steps with it, as you take these steps your rig will go across your wire. With the right speed of your rig and the right heat you will put a nice root in. I know this is a lot to digest. I hope you understand what I am saying. Please let me know how you do.
Question
why 6g welding usally use for piping.How it helps for the welders to weld.
Answer
THE 6 G POSITION IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE ALL 4 PLATE POSITIONS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT LIKE THAT YOU CAN SORTA GET AN IDEA OF FLAT,HORIZONAL,VERTICAL, AND OVERHEAD. TO ME, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH TRAINING WELDERS IN THIS POSITION IS THAT A STUDENT GETS VERY GOOD LEARNING TO WELD IN THIS POSITION AND MOST WELD TEST ARE IN THIS POSITION, BUT WHEN YOU GET OUT OF SCHOOL YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO WELD IN ALL KINDS OF CONDITIONS AND POSITIONS. BELIEVE ME, THIS HAPPENED TO ME AND IT WAS QUITE INTEMIDATING. IF YOU ARE IN SCHOOL, ONCE YOU GET PRETTY GOOD WITH THE 6 G POSITION TRY PUTTING YOUR COUPON UNDER THE TABLE. ANYWHERE, WHEN YOU GET GOOD THERE TRY ANOTHER PLACE. tHIS WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER WELDER. IT TAKES ABOUT 3 TO 5 YEARS FOR A NEW WELDER TO GET TO REALIZE HIS BEST SKILL LEVEL. bY THIS TIME YOU WILL HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE TO HANDLE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.bUT THERE WILL BE TIMES YOU MAY FEEL YOU NEED HELP. I’VE BEEN DOING THIS 32 YEARS AND EVERY NOW AND AGAIN THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME. ANY TIME YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN’T DO SOMETHING, TRY ANYWAY, YOU MIGHT JUST SUPRISE YOURSELF. ALSO, DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK SOMEONE FOR SUGESTIONS OR HELP. WE ALL STARTED OUT JUST LIKE YOU!
Q: What is the best way to prepare for the 6g pipe test?
Jeff, First off, make sure you have the details of the test. You should call the test supervisor if at all possible and just tell ask him the details. For example: schedule 80 pipe with 6010 root and 7018 fill passes. …or 8 inch schedule 40 pipe with tig root and hot pass and 7018 filler passes. There are about fifty different possible combinations. Welding something for the first time ever is hard. There is A huge difference in having done something once or not at all. Also, call a local welding tech school and ask if you can arrange some practice time once you find out what to practice. If it is a good job that pays well, it will be worth whatever you spend if it helps you pass
Q: I have a job interview/weld test coming up. its tig welding 3″ sch 80 pipe @45 with top and side plates at 12″
they said i can use a mirror to weld the back side. i have made thousands of tig welds in virtually every position and on every type of material, but never welded with a mirror. any advice?
weldingtipsandtricks replies
What kind of sadistic Bastards are you going to be working for?Just Kidding!My best advise for using a mirror is to extend the electrode only far enough so that when you prop the cup , the electrode tip is the right distance to the weld. that will let you find a reference point.
For example, for a root pass, you can get the electrode just right so that you can wiggle or walk the up in the bevel and the tip of the electrode is exactly on the root pass.
Another thing is that everything is bassackwards in a mirror. So practice welding in a mirror before the test. even if you dont have the right scrap pipe , practice welding in a mirror on something.
I understand the 6G position but what is the 6GR?
weldingtipsandtricks replies
6GR means 6G “restricted”. It is more difficult than a 6G.A steel plate ring is placed around the pipe about an inch below the weld. That restricts your access and your line of sight. It is intended to simulate when pipe ties into a bulk head and access is hindered.
What is the g 6 welding position?
I think you mean a 6G weld which is a piece of pipe at a 45 degree angle in a fixed position i.e. no rotating the pipe itself. I am actually taking a pipe welding course now, and I can tell you, it is not easy. Usually the root pass is done with a 6010 rod and all the hot passes are done with 7018 rod. If you are looking to actually do a 6G weld, my advice is to practice as much as possible and try to run the welds as flat as possible. This almost always means running stringer beads.
Also, passing a 6G certification will get you most of the certifications under it. This includes 1F, 2F, 1G, 2G, and 5G. However, you still need to get the 3G and 4G certification which are not included. I am not sure if 6G covers the 3F and 4F certs too, but honestly, any of the F welds are pretty much wastes, especially if you use a backing plate.
