I certified in all position steel pipe welding with 6010 root, 6010 fill and cap, 6010 root, 7018 fill and cap, MIG short arc root and 7018 fill and cap, TIG root with 7018 fill and cap, and TIG root with flux core spray transfer fill and cap. These are some of the lessons I learned along the way.
The hardest part of learning to stick weld is keeping a consistent arc length and travel speed. All the smoke and spatter tells me you are running a long arc length. Hiccups in the bead shape tell me your travel speed is not consistent.
For 7018; deep penetrating, all position, fast fill electrode, the flux contains a fair amount of iron powder, so you get more weld metal than just the core wire. Take a scriber and scratch some straight lines in the steel. Looking ahead at the lines helps train yourself to weld straight when the lines aren't there. Light up on the edge of the line, form your puddle, then PUSH THE ROD RIGHT IN THE PUDDLE AND KEEP IT THERE. 7018 can be used as a drag rod, and keeping pressure on the metal with the rod helps beginners keep the arc length consistent. Keep approximate 15 degree drag angle and just follow your line. I know the line thing seems cheesy, but it really helps learn.
6010 is intended to be run on reverse polarity, and is a deep penetration, fast freeze rod typically used for root and hot passes in multi pass welding, like pipe line welding, because it can float out small pockets of its own slag from the root pass, when the fast fill rods won't. It works really well for quick tacks and strange out of position welding, because it has a crisp hot arc that doesn't drip or run easily. This rod can be used at a lower amperage than the fast fill rods, because the flux has less iron to melt in it. The proper method for laying a stringer with this rod is the "whip and pause" or "stepping" technique. Basically, make your puddle, then whip the rod ahead about an eighth of an inch, then back again, steadily stepping the bead forward. This is a great, very versatile rod that is extremely useful in the fab shop. Master it. 6011 is the AC version of the 6010 rod.
6013 is a shallow penetrating rod designed for welding sheet metal and thin plate. It's run on straight polarity, and is very useful for metal under 3/16" thick. It has a nasty reputation for trapping its own slag, so keep a tight arc and drag this rod like 7018.
Take a 1/4" - 3/8" thick hunk of plate, start a bead on one side, and run beads along the plate overlapping the previous bead such that the crowns down form a humpy bumpy surface, cooling the plate every couple beads. Keep doing this until your 7018 and 6013 slag curls up like a potato chip behind the weld, and the 6010 beads look like a stack of dimes. Then, when you've mastered stringers, move on to weave beads.
Clean the metal after every pass and don't EVER weld over slag. You shouldn't have to wail on the metal with the chipping hammer. Scrape the hammer over the metal, almost like a brush. Scrape, brush or wire wheel, wait to cool to appropriate inter-pass temperature, weld next pass. Rinse repeat. GOOD LUCK, and PRACTICE.
