Electrode comparison

E6013 vs E7024

E6013 is the light-duty all-position rutile rod; E7024 is the same family loaded with iron powder for flat-position production speed.

E6013 vs E7024 at a glance

	E6013	E7024
AWS specification	AWS A5.1/A5.1M	AWS A5.1/A5.1M
Process	Stick (SMAW)	Stick (SMAW)
Form	Covered electrode	Covered electrode
Tensile strength (min)	60 ksi	70 ksi
Yield strength (min)	48 ksi	58 ksi
Elongation (min)	17%	17%
Impact toughness	Not required by AWS A5.1 for this classification	Not required by AWS A5.1 for this classification
Polarity	AC, DCEP, DCEN	AC, DCEP, DCEN
Positions	Flat, Horizontal, Vertical, Overhead	Flat, Horizontal fillet
Penetration	Shallow to medium	Shallow
Deposition rate	Medium	Very high
Coating / core	High-titania (rutile) potassium	Iron-powder titania, roughly 50% iron powder
Slag	Heavy, self-lifting, leaves a smooth bead face	Very heavy, usually peels off in one strip
Shielding gas	None — self-shielding	None — self-shielding
Storage	Keep dry at room temperature. A sealed container or a warm cabinet is enough — no rod oven required.	Dry room-temperature storage; no oven required.
Primary use	Sheet metal and thin-wall tubing where burn-through is the risk	Long horizontal fillet welds on heavy plate

Which should you use?

Both are rutile electrodes with easy arcs and heavy, self-lifting slag, but they are built for different jobs. E6013 is a 60 ksi all-position rod with shallow penetration, aimed at thin material and light fabrication. E7024 is a 70 ksi rod with roughly 50% iron powder, restricted to flat and horizontal fillets, aimed at laying a lot of metal quickly on heavy plate. They rarely compete for the same joint.

Choose E6013 when

Thin sheet, tube and light fabrication
Any out-of-position work
Small machines with limited amperage

Choose E7024 when

Heavy plate fillets in the flat position
Production welding on positioned parts
Joints needing 70 ksi and fast fill

Amperage compared

Diameter	E6013	E7024
1/16 in (1.6 mm)	20–45 A	—
5/64 in (2.0 mm)	25–60 A	—
3/32 in (2.4 mm)	45–90 A	100–145 A
1/8 in (3.2 mm)	80–130 A	140–190 A
5/32 in (4.0 mm)	105–180 A	180–250 A
3/16 in (4.8 mm)	150–230 A	230–305 A
7/32 in (5.6 mm)	—	285–375 A

Ranges are typical starting points. Diameters listed for only one electrode are shown as — for the other.

E6013 vs E7024 — common questions

Can E7024 be used on thin metal?

Poorly. Its smallest common diameter still runs at high amperage, and it is a flat-position rod. E6013 in a small diameter is the right choice for thin material.

Is E7024 harder to run than E6013?

No — if anything it is easier, because the deep crucible holds arc length for you. The restriction is position, not difficulty.

Do they use the same slag system?

Both are titania-based. E7024's slag is considerably heavier because of the iron powder loading, and it usually peels off in one strip.

Full specifications

E6013

AWS A5.1/A5.1M

E6013 is the easy-starting rutile rod for thin steel and light fabrication — soft arc, shallow penetration and the best bead appearance of the 60-series.

E7024