Source(s):
Welder
The Importance of Low-Hy Rods in a Welding Job
Low-hydrogen welding rods are the backbone of structural welding. Known as “low-hy” to welders in the field, this versatile electrode is manufactured to contain less than 0.6% of moisture in the covering and is required by currently acceptable welding standards and procedures to be stored in an environment that maintains factory quality dryness. Its low hydrogen content ensures a smooth, strong weld that is very ductile, making it the welding rod of choice for structural welding jobs.
It is well known that prior to beginning a structural welding job that low-hydrogen electrodes must be conditioned properly to avoid damaging defects in the welds. One of the ways utilized to protect the low-hydrogen coating is to double coat using a titania layer to help avoid defects when low hydrogen deposits are required. But problems such as porosity, hydrogen embrittlement, lack of fusion and cracking can result if standard low hydrogen rods are not stored according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
Specifically, hydrogen can adversely affect a weld and some steels under a variety of conditions. The primary source for the presence of hydrogen is moisture in the electrode coating picked up through exposure to the atmosphere. For this reason with any welding job proper storage, handling and treatment of low hydrogen electrodes is critical to prevent a defective weld. This is especially important in the construction and erection of multiple story buildings which rely for their support and inner structure on welded steel beams.
A defective weld can result in the collapse of a building or during subsequent inspection rejection of the weld. This requires rebuilding a portion of the metal inner structure of a skyscraper or other building sometimes at a cost of many millions of dollars.
Welding electrodes are manufactured to be within acceptable moisture limits consistent with the type of covering and strength of the weld metal to be used with the electrode. They are then packaged in a container which has been designed to provide the degree of moisture protection considered necessary by the industry for the type of covering involved. A common mistake is opening the container from the wrong end, or tossing them around which can crack the low hydrogen coating on the welding rods rendering them useless.
With any welding job It is very important to maintain your rods or electrodes within a temperature range of 100°F and 300°F. This temperature range has been determined by the welding industry to be adequate to prevent atmospheric moisture from entering the welding rod coating and subsequently entering the weld during the welding process.
In particular, maintaining low-hydrogen electrodes in a dry, consistently heated environment is a must. Ask any welding professional and they will recommend that low-hydrogen electrodes be stored in a rod oven. Any other rudimentary method such as utilizing an old refrigerator or microwave with a 100 watt light bulb is laughable and is in no way acceptable for today’s welding professional.
There is some mystery involved with the term “welding flux.” Hopefully, this article will give you a better understanding of what flux is, what its functions are, and how to store flux and consumable stick and wire electrodes.
Fusion VS. Non Fusion:
When soldering copper or brass, a non-fusion process, the area has to be cleaned first. The most common chemical used for this is muriatic acid. After the joint or area to be soldered is cleaned the metal is evenly heated and the “flux” is applied; it’s usually brushed on. When the metal is heated solder is added manually and the metals become joined. (The same process holds true with “brazing.” In brazing steel, the area is cleaned, the metal is heated and the brazing rod is heated and dipped into the can of “flux” and used that way.)
However, “welding” metals, fusing them together, requires more than just heating the metals to be joined. When welding, the base metals along with the welding rod or wire electrode need to be taken to high temperatures for fusion. This causes chemical reactions that do not exist at low or moderate temperatures.
Flux, Rod, Gases And Heat:
The electrode, a coated rod or wire, the base metal (s) and the heating action itself react chemically with the oxygen and nitrogen in the air. During the process the metal must be protected from these reactions so the strength and integrity of the welded joint can be assured. Therefore, the stick or wire electrode and the flux it provides, cover the arc and the molten pool with a protective shield of gas and vapor. “Shielding the arc” is the term most often used.
With welding rods and wire electrodes the “flux” is applied in the factory. The flux has several functions:
It helps to clean the metals surfaces.
It helps to join the filler metals to the base metals.
It provides a protective barrier against igniting.
It helps with heat transfer from heat source to metal surface and it helps in the removal of surface metal wastes.
It also helps the deposits of metal from the electrode.
With any low-hydrogen or wire electrodes, it is imperative to use proper storage procedures. Welding rods and wire electrodes need to stay in their sealed container. Once opened and the electrode is exposed to the air (even for a few hours in humid conditions) they should be reconditioned and then stored in a rod oven until used. (When in doubt always consult the manufacturer or suppliers recommendations.)
