Welding Tips and Tricks

I'm a beginning welder, and hope to get a welding job here soon. On the side I collect rods and try them because why not. I have been scouring the internet for months trying to find any legit 6020 rods in the USA that I can buy. They seem to have gone out of production. Do I NEED them? No. But I sure as heck would like to get my hands on some. I have a particular fascination in the forgotton rods. Where on earth can I get any? (None of the shitty over seas sites provide any legit proof they have them and besides, im not ordering outside the US as is.)

What's so special about them that makes you want them??

The only difference between 6010 and 6020 is the flux, 6020 is for flat work only.

Its more so a thing of, I just want to find and try some regardless of their relevance. Im kinda a stick welding nut and like to try a bit of everything.

i've never heard of them.
a few web sites selling fakes (they shows pics of 6011 or 6013).

6020 would be a iron powder coated 6010. i suspect it would have been replaced by 7024. i can't see iron powder being very good when mixed with cellulose that has moisture in it.
i suspect if you find any they will be in a museum and so old they won't run anyway.

Like you, I enjoy burning different rods just for the fun of it. Seeing/feeling the subtle differences. Working in Japan, I have access to loads of different rod types, that most in the US have never even heard of. For instance, from Kobelco (Kobe Steel), we have 12 different types of 7016. Three different 6013 rods, including one that runs downhill. No 6020, but three types of 6019 we use for a deeper penetrating 60,000psi rod, without the problems that come with cellulose rods.

You can download the Kobelco Handbook and have a look. I have the master document in Japanese with better definitions of each consumable's intended uses and capabilities if you have questions. https://www.kobelco.co.jp/english/welding/handbook/

Some of the stuff is pretty off-the-shelf, and if you want to try something, PM me, and I can send you like 10 rods or whatever through USPS. The more obscure stuff I would have to order 5kg at a shot, so you'd have to sport for a whole box...

Cheers.

Don't all 6013s run downhill? 1 = all position?

I haven't touched 6013 since welding school. No offense. It is really interesting hearing about what you have available.

I'm surprised that in Japan with all the seismic activity like here on the west coast of the USA that you can even run anything that isn't lohi.

bap_ wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:22 am Don't all 6013s run downhill? 1 = all position?

yes, but some do it poorly.
it also depends a bit on what you call "run".
downhill is a good trick for thin material, especially if your rod is a bit big.

bap_ wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:22 am Don't all 6013s run downhill? 1 = all position?

No. "All position" simply means flat, horizontal, vertical, overhead. Most rods, with very few exceptions are not to be run vertical down. Most 6013, even in the flat position, it's hard to see the puddle, as the slag wants to run forward and cover it. Even a slight downward angle, and it'll keep running right into the arc. In the case of the Kobelco RB26 rod, it's specified by the manufacturer as a downhill rod. In the attached pic, the rod on the left is a typical lyme-titania flux 6013 (Kobelco Z44), and the rod with the thin flux covering on the right is the fast-freeze 6013 (Kobelco RB26). Both are 2.6mm or a little bigger than 3/32".

JDM Welder wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:13 am

bap_ wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:22 am Don't all 6013s run downhill? 1 = all position?

No. "All position" simply means flat, horizontal, vertical, overhead. Most rods, with very few exceptions are not to be run vertical down. Most 6013, even in the flat position, it's hard to see the puddle, as the slag wants to run forward and cover it. Even a slight downward angle, and it'll keep running right into the arc. In the case of the Kobelco RB26 rod, it's specified by the manufacturer as a downhill rod. In the attached pic, the rod on the left is a typical lyme-titania flux 6013 (Kobelco Z44), and the rod with the thin flux covering on the right is the fast-freeze 6013 (Kobelco RB26).

lime-titania is typically a stainless electrode. interested to see a mild steel one.

with 6013 there is a huge range available.
the common ones i see is typically single rutile coating, double rutile coating, cellulose + rutile coating.
there is some weird stuff like pipeline 6013.

downhill with 6013 is more about technique and type use. big difference is its fast, you outrun the slag. angle depends on a few things.
with thin tubing i'll do it almost dead flat. for a higher bead usually run a large amount of angle.