Old School Stick Welding still Rules. 6011, 7018, anyone?

Lets talk “Old School” for a minute. Even though it seems “old school” , stick welding is far from being obsolete. Stick welding is what the old timers still call "arc welding". In the hands of a skilled welder, it really has its advantages. There is no shielding gas to get blown away by the wind, its cheap, its portable , the equipment is really simple. It is very versatile. You can weld different metals simply by changing the rod. The metal doesn’t have to be all that clean. I could ramble on and on but you get the point.

One of the best deals on the planet is a 200 amp buzz box. You can find them on craigslist or Ebay all day long for less than 200 dollars. They are called buzz boxes because of the sound they make. The cheap ones only have A/C current but that is all you need to weld all kinds of stuff. My first buzz box was free. A friend gave me his 30 year old JC Penny buzz box when he got a new Lincoln 225 for Christmas. It worked great even though the rods tended to stick at first. Once I stuck them and they heated up a bit they started better the second time. Hey that’s why they call it “stick” welding right?

Here is a Trick for Better Restarts with 7018 electrodes

This is the reason why 7018 welding rods are so hard to restart!...And if you peck and tap when you restart you have to peck so hard that a lot of flux cracks off the tip of the rod and you get a little porosity on your restart.

Just scratch the rough file with the tip of the rod a few swipes until you can see shiny bright metal.

Have a good Stick Welding Tip?

I'll bet if you think for 2 seconds, you can think of a good tip that might help someone out.

re-start 7018
Cut some file like teeth into your slag hammer
then use teeth to remove the slag from the end of the electrode

Fixing holes
If you burn a hole in sea perlin or any thin metal just make an X over the hole. And try not to get the metal too hot.

What about 7014?
I use a lot of 7014 with my ac/dc buzz box, It works best on dc. What are the draw backs of 7014?
I dont make my living welding but I do weld a lot. 7014 ...

7018 restarts -
I just take the rod out of the holder and pretend the hot end is a pencil
and drag it across the floor holding it about a 45 degree angle and at the
...

Tip for cutting steel with an arc welder
I heard that you can cut steel with an arc welder by first dipping the electrode into water and making it wet. Is that true?

Cant wait to try it. Not ...

Don't hold electrodes in your hand
When attaching electrodes to the stinger place them in your welding helmet and clamp them into appropriate groove. This method could avoid shock or being ...

7018 restarts another way
I always just crush the flux between thumb and forefinger before re-starting. As long as you are wearing a good set of gloves and allow a second to cool ...

when you have the right amperage
you have the right amperage on a 6011 or similar rod when you hear it sizzle like bacon frying

7018 Hater
I have a great tip for 7018 starts...grab a handful of them and throw them as far as you can. Then start using 6011's or 6010's.

make your test stand out
on your pipe test after your finished take a file and run it around the edge of your weld it makes your stuff look better then the other guy forcing the ...

tip for stick welding
ive always went by the "lash" method l-length A-angle S-speed H-height

sticking welding rod
before welding with stick it's best to strike it like a match so that the rod doesn't stick to your material.

never let your rods get wet or damp
never let your rods get wet or damp...unless of course you are using fire brick red 6010. they seem to run better wet.

hey
how do i get rid of undercut on a t fillet weld?

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usually undercut is from too long an arc,too ...

Pushing the rod vs. dragging the rod
A lot of welders debate over which is better to push the rod or drag it. Me personally I prefer to drag or pointed directly at the material being welded....

Tip for 6010 vertical uphill welding
6010 is a fast freeze rod which means the puddle cool and hardens much faster than 7018. When welding vertical from bottom to top which is how any experienced ...

tips for overhead open v-grove welding
I'am about to take a test at school for open v-grove welding and i'am having trouble with my overhead part could u give me any tips on this please.or any ...

tips for & amps for rods that are 1/16 to 5/64
how thick of steal can i weld with these rods ? i have a 95amp 115v welder.

