welding sheet metal with arc?

If I am going to try spot welding sheet metal with an AC arc welder, what rod should I used? 6013 or 7014....1/16 inch rod?

6013

What gauge sheet metal and probably neither. 6011 would be a better choice.

I've use a 6011 1/16 rod to spot weld a dirty lawn mower deck. Used the lowest amps possible. Could only weld for a second or two before it got too hot and would burn a hole. My weld didn't look like anything to brag about, but it held.

If you could get it clean enough, I would use a mig.

I wonder if it would help to get rid of some heat if you put an aluminum heat sink on back side of metal.

They make 7018 AC. Get the 3/32 diameter and keep it moving. Expect a lot of electrode sticking (if you don't pay attention) on thin material where you get the amperage low enough to prevent burn throughs. Any time you stop the weld it works better if you scratch the end of the rod on the concrete to knock off the coating, or just grab it between your thumb and index and twist it off (wearing heavy duty welding gloves of course). The 7018 hides the metal.

What I know about it but having used 6011, 6013, 7014, and 7018, the 7018 is my choice for most of what I do, thin or thick material in the 3/32 or 1/8" diameters.
Mark

I never used aluminum , but copper works great, weld will not stick . joe

I swear by 6011. The clean out door on the 650 grain cart cracked. The mig was tucked away so I thought I could stick weld it at 60. Wrong. Hole. I got out the mig.

The 6013 rod has a softer arc than the 7014 (choices you mentioned). Tip your rod angle down more like a pool cue. Short tacks linked together.

Option #1 : 6013 has the softest arc and least penetration. My preference is 5/64 " diameter as they have just enough strength to not flex all over the place like a noodle. If you welder is DC then run the stinger - and the ground clamp +. Otherwise will still work okay on AC. 1/16" diameter is smaller yet but I hate all 1/16" diameter rods except 7014. That said you can cut 1/16" diameters in half to help with the flexing.

Option #2: Use the fast freeze properties of 6011. They do make a 1/16" diameter 6011, but 6011 is a no contact rod and trying to maintain a half a rod diameter rod gap on such a tiny rod diameter that is flexing everywhere can be difficult. Plus 6011 is deep penetrating so move fast. I usually have better luck with 6013.

Option 3: 1/16 diameter 7014 is tolerable of all the 1/16" diameter rods and actually burns pretty decent. That said it may not be able to weld quite as thin as the other 2 choices.

Stick process is not really suited for welding metal thinner than 16 gauge (1/16" thick). Seasoned pros can sometimes do 18 gauge. Regardless you have to be damn goo to weld metal this thin with stick process.

Best choice on metals 26 gauge to 10 gauge is usually a decent mig welder. (and I am not talking those $99 cheapos as those are not worth spit. There are some affordable wire feeders for not all that much more money).

What gauge ? Back in my better days I could weld 18 ga using a good DC welder that I was used to, using 5/32 6011 rods. At 71 I can still do a good job with 6011 by 1/8 on 16 gauge. You can't weld in a steady arc but learn to step weld. Flick the arc to the side & let the puddle cool then come back to puddle a little then away again. 6011 is a fast freeze rod so the puddle sets up fast. My biggest trouble now is that I don't see as I used to. Watch the puddle, not the arc.

What always helped me welding thin stuff with small rod was to take a slitting wheel in the angle grinder and cut my rods in half.
So much better control on a short rod than on a long one. Chip off a bit of the flux on the other half and use that too.
More starts and stops and a little more wastage but the job turns out much better.

Weld won't stick to aluminum either. I have 4x8 inch aluminum plate, no copper. So I use what I have.

Apparently you have some experience welding thin stuff. I operated a welding shop and we had no 6013 as they slow up production. I had 10 workers and all welded 14 gauge at from 90 to 130 amps with 1/8" 6011. We only used 7018 and above for repair work. Most work had to be water tight. Most people who posted could not get any production.

I have had limited success welding sheet metal with 3/32 (smallest I cold get at the time) 6011 rod, but have to "stitch" - hit and get off, hit and get off method. It is an odd variant of 6011 as it has a white coating instead of the usual gray or brown.. I run it on DC as it is much smoother and more controllable than AC, but I still burn some holes.

I have since located some 1/16 6011 rod made by Hobart, and sold by some Tractor Supply stores. I haven't tried that yet.
I haven't seen any 7014 or 7018 rod that small, but those would be worth a try if you can find it.

I have NEVER been able to weld ANYTHING with 6013 rod. Looks pretty good until I knock the slag off, then there is a nice gap right down the center of the joint.
YMMV

Myron

I had the seeing problem also. With prescription bifocals, trying to weld was a chore. So I got some of the magnification lenses that are available and taped a 2.5 in my helment. By using the corrections of my long range part of the bifocal plus the amplification of the added lense, I can see very well and my head isn't up in the air. Beats having to have an extra set of single vision glasses and gives you regular vision when the hood's up.

Might want to try it.

Mark

If you could get it clean enough, I would use a mig.

Click to expand...

Yeah, but not everyone has a mig, and can't/won't drop $1000 on a new mig setup to stitch up a $25 lawnmower deck that probably should be tossed on the junk pile anyway.

I am quite impressed with the 1/16" 6013 rod from Harbor Freight for sheet metal repair. On my Lincoln buzzbox run through a DC rectifier at 40A, and occasionally 60A.

Just like welding sheet metal with a mig, you do spot welds and move around. Feather it out with a flap disk on an angle grinder and it looks every bit as good as any mig job.

It's called: GIT-R-DONE! Even though you don't have the "exact right" tool for the job you can make an effective repair.