6013 and inside corners

Still fighting 6013 rods and inside corners.

I just cant get them to work reliably on inside corners.

Here's some test welds with my new Fleetweld 47 3/32 (2.38mm) 6013's:


2nd from left is actually the 7014's I love using, but I and determined to get 6013's working.

Here is what i am getting:


If I turn up the power any more it just start eating away the edge of the steel (1/8").

The upper right shows the slag inclusion (entire center half of wel is not fused to lower plate.) I paused for 2 seconds with a weave on the lower metal before crossing back. You can actually feel the rod hit the hardened slag as you weave (about a rod width weave.) Guess I need a real long pause as the base metal will take much more heat.

Hard part is you can't see the weld pool at all due to the slag. I have no issue with larger rods as there is less slag that weld pool.

I did find they work much better on AC. I thought DC would be better, but AC definitely is cleaner and the arc does not "cling" to one side. Looks like the rods are optimized for cheap low-OCV AC welders (says so on the box.) Maybe not nest with this 90 OCV beast.

Guess I'll be using the 7014's. I can use them with no weave and have no problems with slag inclusions.

Any tips would be appreciated. I think I will need to up the current and arc length and then move fast. Would then blow big hole at end.

Hi
I would say that your arc length is too wide, you need to keep the arc tight to control the slag, 2 to 3 seconds pause is a long time in welding and the slag, as you have found gets away from you E6013s are usually suitable for touch welding, a 2.5 electrode should strike and run ok at about 90 amps or even a little higher, try striking up and as soon as the arc is established gently touch down until you feel the plate and drag it along, if you get it right the core will burn back inside the flux and create a cup in the end of the electrode, the depth of the cupping effect will set the arc length. aim to get the ripples on the weld looking more semicircular, the pointed effect suggests too fast a travel or too low slope angle,
I used to use an oil cooled 100 volt ocv cytringan, it would run any electrode you could throw at it so I don't think OCV is an issue.

The rod is buried in the slag when welding. I'll try dragging them.

Ill touch weld a few runs tomorrow with a 6013 and post a picture,

1st try dragging rod:



Much better You can see better too. Just need to get a steadier hand and balance.

I had come half way before. Maintained "arc length" as told to. Horrid results. Finally buried in slag pool and was better on butts but still inclusions on corners.

It is completely different feel in how it welds.

Thanks, I owe you a beer

Oh, and the slag just popped off, before had to hammer it off.

BTW, I am clueless on the actual amps. I'm on the mid range (20-220A), dial is 0-10. I know it is not linear either

Have to go back on DC, should be real clean. Thanx again.

Wow, keeps getting better.

Tried these 1.6mm MG500 rods I could never get to work well (basically a 6013 with 68k tensile strength 6813?)



Need to increase the currents I'm used to. With too long arc, there is a lot more heat. Short arc need higher current for same heat. Top was too cold, mid would probably be right for thinner metal. Tried a bit of weave on the second half of the 3rd one down.

Bottom right you can just see the end of a test in corner. Had slag inclusions but not as bad as I have seen. Current was too low.

I guess these MG500 rods are as bad as I thought. Most slag comes off with a hit from hammer.

T/P I owe you another beer

Oh, and I was welding through primer. Was too lazy to grind it off (was supposedly a weld-thru primer.)

with 6013s you can become compleatly lazy on the arc length as long as the rod angle to face is correct,and the amps the rod will quite happily weld rested on the surface of the work, as paul said it will simply just keep burning back under the flux........this is the way I always weld with these rods.

Don't know if I'd call it lazy. I seem to find it harder to keep the rod down. It is definitely completely different. The idea is to keep the rod under the slag. It is like a car driving down a dusty road, the slag flowing back. Raise the rod just a tiny bit and it is like a car doing donuts and buried in its own smoke


Here's another:


The rod angle is also part of it. I have been keeping the rod at a bit lower angle to keep the slag flowing back.

I guess that is why I liked the 7018's better. It seems more natural to keep the rod above the weld pool and you can easily see the weld pool.

Heres a few beads I did earlier, 2.5mm E6013 BOC everyday electrodes, 95 amps AC, touch welded, first picture immediately afler welding, second picture, same welds after a wire brushing.

Here's a fillet at 100 amps which is pretty much like your first picture, and second picture, some beads carried out with an open arc and a slight weave at about 95 amps.