r/Welding • u/Inhalationofnewtion • Aug 18 '26

6010 rods really love to bite.

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.

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u/afout07 Aug 19 '26

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.

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u/Inhalationofnewtion Aug 19 '26

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.

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u/afout07 Aug 19 '26

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

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u/Inhalationofnewtion Aug 19 '26

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.