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Gate Repair - Stick Welding with the PrimeWeld MIG180

Gate Repair - Stick Welding with the PrimeWeld MIG180

Sometimes all you need are a few 6011 stick rods and a 115volt welder and you can make a good weld repairFixing a gate latch that seems to have been welded downhill with 6013.

No telling how long ago this gate latch was welded but I would guess it was done on site to ensure proper alignment of the latch receiver.

The welds were pitiful.  From the appearance, my guess is they were welded with 6013 downhill and cold.

I think 6011 rods are a better all around choice for most situations where 6013 rods are used.

 

Even though I have seen some awesome pictures of 6013 pipe welds from across the pond, here in the USA 6013 is just not used much for industrial applications.

 Some folks tout 6013 rods because of their ability to run off any welder whether it's an AC buzz box, or a DC stick welder, …because 6013 will run on AC, DCEP, or DCEN .

While that is true, do you know what other rod runs equally as good using AC, DCEP, or DCEN?  

 6011  

And 6011 rods have other added benefits like the ability to run downhill and still get penetration.

And for situations where you would like to use a 6010 rod but your small inverter won’t run a 6010, often times a 6011 will work….

Especially a 3/32” diameter 6011.

And when you have to run off 115 volt power, a 3/32 6011 can get you out of a pinch.  Sometimes having a few 1/16” diameter 6011 rods will get you out of a pinch too when you have a really weak 115 volt circuit. 

I used the PrimeWeld MIG180 plugged into a 115volt outlet to get this job done.

Since it's called a MIG180, a lot of folks are not aware that it is also a stick welder.

And as a stick welder that runs off either 115volt or 230 volt power, its portable and handy for jobs like this.

Here is a quick story about how I learned to carry small diameter 6011 rods...

I offered to fix an elderly ladies porch handrail once and I thought the job would be really simple.

One small weld where a spindle was loose in the anchor.

 

I had a really small stick inverter I bought off eBay but my extension cord wasn’t long enough and so I had to use one of her household extension cords like you might use for Christmas lights.

 

All I had in my tool bag were 1/8” 6011 rods and I kept popping the 15 amp breaker.

 

So I had to lower the amps really low and use a really long arc just to keep the rod lit.

 

I got the job done, but that job taught me why its a good idea to keep some smaller diameter 6011 in my tool bag.

 

And did you know you can also get 6011 in 1/16” diameter?

Honestly, 1/16" 6011 would have been perfect for that porch spindle repair.  40 amps is not enough for most stick rods but 40 amps will work with a 1/16” 6011 and you can even weld thin sheet metal downhill with it at lower amps if your welder settings go low enough.

 

 

 

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Comments

MD - November 26, 2023

Hey Jodie with the cost of welding rods today it make no sense to carry a large assortment unless you are a professional and you encounter many varieties of weld repairs 6013 is good for what it was designed for if you go outside the boundaries like welding down hill yes it can be done but you can also trap slag in the weld that on the surface looks pretty, hit it with a grinder and you will see micro pin holes that may or may not fail at any given time 6010 or 6011 and 7018 will do 90% of all the welding an average Joe will encounter safely. My 2 cents

Chris - November 26, 2023

Thank you for another wonderful video Jody. The repair looks great. Is there a reason you did not use the MIG function? Would it have taken too much energy? Thank you again for your great work. I have learned from you every week. Your store is also excellent and economical. I use your finger all the time as well as your gloves.

John Pruitt - November 25, 2023

Good job!! What I have noticed Jody, on the 6011 is, that it will tolerate a litter more dirt, but it tends to spatter a little more. Have a great day. Hope ya’ll had a nice Thanksgiving.

Richard (chico) Thomas - November 25, 2023

I welded an entire gym with 6013 and welded down hill. I don’t have a pic , but on one of the arms on a wieght hanging tree,we hung two 100lb plates on each arm then clowning around , two guys climed up onto those hanging plates . The two guys were a total of 500 lbs . the arms were about 12" long x 1 1/2" sq ,120 wall. the arms bent a little but the welds never ahowed a crack. Every piece in the gym was welded almost entirely down hill and with 6013. I’m self taught , and I’m not crying BS here, but I’ve heard so many times that 6013 won’t hold , and for sure down hill welds ,don’t hold that i had to tell you ,they do. We did the pic with the guys sitting on the wieghts on the tree, because a certified welder came in the gym one day and had made a comment about the welds . When I told him I used 6013 ,down hill he really went off hahahhahaha ( yes, he was a know all kind of guy) I don’t think he believed I had welded this equip with 6013 down hill with a buzz box at around 90amps . I invited him to the shop ,but he never showed I also love 7018 on weld jobs like you showed . The
people who follow you would love to see more on site jobs and the problems that can ocurr. That comment about how to cope with a 15 amp breaker ,versus a 20 amp were/are very helpful .Thanks for what you do and have done .I’ve been with you since those early days in your garage and Jake was just a puphahahah yeah, I’m an old timmer, as they say 81 and I’m going to "do this till I can’t " You can check me out at Etsy,com/shop/steelsmith Thanks again

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