RodOvens.com has a wide range of reconditioning and holding ovens, in all sizes, models, and shapes. We also carry unheated storage containers and replacement parts for ovens. We feature a 30-day money-back and guarantee FREE shipping to your business.
Most welding needs, for both individual and commercial use, can be met by using a fewcommon welding rods. Listed below is a question about a welding machine and short descriptions of the characteristics and applications of five welding rods.
What welding machine should I use?
For an “all around general use” welding machine consider this: A machine with AC/DC output works well on most jobs but a DC machine, or a DC setting, for stick welding has more advantages over an AC machine. Use a 220 v, 40-225 amps and up, DC machine or setting because it offers easier starts, less sticking and spatter, stronger and better looking welds, in all positions.
Prevent Welding Defects with a Rod Oven — FREE Shipping — Learn More
What are the best welding rods to use for general or “all purpose” work on regular or mild steel?
Use 6010 for DC, 6011 for AC or DC. 6013 can also be used for DC or AC but it has less penetration than 6010 and delivers a better appearing weld. Use 6013 on lighter sheet metal and use 7018 low-hydrogen rods, (low-hy), for almost any use. Use 7024 for higher depositions in flat or horizontal positions.
6010 welding rods penetrate deeply but have high spatter. They are good for all positions, all types of steel, and almost any conditions and use DC current. (For better penetration on thicker steel over 3/8,” bevel the edges and create a gap of about 1/8″ wide; use 6010 for tack up and a root pass and weld the remaining passes and the “cap pass” with 7018.) 6010 welding rods need to be stored in a dry location, at room temperature, and in a sealed container.
6011 welding rods have all the characteristics of 6010, are used in all positions with AC or DC current, and work well on all types of regular or mild steel.
6013 has all the characteristics of 6010 but can be used with AC or DC current; it has less penetration and delivers a better-looking weld. Use 6013 on light sheet metal up to 3/16.”
Use 7018 low-hy, low penetration, on all positions, with AC or DC current. Use the highest amp setting as practical. Use a straightforward “drag” progression with a “short arc.” The low moisture make-up of this welding rod reduces chemical reactions in the weld itself and makes for the highest quality x-ray perfect welds. (Note – this electrode must be kept dry. If it’s exposed to humid air or gets damp it must be dried in a rod oven before use. See Welding Rods Storage chart.)
Use 7024 high deposition welding rods for flat and horizontal positions. It’s “easy” to use because its thick flux automatically maintains the correct arc length, which allows you to “drag” the rod.
In general, when working with steel plate or higher strength steel or pipe, you will get a better weld appearance by tacking-up and running a root pass with 6010 on DC current or setting, and then using low-hy 7018 rod on the remanding passes.
The days of keeping welding rods in an old refrigerator under a 100-watt light bulb are gone. The welding rods of “today” are really “high tech” and “space aged.” They need proper storing and maintenance. Always check with the manufacture recommendations for use. It’s easy, it’s fast, and it doesn’t cost a dime to do this. All welding rod manufactures are on line. Just do a quick search on Yahoo! and follow the suggestions of the manufacturer.
Question
What is the best way to weld pipe so that the weld on the inside of pipe has complete fusion and penetration
Answer
I sure wish I could show you, but here goes….This is how I do it. I want a feather edge on my bevels. Then when I put my coupons together I want a loose 1/8 gap for the first tack, but first make sure the inside on both coupons are as close to being in line with one another as possible. After the first tack bring your other side to a 1/8 gap, you do not want your 1/8 tig wire to slip through , but almost. You will make 4 tacks about 1 inch to 1 and 1/4 long at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. Mount your coupon with a tack at the top. make sure to grind the ends of each tack thin. This is known as feathering. I start with my rod about half way in to the bottom tack . Run your tig rig right up through the middle. once you start you just press the wire with your left hand in the grove. You shouldn’t have to oscillate your rig much. With the right heat, start around 70 to 74 amps, just keep running the rig right up the middle, this takes practice. If your wire keeps keyholing with you, turn down your heat a little. This method is called free handing.
Now for walking the cup… do your coupons the same way. Start with a cup size of about 5 or 6. set your cup on the middle of the bottom tack. walking the cup takes practice and is better learned with watching someone do it. You just wiggle the cup and take little steps with it, as you take these steps your rig will go across your wire. With the right speed of your rig and the right heat you will put a nice root in. I know this is a lot to digest. I hope you understand what I am saying. Please let me know how you do.
