Stick Welding: First Days Under the Hood
What stick welding is, where it is used, and what can hurt you on your first days with a stinger in your hand.
Table of contents
Stick welding is the simplest arc welding setup you will find: a power source, a clamp and a holder with a coated rod in it. Farmers, repair welders, pipeliners and ironworkers all rely on it, because it works outdoors, in wind and on steel that is less than perfectly clean. It looks easy and it is not. Your first days will be full of stuck rods and lumpy beads, which is normal. The goal for your first week is to stay safe and start to feel what the puddle does.
What You Will Be Able to Do
- Describe stick welding and where it is used.
- Name four common electrodes.
- Name the hazards that can hurt you on day one.
- Set up a machine for your first beads.
- Run and clean a simple bead.
What the Work Looks Like
The holder, called a stinger, grips a coated metal rod. When the rod touches the steel, an arc forms and the rod melts into the joint. The coating burns off to make a gas shield, and it leaves a crust of slag on top of the weld. You chip off the slag when the bead cools.
| Where you work | What you weld |
|---|---|
| Repair shop or farm | Equipment and gates |
| Construction site | Beams, columns and decking |
| Pipeline | Long runs of pipe |
| Shipyard | Hull plate and structures |
| Plant maintenance | Supports and repairs |
Stick is less common in high-speed factories, where wire processes are faster. It stays strong in field and repair work, because there is no gas bottle and no wire feeder to carry.
The Four Rods You Will Hear About First
| Rod | Nickname or use | Runs on |
|---|---|---|
| E6010 | Pipeline root rod, digs through rust | DC only |
| E6011 | Same idea, works on AC | AC or DC |
| E7018 | Low-hydrogen, structural work, kept in an oven | AC or DC |
| E7024 | Fast, flat and horizontal only | AC or DC |
E7018 is the rod you will most often see on code work. Once its can is opened, it must stay dry in a rod oven, because moisture can cause cracks.
What Will Hurt You on Day One
Arc Flash
Arc light burns your eyes and skin. A brief flash can give you arc eye, which feels like sand in your eyes and often shows up hours later, in the middle of the night. Wear a helmet with the right shade, and safety glasses under it. Warn people before you strike, and use screens around your work.
Electric Shock
The stinger is live whenever the machine is on. Dry gloves and dry clothes are your first protection. Never change a rod with bare hands or wet gloves, and never stand in water. Set the stinger down so that it cannot touch the work.
Sparks and Slag
Sparks and molten slag can burn you or start a fire well away from your weld. Keep combustibles clear, wear leather and natural fibers, and watch for sparks falling into cuffs or boots. When you chip slag, it flies. Keep your safety glasses on, and aim the chipping away from your face.
Fume
Welding fume carries metals such as manganese, and stainless, galvanized steel and coated steel add others. Keep your head out of the smoke. Use the ventilation your shop provides. If you feel flu-like after welding galvanized steel, report it.
Hot Metal
A fresh weld stays hot for a long time. Use pliers, and do not leave hot rod stubs on the floor, where they can start fires or burn boots.
Setting Up for Your First Beads
- Check that cables and the stinger have no bare spots.
- Set the polarity for your rod. Most common rods run on DCEP.
- Set the amps. For a 1/8 inch E7018 on 3/16 inch steel, start around 115 to 130 amps.
- Clamp the work lead to clean, bare metal.
- Put on your gear.
- Put a rod in the stinger.
Starting points vary, so read the box. If the rod keeps sticking, turn the amps up a little. If the rod spatters and burns through, turn them down.
Striking the Arc
Think of striking a match. Drag the rod across the steel, then hold it just off the surface. The arc length should be about the same as the diameter of the rod's core wire. As the rod melts, keep feeding it down. New welders forget this, and the arc goes long and sputters.
If the rod sticks, give it a quick twist or release it from the stinger. Do not hold it until it glows.
Your First Exercise
Take a flat piece of 1/4 inch scrap and clean it with a grinder. Using 1/8 inch rod, run 10 straight beads side by side, about 4 inches long. After each bead, chip the slag off and look at it.
Look for an even width, a steady ripple and no holes. Compare the first bead with the tenth. Change one thing at a time: amps, speed or arc length. Write down what you changed.
Common Mistakes
- Pulling the arc too long. It spatters and leaves pores.
- Moving too fast or too slow. Watch the puddle, not the arc.
- Lifting your hood too soon. Keep your eyes covered until the arc is out.
- Skipping the chipping. You cannot judge a bead under slag.
Check Your Understanding
You tacked a bracket without your hood. That night, your eyes feel full of sand and you cannot sleep. What happened?
That is arc eye, a burn from UV light. Get medical advice, tell your supervisor, and wear your hood for every tack.
Your rod keeps sticking to the plate. What are the two most likely causes?
The amps are too low, or your arc is too short. Turn up the amps a little and hold the rod slightly farther from the plate.
Your gloves are soaked with sweat and you need a new rod. What do you do?
Change into dry gloves first. Wet leather can let current pass through you.
A can of E7018 has been sitting open on a bench for days. Can you use those rods?
Not as they are. They have absorbed moisture. Ask your lead, as they must be rebaked to specification or thrown away.
Key Takeaways
- Stick welding is portable, and it works well outdoors.
- The rod's coating makes the shield and the slag.
- E6010, E6011, E7018 and E7024 are the first rods to learn.
- Arc flash, shock, sparks and fume are your main hazards.
- Stay dry, and keep your hood and safety glasses on.
- Run lots of beads, and change one thing at a time.