E6013 Welding Rod: Specification, Settings, Polarity, and Amps

E6013 welding rod is considered one of the most commonly-used rods for amateurs and beginners. Hence, it is also known as ‘sheet metal rod’, ‘beginners’ rod’ or ‘easy rod’. It is a mild-steel, Rutile-based, all position and general purpose rod. 

E6013 is characterized as follows:

• E stands for electrode.

• 60 stands for tensile strength which is  almost 60,000 pounds per  inch.

• 1 stands for position of electrode. This welding rod can be used for all four positions – flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead.

• 3 stands for the type of slag, flux composition and power supply. This welding rod can be used for AC or DC straight as well as for reverse polarity.

E6013 electrode flux coating contains ferromanganese, cellulose, rutile, potassium silicate as a binder, and other siliceous materials. The potassium compounds allow it to operate with AC at low amperages and low open-circuit voltages. When the coating burns, the flux coating of this electrode creates carbon dioxide. It also has a high presence of titanium.

6013 welding rod has its applications in:

• General purpose fabrication

• Shipbuilding and repair

• Metal buildings and structures

• Machine parts

• Thin sheet metal welding

• Shaft buildup

• Welding of vehicles

• Excessively machined and damaged mild steel

It makes a good choice when there is poor fit up to the joint as it provides a stable arc.   It has a quieter arc and smooth bead surface with a fine ripple profile. It deposits effortlessly, producing medium to shallow penetration. You can also easily remove the slag produced by it.

6013 welding rod is also ideal for filling on multi-pass welds which require putting one layer after another to produce the weld. It is convenient to work with this electrode when welders work with short or uneven welds that need positional adjustment.

6013 welding rod is known for its characteristic for creating a smooth inside root due to which it lets the welder move easily and quickly, Hence known as a welder friendly. Further, it has a bright and clean backside slag formation which indicates less oxidation. This is an important and useful quality when the welder is doing a root pass weld, especially in pressurized situations.

The correct welding current or amperage primarily depends on the diameter of the electrode. The diameter can be 2.5mm, 3.2mm, 4mm and 5mm with amperage as 70, 100, 150 and 190 respectively. Hence, it is important to adjust the settings of the amperage based on the size of the electrode and base metal. It is advisable to use a wire brush to clean the metal before welding so that penetration can happen easily and smoothly.

6013 welding rod is an excellent choice for the welders who need a versatile and deep-penetrating steel electrode with smooth and stable art.