What is 6010 Welding Rod? Features, Uses Types

The 6010 welding rod is an important part of the industry’s manufacturing process and has been used for welding pipes for more than 70 years. It was first used in the 1940s, but its certain features, like fast freeze, make it more common to use for different applications and positions. With time, it has strength and makes it smooth. In this post, we will cover features, details, and other factors for 6010 welding rods. So let’s get started with the Introduction to 6010 Welding Rod.

What is 6010 Welding Rod?

• The 6010 welding rod is commonly used in the welding industry as an electrode. It comes with metallic core wire and has a coating of a special type of flux.

• Flux is thicker as compared to other rods and provides excellent working features for handling rusty surfaces.
• The number 60 in this rod name defines its tensile strength and usability. The 10 digits are used for general-purpose welding and come with less tensile strength, about 60000 PSI. 1 is used for welding in different positions like flat, vertical, horizontal, and overhead.
• The 0 is used for defining cellulose-based rods that need DC electrode positive current.
• The 6010 can easily be used and penetrate through dirty and rusty metals in case of resisting contamination.
• The fast freezing slag system provides good bead shape control.

6010 Welding Rod Features

Diameter: 

• 6010 welding rod comes in different sizes and has a range of 1/16″ to 5/32″. Their different sizes help to handle different material thicknesses. Small rods, such as 1/16″ are easy to use for sheet metal, and larger 3/32″ and 1/8″ diameters are used for thicker steel. The rod applications are based on project demand.

Flux Thickness:

• The flux coating for the 6010 rods is robust and made for handling rusty surfaces. Flux layers are about 5 times thicker as compared to the diameter of the rod. This thickness provides good protection and features for smooth welding and also for less-than-ideal conditions.

Tensile Strength:

• 6010 welding rods come with about 60,000 psi tensile strength that can be more than 80,000 psi based on rod diameter. Small rods have high-strength features and are good to use for applications where high durability is needed.

Composition: 

• The 6010 rods are made with calcium fluoride, calcium carbonate, silicates, and Varex-based high cellulose sodium.

Polarity 

• 6010 rods welded with DC electrodes positive. The electrode positive means that the welding current passes from the rod to the grounded base metal. DCEP provides a stable arc with deep penetration due to focused heat. It also provides strong, shallow resistance for crackling. The heavy flux coating operated well with reverse polarity also. AC, or negative electrode, is not good to use for 6010.

Welding Positions: 

• The main feature of the 6010 rods is that it can also handle different welding positions. For flat surfaces, vertical seams, and horizontal joints, use a 6010 rod and it provides good welding features.

6011 Welding Rod Technical Settings

Voltage

• For different applications, use a voltage range of 22 to 27 for 1/8″ 6010 rods. The thin rod needs 20 to 24 volts, and the heavy rod has features to handle 24 to 29 volts. Low voltage provides less effective generation and also affects the bead shape. Larger voltage increases spatter and also has chances for burn-through. Gauge thickness and use good voltage for complete generation without high heat.

Amperage

• 6010: The main starting point is about 40 to 60 amperes for a 1/8 inch rod diameter. The thicker metal uses more amps, like vertical/overhead welds. The low amperes cause tumbling and make an undercut.

Vertical Uphill Welding

• For vertical climbs, keep arc length about 1/8″ or less and provide constant travel speed. Angle the rod 15 to 20 degrees uphill and focus heat on the upper weld edge. Set the voltage at the lower end and use whip and pause techniques for good fusion.

Arc Length

• Some welds are performed at arc lengths of about 1/8″ to 3/16″. Take the rod far away, and the weld is cold. Very close, and flux burns off prematurely. Check the crisp, cracking sound of dialed-in 6010 rods. The slag needed to freeze fast and in the proper way over the weld seam.

Travel Speed

• Travel speed affects heat input and weld penetration. For thin materials under 1/4″, use slow, about 5 to 8 inches per minute. For thick metal, more than 1/4″ increase travel speed by about 8 to 12 inches per minute.

