6010 or 6011? Part 2

As we discussed, the 6010 rod isn’t that user friendly.  On top of that there are several categories within the 6010 that make selecting the best rod (ie. 5P and 5P+ and even 5P++) for the job sometimes subjective and difficult.  However any 6010 rod will take practice.

The correct method for welding the 6010, is not a drag approach, nor is it a weave approach.  It has a unique, step, pause, and return motion, where the welding rods are stepped briefly in front of the puddle and the arc is slightly lengthened so that weld metal will not deposit while the puddle is cooling. This also prevents too much burn.  The over-all effect is spectacular if done right, and the “stack of dimes” look is well defined, if not spectacular.

It can be used quite well as a general purpose rod to be sure.  But an issue with the 6010 that shows up frequently is the fact that not all welders run this rod well.  For the homeowner with an AC buzz box, you might as well forget it.  It’s not an AC rod.  It’s DC only, and quite particular in how it runs in DC.

Many standard inverter welders won’t run this rod. There are some welders such as the Everlast PowerARC 200 that will. But the ordinary inverter typically doesn’t have the voltage or arc stability to do so. As a member of the cellulose family of welding rods, the E 6010 is a “diva” rod…so it’s not for everyone’s taste.  Enter the E-6011.