Thanks for the video, it was informative. One thing, 1/8 rods are bigger/thicker than the 3/32 rods (in your case, the 7018). I'm surprise no one mentioned this.

Teachers like this are the best - explain it nice and simple so everyone can understand

Kevin, thank you for making the video. Even though I didn't learn anything about how to Select rods for Arc welding, I did learn a few things from the video like what the numbers on the welding rod mean to a limited degree. A quick run down on the coatings on the rod would have been helpful since the coatings or flux on the rod is what made the difference in the welding demonstration. According to you the 7018 was a thicker rod so it welded nicer given the amperage setting which had nothing to do with the rod type or maybe it did, who knows, so that really didn't help the comparison of rod types. There's type, and there's thickness to consider with every rod. So the video proved to be no help with those decisions. The title of your video is, "How to select rods for arc welding" which was what drew me to take the time to watch. I"m glad you finally addressed the title of your video at the very end by telling people to go and look on the internet to find out how to select rods for welding. I was already doing that when I came across your video.

Kevin, I love your work & your welding videos, it's great to hear from more self-taught engineers. But, whilst I have the utmost respect for you & what you're doing I have to say this: It's spatter, NOT splatter. Keep up the good work, you're an inspiration.

Have watched 4 other vids so far trying to work out which rod to use and you were the first one I could understand, thank you sir for your most basic approach to teaching you have definitely renewed my enthusiasm for this craft.....for a moment there I thought I was going to have to get a doctorate in chemistry, Thank You

Thank you Kevin. I learned an incredible amount in such a short period of time.

I have a old arc/ carbon rod welder from Sears.And a large oxy acetylene torch cart set up.The belonged to my grandfather had to do what he needed on his farm equipment. I have gathered all the accessories from cabinets and shelves. Next to library to get a welding book from 40 years ago probably from that small library.I think Im starting out with more equipment than some guys wish they had.But clicked here to check things out. Thanks for video.

You deserve the like , the lesson is short and clear.

Hey Kevin. That's one of your best welding videos. But all of your films are great. This is very helpful. Thanks for the advice!

I would love to work with this guy. I ran a steel working shop in Afghanistan (with the Navy) for about a year. Awesome to have your own shop, a ton of rod and a bunch of steel working toys. The life!

Nice informative video, as usual. Good seeing the Lincoln tombstone being used and the differences in the rods.

Well done, you have given me a insight to rod types and have pointed me in the right direction if I want to know more.

You're an incredibly nice guy and a good teacher.

Thanks for stopping by..

Much better said than my rambling. You sound like you do this for a living. Thank you for adding your expertise.

Glad I can help George. Welcome aboard.

Hi Kevin! - I've been digging through most of your videos, but I haven't seen you talk about how to handle when the rod gets stuck mid welding. I could be wrong, so I'll keep digging! Definitely love your videos - Clear explanation + a little humor goes a long way!

Nice job. Good no-nonsense explanation from a guy who clearly knows what he's talking about. Thanks!

I always enjoy these videos & understand they are for "newbee" but at the same time presenting only half the info could be detrimental to their welds or at minimum to their learning progression...for example... The 6010-6011 rods are "deep penetration rods" & are not really meant for just dragging, you're supposed to stitch back and forth (this will leave a "stacked dimes look) & should be run on about 85amps (for 1/8 rod). The 7018 is a dragging rod and should be run around 95-130amps...not as deep penetration but very smooth finish. Running these rods on too high or too low an amp setting has a HUGE effect on the quality of the weld and obviously the smaller (1/16) rods need less amps.

Hey Kevin, I have been farm welding for about 55 years and I have all 3 of these rods in my shop. Even though I know that 6011 is a good rod and works well for vertical or rusty applications, I don't often use it. Maybe it's my ego but the bead is rough and you have to chip it a lot more. I never like people to see the 6011 welds. The 6013 and 7018 leave a nice bead and slag is fairly easy to remove. I do have trouble getting the 7018 to start more often and I understand it stores poorly. My go to electrode is the 6013 in 1/8 and 5/32 for thicker material. I tend to use the high end of the amp recommendations.

Good explanation - I would add that 6011 is a excellent filler rod and superb for a root weld on AC. Works great in the field for dirty rusty steel. Needs a little less amps than a 7014 or 6013 and will give alodt deeper penetration . oh and next size up from 1/8 is 5/32. Cheers and keep the great videos rolling

Not to worry Kevin. The only reason I knew the size of the rod is b/c we used 5/32 when I was a welder in the steel mill where I worked. Then some bright foreman started buying 1/8-7018 for our break downs. The 5/32-7016 rod was better all around rod. We got used to the 7018's but, the smaller rod made a difference in the amount of time we need to complete a job. Not all the welding is in the shop under ideal conditions. Thanks for the quick reply. Keep up the good videos.