Question
What is the best way to weld pipe so that the weld on the inside of pipe has complete fusion and penetration
Answer
I sure wish I could show you, but here goes….This is how I do it. I want a feather edge on my bevels. Then when I put my coupons together I want a loose 1/8 gap for the first tack, but first make sure the inside on both coupons are as close to being in line with one another as possible. After the first tack bring your other side to a 1/8 gap, you do not want your 1/8 tig wire to slip through , but almost. You will make 4 tacks about 1 inch to 1 and 1/4 long at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. Mount your coupon with a tack at the top. make sure to grind the ends of each tack thin. This is known as feathering. I start with my rod about half way in to the bottom tack . Run your tig rig right up through the middle. once you start you just press the wire with your left hand in the grove. You shouldn’t have to oscillate your rig much. With the right heat, start around 70 to 74 amps, just keep running the rig right up the middle, this takes practice. If your wire keeps keyholing with you, turn down your heat a little. This method is called free handing.
Now for walking the cup… do your coupons the same way. Start with a cup size of about 5 or 6. set your cup on the middle of the bottom tack. walking the cup takes practice and is better learned with watching someone do it. You just wiggle the cup and take little steps with it, as you take these steps your rig will go across your wire. With the right speed of your rig and the right heat you will put a nice root in. I know this is a lot to digest. I hope you understand what I am saying. Please let me know how you do.
Question
why 6g welding usally use for piping.How it helps for the welders to weld.
Answer
THE 6 G POSITION IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE ALL 4 PLATE POSITIONS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT LIKE THAT YOU CAN SORTA GET AN IDEA OF FLAT,HORIZONAL,VERTICAL, AND OVERHEAD. TO ME, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH TRAINING WELDERS IN THIS POSITION IS THAT A STUDENT GETS VERY GOOD LEARNING TO WELD IN THIS POSITION AND MOST WELD TEST ARE IN THIS POSITION, BUT WHEN YOU GET OUT OF SCHOOL YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO WELD IN ALL KINDS OF CONDITIONS AND POSITIONS. BELIEVE ME, THIS HAPPENED TO ME AND IT WAS QUITE INTEMIDATING. IF YOU ARE IN SCHOOL, ONCE YOU GET PRETTY GOOD WITH THE 6 G POSITION TRY PUTTING YOUR COUPON UNDER THE TABLE. ANYWHERE, WHEN YOU GET GOOD THERE TRY ANOTHER PLACE. tHIS WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER WELDER. IT TAKES ABOUT 3 TO 5 YEARS FOR A NEW WELDER TO GET TO REALIZE HIS BEST SKILL LEVEL. bY THIS TIME YOU WILL HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE TO HANDLE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.bUT THERE WILL BE TIMES YOU MAY FEEL YOU NEED HELP. I’VE BEEN DOING THIS 32 YEARS AND EVERY NOW AND AGAIN THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME. ANY TIME YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN’T DO SOMETHING, TRY ANYWAY, YOU MIGHT JUST SUPRISE YOURSELF. ALSO, DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK SOMEONE FOR SUGESTIONS OR HELP. WE ALL STARTED OUT JUST LIKE YOU!
Q: What is the best way to prepare for the 6g pipe test?
Jeff, First off, make sure you have the details of the test. You should call the test supervisor if at all possible and just tell ask him the details. For example: schedule 80 pipe with 6010 root and 7018 fill passes. …or 8 inch schedule 40 pipe with tig root and hot pass and 7018 filler passes. There are about fifty different possible combinations. Welding something for the first time ever is hard. There is A huge difference in having done something once or not at all. Also, call a local welding tech school and ask if you can arrange some practice time once you find out what to practice. If it is a good job that pays well, it will be worth whatever you spend if it helps you pass
Q: I have a job interview/weld test coming up. its tig welding 3″ sch 80 pipe @45 with top and side plates at 12″
they said i can use a mirror to weld the back side. i have made thousands of tig welds in virtually every position and on every type of material, but never welded with a mirror. any advice?
weldingtipsandtricks replies
What kind of sadistic Bastards are you going to be working for?Just Kidding!My best advise for using a mirror is to extend the electrode only far enough so that when you prop the cup , the electrode tip is the right distance to the weld. that will let you find a reference point.
