The best rod for the newby to learn on

[SeanMurphy265]

Just by curiosity why is 6010 not widely respected outside the U.S?

[Wookie]

if i was showing someone the ropes of stick welding which i do at the College.. I would start em out on some 6010 and when they got that down move them on to 6011 then 7014 then 7024 then to 7018 in all positions

[everlastsupport]

if i was showing someone the ropes of stick welding which i do at the College.. I would start em out on some 6010 and when they got that down move them on to 6011 then 7014 then 7024 then to 7018 in all positions

That will work as well. Sort of what I recommended. 6010, 6011 or 6013, then 7018.

Would make for a good stick welder for sure.

[Haywire]

I gave away the 6013 I had. What I've settled on is 7014 and 6011. I have 5lb each of 3/32, 1/8, and 5/32 in those two flavors. I still have the 1/8 6010 and 3/32 7018, but when they're gone, I won't buy again.

Ian

[Oxide00]

In high school shop class we were first introduced to 6013, then 6010 and onward. Ahh I still remember the sweet smell after burning my first 6010 rods

[mrprism]

Smoother welds will be the result if using a 6013 or a 7018 rod. This will boost the new welders confidence IMHO. When someone new to stick welding tries it and gets good looking results quickly, they tend to become enthusiastic and are energized into practicing more. 6010 and 6011 rods are not as smooth as the 13 or 18 but are similar to each other in weld characteristics and are considered "fast freeze" rods. That is why a weld with 6010/11 generally have more ripples and don't look as smooth. Every little motion is transferred as a ripple because the puddle freezes so quickly. This is why they are used on the first pass of an open root weld. The weld puddle freezes quickly and doesn't fall through. They also work well on vertical and overhead welds because of this freezing action. All those ripples and sensitivity to rod manipulation make for ugly welds in the hands of a beginner, which can be a turn off. If I were an instructor, I would whip out the 6013 and 7018 rods and let them go to town. I would also explain why the 6010/11 reacts and looks the way it does when they try them. Each rod has an area where it excels and this should be taught as part of complete instruction. After that just let them get good at what makes them fell the best. Some will like the ease of the smoother rods, and some will like the challenge of making a nice looking 6010/11 welds. Whatever gets them to practice is ok with me.

[Cippee]

There is so much slag on 7018 that I always get dripped on when I burn them overhead. Your right about nice looking welds being a confidence booster but with fast freeze rods you get to see the puddle and start to learn to read it.

[someguy]

I struggled with most rods until I tried 7014 and the drag technique. This rod produced decent welds so I used it for nearly everything for years. Eventually, after some skill developed, I started using other rods for specific purposes, ie 7028 jet rods for penetration, 7018 for vertical, various hard surfacing rods and so on.
Someone gave me some leftover 6011 Farmer rod awhile back. I ran a bead or two with it but I really don't know why I would use it instead of 7014 which is higher strength and easier to make a pretty weld with.

So I would recommend 7014 and the drag method to a beginner. Once you get some hours in the drag technique can be dropped in favour of maintaining a tight arc with the rod more upright and possibly adding a weave into the mix, if needed.

+1. 7014s are a decent all purpose rod. 5/16" material, about 110A AC, and go.