7018 AC (according to the documentation I've read) is also rated for use with DC. I have used 7018AC for years and ran it on DC almost exclusively with excellent results. The only difference is that there is a conductive element in the coating that makes restrike much easier. As most people know when regular 7018 rod cools between welds you need to "scratch" the end a few times to get the flux off before it will conduct and strike properly. Very annoying. So I started buying the AC version of it and continued to use it on DC. I cannot see any difference in the welds from either rod welding them side by side so I'm convinced it doesn't matter which way you run it. I've had people swear that you have to run 7018AC on only AC but I do not believe that anymore. Maybe some brands of rod are that way but everything I've seen says on the box that it will work with DC also. Good luck.

Ah ha ! Thank you , Kevin ! I knew you made a video on welding rods ! I wish I could learn first hand with you in person ! But this is about as close as I can get ! My hands don't seem to be as steady as yours ! My welds have a little arch or rainbow shape to them ! I will try a little soap stone line to see if that helps ! Thanks again for the great videos ! You have been a great help !

Thanks for the video Kevin. I am learning and could use all of the help I can get using my everlast stick welder.

In my personal opinion the two rods a person should always have on hand are E6011 and E6013. They are both great for fixing things. E6011 has deep penetration and flat or concave beads, it is for use with DCEP and AC current and has a cellulose potassium coating. E6013 has shallow penetration and convex beads, is designed for DCEP, DCEN, and AC current, and has a titania potassium coating. E6011 is best on thicker materials, and E6013 is great for thinner materials. The welds won't be very pretty (compared to other rods), but they make for strong welds and are great for welding a large variety of materials.

Nice Video Sir, I am a beginner and your tutorial videos. help me a lot. I am using a transformer type arc welder and making few small car ramps etc Word of advice: Ignore the people who find faults with you and keep going ahead Eagerly waiting for more videos from you. At your age, I am impressed about your interest & knowledge Thanks

Nice, simple, to the point video. Thanks!

here you go , simple and to the point like that , TY

Thanks for the compliment Kevin. I don't do it for a living but ask a thousand and one questions when i head to gasweld for rods and other gear ;)

Hi kev, nice video. Nicely explained for us all. Keep arcing. Best regards

Nice one! I really appreciate the time you put into the video really helps me a lot thank you and keep up the great work.

Thanks Kevin, very helpful. keep-up the good work.

Thanks Kevin! You're the best.

Thanks guys. Kevin, ya even used the welder I have. And Mary, I didn't have to worry about ya teetering on top of a ladder in this one. As always, good, well presented info.

Thanks. Great quick info. I'm just starting, messing around, now I know what each number stands for. Thanks again, Guam U.S.A.

Thank you very much for the helpful and clear demonistration.

True, (hanging my head in shame) , That machine has done a lot of work and more than earned it's time and place in this shop..

Thanks for the excellent video. I have watched many of yours and decided to subscribe so I don't miss out on anything. I have one of those "tombstone" welders and still have to revert to it when the little mig won't do it, like 1/4" and above. I generally end up using to much amperage because I have such trouble starting and holding an arc. I would like to see more buzz box videos.

Thanks for a good explanation on welding rods 7018 looks really good for industrial use and fabrication... appreciate alot..God Bless

Thanks, still figuring out how all this works...

You explained everything in a way an old man like me can understand. Thanks for the lessions.

Helped massively, brilliant video! Thank you

Now why didn't I think of that!?!?! Great tip! Thanks for posting..

You should be able to use this machine. I would recommend ER4043 or ER5356 depending on which alloy you are working with.

Hello Kevin. i created a video reponse so you can see the metal i want to weld. This video was made for another reason but it works to show the front end of the car i want to weld. thanks.

@MontySprings Cool!! Thanks for the tip.

Thank you. I'll be doing arc welding today. MIG welder I used yesterday killed a lot of my wire wasting a lot of money. Kept on tangling the wire in the rolling mechanism.

great, clear instructions and demos...

I will have to try that someday!!!

I will have to do some research for this one... but thanks for the idea....

@robotmotor You are welcome my friend. stop by when you get the chance. We update about once a week..