For example, for a root pass, you can get the electrode just right so that you can wiggle or walk the up in the bevel and the tip of the electrode is exactly on the root pass.
Another thing is that everything is bassackwards in a mirror. So practice welding in a mirror before the test. even if you dont have the right scrap pipe , practice welding in a mirror on something.
I understand the 6G position but what is the 6GR?
weldingtipsandtricks replies
6GR means 6G “restricted”. It is more difficult than a 6G.A steel plate ring is placed around the pipe about an inch below the weld. That restricts your access and your line of sight. It is intended to simulate when pipe ties into a bulk head and access is hindered.
What is the g 6 welding position?
I think you mean a 6G weld which is a piece of pipe at a 45 degree angle in a fixed position i.e. no rotating the pipe itself. I am actually taking a pipe welding course now, and I can tell you, it is not easy. Usually the root pass is done with a 6010 rod and all the hot passes are done with 7018 rod. If you are looking to actually do a 6G weld, my advice is to practice as much as possible and try to run the welds as flat as possible. This almost always means running stringer beads.
Also, passing a 6G certification will get you most of the certifications under it. This includes 1F, 2F, 1G, 2G, and 5G. However, you still need to get the 3G and 4G certification which are not included. I am not sure if 6G covers the 3F and 4F certs too, but honestly, any of the F welds are pretty much wastes, especially if you use a backing plate.
Source(s):
Welder
The Importance of Low-Hy Rods in a Welding Job
Low-hydrogen welding rods are the backbone of structural welding. Known as “low-hy” to welders in the field, this versatile electrode is manufactured to contain less than 0.6% of moisture in the covering and is required by currently acceptable welding standards and procedures to be stored in an environment that maintains factory quality dryness. Its low hydrogen content ensures a smooth, strong weld that is very ductile, making it the welding rod of choice for structural welding jobs.
It is well known that prior to beginning a structural welding job that low-hydrogen electrodes must be conditioned properly to avoid damaging defects in the welds. One of the ways utilized to protect the low-hydrogen coating is to double coat using a titania layer to help avoid defects when low hydrogen deposits are required. But problems such as porosity, hydrogen embrittlement, lack of fusion and cracking can result if standard low hydrogen rods are not stored according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
Specifically, hydrogen can adversely affect a weld and some steels under a variety of conditions. The primary source for the presence of hydrogen is moisture in the electrode coating picked up through exposure to the atmosphere. For this reason with any welding job proper storage, handling and treatment of low hydrogen electrodes is critical to prevent a defective weld. This is especially important in the construction and erection of multiple story buildings which rely for their support and inner structure on welded steel beams.
A defective weld can result in the collapse of a building or during subsequent inspection rejection of the weld. This requires rebuilding a portion of the metal inner structure of a skyscraper or other building sometimes at a cost of many millions of dollars.
Welding electrodes are manufactured to be within acceptable moisture limits consistent with the type of covering and strength of the weld metal to be used with the electrode. They are then packaged in a container which has been designed to provide the degree of moisture protection considered necessary by the industry for the type of covering involved. A common mistake is opening the container from the wrong end, or tossing them around which can crack the low hydrogen coating on the welding rods rendering them useless.
With any welding job It is very important to maintain your rods or electrodes within a temperature range of 100°F and 300°F. This temperature range has been determined by the welding industry to be adequate to prevent atmospheric moisture from entering the welding rod coating and subsequently entering the weld during the welding process.
In particular, maintaining low-hydrogen electrodes in a dry, consistently heated environment is a must. Ask any welding professional and they will recommend that low-hydrogen electrodes be stored in a rod oven. Any other rudimentary method such as utilizing an old refrigerator or microwave with a 100 watt light bulb is laughable and is in no way acceptable for today’s welding professional.
Welding Flux
There is some mystery involved with the term “welding flux.” Hopefully, this article will give you a better understanding of what flux is, what its functions are, and how to store flux and consumable stick and wire electrodes.
Fusion VS. Non Fusion:
When soldering copper or brass, a non-fusion process, the area has to be cleaned first. The most common chemical used for this is muriatic acid. After the joint or area to be soldered is cleaned the metal is evenly heated and the “flux” is applied; it’s usually brushed on. When the metal is heated solder is added manually and the metals become joined. (The same process holds true with “brazing.” In brazing steel, the area is cleaned, the metal is heated and the brazing rod is heated and dipped into the can of “flux” and used that way.)