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Depending on the breaker ...

"Tip for not setting yourself on fire."
A. Don't wear shitty jeans. (full of holes or the white threads showing) that will set your ass on fire
B. Don't where canvas or soft clothe shoes. (converse,...

Alternate re-start tip for 7018
Instead of filing the tip of the rod, I hit it on something not connected to the ground clamp, usually the side of my chipping hammer to break off that ...

What does the remote wire do?
Remote wire on a welder, what happens if it's unplugged and someone starts welding?

Avoiding the Macarena
Get as comfortable as possible because a confortable welder is a steady an relaxed welder. Important because fatigue will cause the arms to make the rod ...

A little tip for filling those pesky gaps.
Try this sometime when you have one of those Grand Canyon size gaps. Knock the heavy coating off of a 7018 stick,a little of it will stay on,leave it. Now ...

6010
i'm 15 and i love stick welding...

i'm better at it than wire welding but i just cant git the 6010 down.

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for ...

6010 vs 7018 for training welders...Looks might be one thing...
The 6010 welding rod is the thing to get beginners to start on first.
If you start them on it, and they get the welds looking good, then when they try ...

6013 RODS
6013 rods are an excellent choice for welding railings and for vertical down welding on sheet metal. as for the sarcastic comments regarding 6013 usage,...

How to comfortably use the stinger
One of the biggest problems with stick welding is making a one handed weld and keeping that long electrode steady while welding and not have the tip flapping ...

Tips for welding around a corner
There is nothing worse than having to make a stick weld around a corner. This requires bending the rod and hoping that you don't break away too much of ...

to be a good pipe welder
do yourself a big favor and go and buy a stinger and a lead when you go and take a stick test they may just give you a shitty stinger to use and your rod ...

good beads with 6010
Use a oval weave with 6010 and the bead will look a lot better. A step technique for vertical up tee joints works the best! -Erik (the motor man)

I need to see down hill stick "spreading butter" and whats the trick??
I have tried the typical rods That I use 7018 6010 6013 and about 2 O'clock the shit falls out...WTF? I know it can be done because I have seen it on pipelines....

Tip for root pass, pipe.
I've switched leads while welding a root pass (6010 rod), then switched back with 7018 for hots and filler. Any truth behind this myth?

Hit what you aim for....
For about 50 to 80 bucks chicago electric sells a decent auto darkening helmelt. Buy one. I don't know what I would do without it. You can see quite well ...

Screw 6013's
Just a comment on the "screw 6013's article. First of all to whoever wrote that article: You have never been more wrong about 6013's & quite a childish ...

SMAW VerticaL up & Horizontal Cert Test
I am starting one of many certification tests and wanted to know if any reinforcement is necessary for the backside of my test plate, "Like a Tack-welded ...

stop wasting welding rods ...quit pecking
u know how u peck and the flux comes off if too much comes off u just throw the rod away instead of pecking gently scratch the rod along the piece of ...

Nu-bie with some questions?
I bought a Chicago electric arc 140 on ebay. It had some 3/32 electrodes included, I don't know if that was good or not,they all had some flux missing ...

My boss got a 50 lb. box of 7018 by 3\16 inch.
My boss got a 50 lb. box of 7018 by 3\16 inch.

I'm going to weld some heavy industrial cardboard shredder. What amperage should I use to work with such ...

Tip for restarting a 7018 stick welding rod
Hey Jody,

Here's a noob experience that maybe will help out somebody else a little
getting started with 7018.

As you recall in our last episode,...

tip for 6013 weld
make sure amp. not to high. keep a good angle. keep rod about 1/8 of a inch from welding material. fill in end good. clean up well also. try weaving the ...

Keep magnets away! Not rated yet
When using magnets to hold parts for tack-welding, keep the magnets away (at least 6'' )from the spot you're welding. Magnets make a strong field that ...

