Good Info Here!
Please excuse my barging in here but I may be able to provide some input. The 60 in the electrode designation is the tensile strength, the third number is the position it is designed for - 1=all position, 2=flat and horizontal. The last number or fourth position in the number is for the type of shielding or flux on the rod.
Remember the numbers 5, 6, or 8 as the fourth number. This designates a Low Hydrogen electrode and needs to be DRY. As little as 4 hours outside of the oven or hermetically sealed container and the rod may have absorbed enough moisture to show problems such as porosity and slag problems. Especially true on hot humid days.
The low-hy rods are designed for structural steel.
The various welding supply shops can provide small pocket sized books with all this info as well as the polarity, etc. You could probably get by with most any rod for a small tack up job, but the right rods make you look good.
Before you think you should put all rods in the oven, stop. The other rods rely on some moisture to have maximum effectiveness while welding. Just not a good soaking in the puddle. LOL
Thanks for letting me jump in here.
Respectfully
Inspector