6010 vs 6011 Electrodes

• The 60 number in 6010 is used to define 60000 pounds of tensile strength per square inch. The 1 shows positions like flat, vertical, horizontal, or overhead.
• The last number, 0 to 1, is used for flux composition, slag, and power supply.
• The 6010 and 6011 are electrode types. They easily strike and leave small slag for chipping off. It is good when the entire generation. They are the main option for welding decking and for applications where penetrating through gauge metal in the beam.
• 6011 works on AC and direct electrode positive, and 6010 operates on DCEP. So 6011 is beneficial for AC-operating machines. The 6010 works in a smoothly way. The slag chips off better than 6011, so 6010 is used properly for pipes, then 6011.
• These electrodes with speed where they burn. That makes it good for welding bridging, especially stiffening angles moving from joist to joist for bracing.
• These two electrodes come with more strength to do work and higher speed than 7018.

6010 vs. 7018 Welding Rod

• The 6010 and 7018 are welding rods but have different uses: 6010 is made for penetration in rusty steel, and 7018 is used for clean metals.
• The 6101 comes with a thick flux coating and a fast-freezing slag system made for handling contaminated metals and avoiding porosity. It provides good penetration features due to high current features and a forceful arc. It is used for root passes in pipe welding and manufacturing.
• 7019 works at low amperes with light arc force. It needed a clean surface and high operator skills for controlling molten puddles.
• The 7018 provides different position welding features with less spatter.
• For mechanical features, 7018 is difficult to heat. Its alloy content provides high strength, resistance, and flexibility. The fast freezing flux 6010 provides good bead control, but causes a brittle deposit that causes cracking from hydrogen.
• In structural uses, 7018 is a good option to use since it has high strength and crack resistance. It also provides good shear strength since it has a wider bead weight. The 6010 is restricted to root passes and uses fill passes for non-critical welds.
• For welding dirty metal or needing deep genetration power, a  6010 welding rod is good to use. For clean steel that has good ductility, 7018 is not easy to use.

Difference between 6010 and 6013 welding rods

6010 Welding Rods Features

• These rods are defined according to cellulose electrodes. They come with a high cellulose sodium coating. They have deep penetration and are used for features with high penetration through rust, oil, and other particles.
• It is used for vertical and overhead positions of welding.
• 6010 rods are part of welding pipes and pipelines. They are good for the deep penetration required.

6013 Welding Rods Characteristics:

• This rod is based on rutile-based electrodes. It comes with a rutile coating and provides a smoother and more stable arc than 6010 rods.
• It is easy to use and best for beginners. 6013 welding rods are part of general-purpose welding. It is best for thin materials and is used for repairing work and maintenance.

6013 vs 7018 vs 6010

Welding Rod	6013	7018	6010
Type	Mild Steel	Low Hydrogen	Mild Steel
Tensile Strength	60,000 psi	70,000 psi	60,000 psi
Slag	Low	Low	High
Welding Skill	Beginner	Intermediate	Advanced
Applications	General purpose welding	heavy-duty welding, Structural welding,	high-speed welding, Pipe welding,
Position	Different Positions	Flat, Horizontal, Vertical	Different Positions
Coating	Rutile	Iron Oxide	Cellulose Sodium
Penetration	Moderate	Deep	Deep

Read also: Welding Positions Types: 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, and 6G

FAQs

What is a 6010 welding rod used for?

• The 6010 comes with a thick flux coating and a fast freeze slag system that is used for handling contaminated metals and avoiding porosity. It provides deep generation features since it has a high current capacity and a forceful arc. It is used for pipe welding and fabrication.

Which is better, 6010 or 6013?

• The 6010 electrode is used for painted, galvanized, and unclean surfaces, and the 6013 is used for clean or new sheet metal. So 6010 is used for maintenance and repair works, and 6013 is used for construction and fabrication.