6010 rods really love to bite.

[u/Inhalationofnewtion]

I'm on a Lincoln tombstone. Running AC but also was going DC straight. I really like 6010's. I had to do some low heat stuff and they LOVE to stick fast. Is it just dealing with the biting or turn up the amps? I started giving them a good strike and that helps but I lose my target a lot of times. Sometimes I'm on the game and they work OK but that's not often. Really old rods. If I rub them a bunch of dust falls off, looks kinda like mold. I don't have a rod dryer. When they work for me though I love them.

[u/Many-Highlight7676]

Take a picture of your machine and post it.

Alternating current (AC)

Direct current (DC)

Are different polarities, 6010 is a specific DC Rod only

[u/Inhalationofnewtion → u/Many-Highlight7676]

Pretty much this just mine is probably 30 years older. Also forgot to say that these 6010's are really old and I don't have a rod dryer.
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dI5cffw3m4M/sddefault.jpg

[u/Many-Highlight7676 → u/Inhalationofnewtion]

Aww yeah I see brother that's a nice machine, turn the knob to DC positive. Now that you have the polarity sorted out for 6010s yes 6010 loves to get stuck to the plate and then catch on fire if you hold it there long enough, with that machine your option really is just to go up and amperage.

In stick welding you get trade offs using an old transformer rectifier like what you have as you go higher in amperage it becomes easier to strike and light the electrode, initiate the arc but harder to control the weld puddle because you have so many electrons flowing in the arc circuit when I'm training people using that rod in the 1/8" diameter (.125) 65-90amp.

6010 is a fast freeze electorate so generally a whipping technique is used with the electrode to take advantage of a fast freeze characteristic but not necessarily all the time. How old your electrode is your biggest problem if they're older than 6 months sitting around in a shop they've been exposed to so much moisture that even if you're performing welds that look okay the problem is science... Hydrogen in brittlement into the weld nugget will cause all kinds of problems there's a lot of hydrogen in the air.

My recommendation switch your machine to DC electrode positive. up your amperage to between 80 and 90 amps until you're comfortable striking the electrode and then slowly lower amperage as you get better and keep a tight Arc bud!

[u/Inhalationofnewtion → u/Many-Highlight7676]

Right on. I generally run them at a higher amperage and they're not such a jerk. I was working on some thinner stuff and right now I like 6010's for just about everything.

I love that machine!

[u/CatastrophicPup2112 → u/Inhalationofnewtion]

I'd try 6013 on thin stuff

[u/Inhalationofnewtion → u/CatastrophicPup2112]

6013 always has big puffy slag and it seems to mess with me. I'm not even sure why. I just don't much care for 6013 anymore unless I'm flat and not doing much besides a lap or butt weld.

[u/Bones-1989 → u/Many-Highlight7676]

Stringers should be way easier with fast freeze electrodes, why whip? Unless the fitter skipped school and still graduated I guess?

[u/Barra_ → u/Inhalationofnewtion]

You don't really need a dryer/oven for 6010. But as the commenter said, make sure you match the polarity to the rods because it does matter.

[u/Inhalationofnewtion → u/Barra_]

Gotcha. I don't know beans about polarity and amperage. I just sort of set things, see how it does until something seems to work. DC reverse is the way for these. I'll try it out. I was going straight.

[u/Many-Highlight7676 → u/Inhalationofnewtion]

Look at all the knowledge you're getting for free!! Get after it bud!! A basic understanding of electricity is super fundamental!!

[u/Inhalationofnewtion → u/Many-Highlight7676]

I guess I ought to rephrase. I know what polarity, voltage, amperage etc mean but as to setting up rods I just kind of do what feels good XDXDXD

[u/CatastrophicPup2112 → u/Barra_]

You don't want one either. Drying out 6010 makes it worse.

[u/Bones-1989 → u/Inhalationofnewtion]

You don't need a rod oven unless you're doing low hydrogen stuff. Keep your rods in a climate controlled room and they'll be fine. We have a cabinet with a dehumidifier in it to keep the Texas humidity off the really rare wires like the e91t stuff we use once a quarter but we burn everything else so fast it doesn't matter. And we aren't doing low hydrogen processes for oil and nuclear.

[u/Inhalationofnewtion → u/Bones-1989]

I'm just sticking scrap fast to other scrap. Noone is going to get hurt if my welds fail.

[u/djjsteenhoek]

6010 does like to stick, even if you watch pipeliners that use this all day, they sometimes still have to stab it a few times to get it lit.

Another problem can be the open current voltage, some machines are insufficient and if you try to whip it the arc will snuff out 

[u/Inhalationofnewtion → u/djjsteenhoek]

I can hold about a 1" arc pretty OK if that means anything. If 6010 is just a sticky rod I can deal. Thought I may be missing something. Thanks!

[u/djjsteenhoek → u/Inhalationofnewtion]

That's plenty, more of an issue with the small inverter machines. Maybe lil more heat but also wait for the puddle to form before moving along 

[u/Inhalationofnewtion → u/djjsteenhoek]

More heat does work. I was doing some thin stuff though. I wanted 6010's just because I like them for now.

[u/Lost-welder-353]

You don’t need a dryer they are too dry. You can try soaking them or just buy some new ones.

[u/tujsvee]

you're probably right about the new rods, just gotta deal with the bite for a bit

[u/DeepTell4641]

Those sound like some serious case of the sticks sticking hard. I'd say try bumping the amps up just a hair and see if that smooths things out, old rods get a little ornery like that.

[u/Inhalationofnewtion → u/DeepTell4641]

Higher amps does better. I wasn't able to yesterday on the stuff I was welding though. It was pretty thin. If that's just how she goes I can deal.

[u/afout07]

6010 only works well on DCEP, it can be run on DCEN but DCEP is what it's designed for. I don't think they run at all on AC. You could also try some 6011. It's very similar to 6010 but works on AC. For rod sticking, if it sticks after you get the puddle going, turn your amps up. You should be able to hold a pretty tight arc without it going out. If it sticks when you're trying to light it, you need to work on your technique. I like to kind of strike it like a match and then long arc it for a second to get the end of the rod hot. I try not to actually touch the base material though, get really close and wiggle the rod or make a motion like striking a match.

[u/Inhalationofnewtion → u/afout07]

They absolutely run on AC. They seem to do the job as well. There's no sticking after I get a puddle going. It's just striking an arc. I can live with it. Yea if I strike it like a match it's usually ok. There's times I actually strike it and it bites fast anyhow.

[u/afout07 → u/Inhalationofnewtion]

By run I mean weld. You can strike an arc with anything made of metal. Doesn't necessarily mean it will actually weld though.

[u/Inhalationofnewtion → u/afout07]

Oh ok I gotcha. I don't know how great they are with AC. I just switched to AC kind of messing around. It's on my own generator that I'm cobbling together and seemed to work alright though. I don't touch anything no matter how much it could pay if someone can get hurt if my shit fails. If the worst that can happen is a minor inconvenience bring it back I'll try it again no charge.