SMAW · Carbon steel
E6013
The soft-arc general purpose rod most beginners learn on, laying smooth cosmetic beads on thin steel with slag that almost lifts itself.
What the designation means
Point at any character to see what it claims. The classification is a sentence written in fields, not a product name.
- EElectrode for shielded metal arc welding.
- 6060,000 psi minimum tensile strength of the deposit.
- 1Usable in every position.
- 3High titania potassium covering, which runs on alternating current and on either direct current polarity.
At a glance
- Process
- SMAW
- Family
- Carbon steel
- Positions
- All positions
- Polarity
- AC, DCEP, or DCEN
- Shielding
- Self-shielded by the covering
- Minimum tensile
- 60ksi
Typical uses
- Light gauge sheet and thin plate fabrication
- Training and practice welding on small machines
- Ornamental and light structural work where the bead is left visible
How it runs
- Soft, quiet arc with light penetration that resists burn-through
- Fine ripple bead face with a clean, even toe
- Friable slag that frequently peels without chipping
- Very low spatter and easy restrike
Storage and handling
Ordinary dry storage is enough. Rutile coverings are not moisture controlled, but damp rods still cause porosity and a wandering arc.
Compare with
SMAWE6012A stiff-arc rutile rod that bridges gaps and welds sloppy fit-up without burning through, at the cost of shallow fusion into the joint.SMAWE7014A rutile rod with iron powder in the covering, so it deposits noticeably faster than a plain general purpose rod while keeping the same easy, forgiving arc.SMAWE6011The alternating current counterpart to the cellulosic root rod, giving the same digging arc on the small transformer machines and engine drives found on farms and job sites.