Hey Kevin. I just started watching your videos and I do like your enthusiasm and positive approach. You've got some good advice for the "do-it-yourselfer". One thing I would like to point out, however, is the that the first 2 digits (first three if there's a 5 number designation) on an electrode is the minimum tensile strength of the rod filler metal (in kpsi). That means how much weight it would take to tear apart the filler metal, not how much weight a weld with that filler metal will hold before failing. For example, in a 7018 rod, it will take a minimum of 70 000 lbs of weight to tear apart one square inch of the metal that the rod is composed of. I'm new to welding and just a hobbyist, but I'd hate to see someone be disappointed because their weld didn't hold 60 000 lbs after using a 6010 rod :p

7018 my favorite. Dope video

i agree. he is a nice guy, and a good teacher. thanks

@RouteZeroDesign Yes it will. Check with your local welding store for some stainless rod.

thanks kevin very helpful info

Thank you very much for the most helpful demonstration, I would like to know the different electrodes for different metals like MS with MS, SS with SS and MS with SS

Great video!! I have the exact same welder. I was wondering what amperage and rod i should use to weld to pieces of the front end of my car.

I'm new to this as well, so this was a great question. The thing that I've learned was that when you use a different rod it's because of the penetration

Great, quality video. Thanks.

Thanks Kevin, very helpful.

I love welding. I wish I could still do it. I can't arc weld now that I have a defibrillator implanted. One of my buddies was trying to get me to sign up for the pipefitters' apprenticeship some years ago. I wish I'd done it.

At 65 it has been a LONG time sense I did any welding with a buzz box similar to the Lincoln in the video.. I bought one of those Chinese made 110 volt 160 Amp stick welders off the internet, it came with some Chinese rod with weird numbers 1/8" an worked well at about 120 amps, acted similar to 7018.. When I went to try 1/8" 6013 with welder wide open at 160 amps I could not maintain an arc.. So I bought some 6011 at 3/32 and hope that solves the problem, if I want to weld thick, turn it up?

Thank you my tig and mig are spectacular my stick is good but don't know much about the rods cheers dude

WOW!! Been called a lot of things in my life but never that! Thank you..

@kevincaron Thanks Kevin, fingers crossed it goes well. Again, thanks for your help and your great videos :)

it is very simple and very valuble information

Thank you!

That's what I would suggest. You will have to more preparation on the thicker joints. Bevel the edges and make multiple passes. Or just get a bigger machine.

thank u so much for all ur help,i really appriciate it,

at last a proper explanation ! thank you !

Need more info. to help. How thick is the metal? What are the settings on the welder? What is the diameter of the rod? What rod are you trying to use?

The reason you should drag the chipping hammer across the slag is so you don't get chip marks in the weld that you then have to grind out.

Keeping in mind that I'm self-taught and not certified I would have to say try 6013 3/32 inch. But if I was going to do this job I would use tig or mig instead. Make sure you really understand what you are doing here. The last thing you need to happen is a weld breaks while you are flying along with your butt 3 inches off the ground.

thanks man u help alot good sho hopefully u do more show's

Hi Kevin. Good demonstration, but I think you could have explained the difference between the three electrodes ( sorry that's what I was taught to call them ) and under what conditions one would be chosen over another. This would help to explain the resulting differences that you've demonstrated. The 6011 is quite different to the 6013, which is different again to the 7018, in characteristics machine settings and application of use. Sorry if this sounds a little critical, I just feel that this may be of benefit to viewers that may be new to welding.

3/32" is smaller than 1/8"

I love welding 6011 and 7014 with my everlast welder. I've tried 6013 but never really liked using them.

6013 is for sheet metal only, but it's still cheaper than using fluxed-core or MIG. I happened to use one with my cheap AC stick welder at the mininum amps (50) that I have and I find 1/16 mild steel easier to weld than 25 gauge mild steel from a paint can, I think? on my rusted bbq grill.

nice video kevin

Thank you.

Great channel. I'm subbed

Good video bro thank you for the information

I learnt a lot. Thanks.

Great Informational Video...

veeeery helpful, thx for info

Thanks for the insight!

very informative! thank you!

How long can you expect welding rods to last on the shelf? Is there a difference in shelf life comparing these different rods? Do you keep any in the cooler to prolong life? I always struggled with low hydrogen 7018, mainly because it was harder to start and it seemed I needed more current. Does it help to do 7018 using a DC technique?

Off the top of my head I would say your amps are too low. Try turning it up a notch. The other thing to try is instead of placing the rod at the start point like you are touching it with your finger , try scratching it along like you are picking at a scab. That may give you an easier start. What size rod are you using?

Great man... Simple... Easy... That's good... Tks.. 👍

This really helped. Thanks

Kevin does excellent youtubes.

I liked the lesson. Thanks

I like 6011 or 6013 myself. Haven't really had a chance to use anything else.

great exp;enation thanks alot i love your video great sir add it to my favorite you help me alot thank you

Great vid! Thanks for the info@!

You are beloved person sir.

pick the right rod and select the right amp for the rod... nice video