However, “welding” metals, fusing them together, requires more than just heating the metals to be joined. When welding, the base metals along with the welding rod or wire electrode need to be taken to high temperatures for fusion. This causes chemical reactions that do not exist at low or moderate temperatures.
Flux, Rod, Gases And Heat:
The electrode, a coated rod or wire, the base metal (s) and the heating action itself react chemically with the oxygen and nitrogen in the air. During the process the metal must be protected from these reactions so the strength and integrity of the welded joint can be assured. Therefore, the stick or wire electrode and the flux it provides, cover the arc and the molten pool with a protective shield of gas and vapor. “Shielding the arc” is the term most often used.
With welding rods and wire electrodes the “flux” is applied in the factory. The flux has several functions:
It helps to clean the metals surfaces.
It helps to join the filler metals to the base metals.
It provides a protective barrier against igniting.
It helps with heat transfer from heat source to metal surface and it helps in the removal of surface metal wastes.
It also helps the deposits of metal from the electrode.
With any low-hydrogen or wire electrodes, it is imperative to use proper storage procedures. Welding rods and wire electrodes need to stay in their sealed container. Once opened and the electrode is exposed to the air (even for a few hours in humid conditions) they should be reconditioned and then stored in a rod oven until used. (When in doubt always consult the manufacturer or suppliers recommendations.)
RodOvens.com has a wide range of reconditioning and holding ovens, in all sizes, models, and shapes. We also carry unheated storage containers and replacement parts for ovens. We feature a 30-day money-back and guarantee FREE shipping to your business.
WELDING MACHINES & RODS
Most welding needs, for both individual and commercial use, can be met by using a fewcommon welding rods. Listed below is a question about a welding machine and short descriptions of the characteristics and applications of five welding rods.
What welding machine should I use?
For an “all around general use” welding machine consider this: A machine with AC/DC output works well on most jobs but a DC machine, or a DC setting, for stick welding has more advantages over an AC machine. Use a 220 v, 40-225 amps and up, DC machine or setting because it offers easier starts, less sticking and spatter, stronger and better looking welds, in all positions.
Prevent Welding Defects with a Rod Oven — FREE Shipping — Learn More
What are the best welding rods to use for general or “all purpose” work on regular or mild steel?
Use 6010 for DC, 6011 for AC or DC. 6013 can also be used for DC or AC but it has less penetration than 6010 and delivers a better appearing weld. Use 6013 on lighter sheet metal and use 7018 low-hydrogen rods, (low-hy), for almost any use. Use 7024 for higher depositions in flat or horizontal positions.
6010 welding rods penetrate deeply but have high spatter. They are good for all positions, all types of steel, and almost any conditions and use DC current. (For better penetration on thicker steel over 3/8,” bevel the edges and create a gap of about 1/8″ wide; use 6010 for tack up and a root pass and weld the remaining passes and the “cap pass” with 7018.) 6010 welding rods need to be stored in a dry location, at room temperature, and in a sealed container.
6011 welding rods have all the characteristics of 6010, are used in all positions with AC or DC current, and work well on all types of regular or mild steel.
6013 has all the characteristics of 6010 but can be used with AC or DC current; it has less penetration and delivers a better-looking weld. Use 6013 on light sheet metal up to 3/16.”
Use 7018 low-hy, low penetration, on all positions, with AC or DC current. Use the highest amp setting as practical. Use a straightforward “drag” progression with a “short arc.” The low moisture make-up of this welding rod reduces chemical reactions in the weld itself and makes for the highest quality x-ray perfect welds. (Note – this electrode must be kept dry. If it’s exposed to humid air or gets damp it must be dried in a rod oven before use. See Welding Rods Storage chart.)
Use 7024 high deposition welding rods for flat and horizontal positions. It’s “easy” to use because its thick flux automatically maintains the correct arc length, which allows you to “drag” the rod.
In general, when working with steel plate or higher strength steel or pipe, you will get a better weld appearance by tacking-up and running a root pass with 6010 on DC current or setting, and then using low-hy 7018 rod on the remanding passes.
The days of keeping welding rods in an old refrigerator under a 100-watt light bulb are gone. The welding rods of “today” are really “high tech” and “space aged.” They need proper storing and maintenance. Always check with the manufacture recommendations for use. It’s easy, it’s fast, and it doesn’t cost a dime to do this. All welding rod manufactures are on line. Just do a quick search on Yahoo! and follow the suggestions of the manufacturer.