7018 vertical up Not rated yet
keep the rod close to 90 to the work. keeping the rod at an angle makes the bead more convex

Tip for welding horizontal lap joint 6010 rod Not rated yet
what you need to do is tack your weld. Once you have it tacked then you want to have a 90 degree angle on the weld with a zero degree travel angle and ...

don't give up on 6013 Not rated yet
lots of welders don't like the 6013 rod, but i find them perfect for pipe railings, build up of worn mild steel parts and the odd shop hook for hanging ...

stick welding with alum. rod Not rated yet
tip , use 1/8 diam rod, on dcep current, 95 t0 100 amps
, rod angle straight, you will get a cold start,grind off later,start welding develop your puddle ...

Use the cement if you don't have a file Not rated yet
I used the cement to grind off the slag when I don't have a file handy.

tips for setting the right amperage Not rated yet
how do i set my gas driven welder for different gauges of steel? I have a lincoln ranger 16 hp which I have just bought and don't know if I'm setting the ...

pulsed stick Not rated yet
if you have a pulsed tig welder this is especially helpful for stick welding on vertical up and overhead and tight spaces where contactor control and high ...

Tip for restarting Hi-Lo (7018) rods Not rated yet
When I stop welding with 7018 rods a crater develops at the rod tip just as you've explained. To facilitate a smooth restarting I pinch the flux at the ...

welding instructor Not rated yet
For over head welding,i find standing to the opposite side that your welding and dragging the electrode is the best possible way.Let's not forget to use ...

Watch Your Eyes!!!!! Not rated yet
When Your Electrode Sticks To The Plate, NEVER TAKE YOUR WELDING HELMET OFF BEFORE YOU TAKE THE ELECTRODE HOLDER OFF OF THE ELECTRODE, IT WILL ARC A LITTLE,...

Restarts with SMAW Not rated yet
When you are about to do your restart strike your arc roughly 1/4inch in front of your stop. Quickly move towards your stop, pause and continue on with ...

arc welding tip Not rated yet
if your welding using SMAW and your using a welding table that has the ground cable connected to and the rod gets stuck to it then just pick it up then ...

Good dual voltage, absolutely unbelievably awesome scratch tig/stick welder for the price,,, Not rated yet
As for me I really was looking for a good TIG welder but came across dual use TIG/Stick units, several from Chinese companies with questionable reputations ...

7018 restarts Not rated yet
I used to just push the electrode into the concrete floor & with one quick 1/4 turn )you now have a brand new match. You are absolutely correct in stating ...

Restarting 7018 Not rated yet
An easy way to prepare a 7018 rod for a clean restart is to poke the stick firmly into the table you're working on (after removing it from the stinger)...

Better restarts with 70 series rods Not rated yet
AS soon as you pull the rod from the puddle, before the tip cools, wipe it of between your left thumb and middle finger. This will remove the molten flux ...

getting slag off of 7018 Not rated yet
i used the tap method, i take it out of the clamp and tap it lightly on the metal, might have to do a few, but it works and for me at least, no flux comes ...

a simple curve!!! Not rated yet
if you put a steady curve over your electrode it will help keep your angle just right as your wrist curves making your neat line.

tip for not getting your rod stuck Not rated yet
if your heat is right not too low and your angle and arcing distance are right your rod will never stick

ever had problems getting amperage for different rods? Not rated yet
just remember the thinner rods (6011) the amperage is lower, like 95-115, for much thicker rods(7024) the amperage is higher, like 145-165.

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jeff,...

finding your base amperage Not rated yet
To find your base amps(the amps you start at before tweaking to your personal welding style). take the size of the electrode(1/8, 3/32 ect..) turn that ...

Overhead safety Not rated yet
If you do a lot of overhead work with stick, MIG ect then you've probably had your arms burned a few times. Sometimes the green jacket itself isn't enough....

Tip for setting the right aperage. Not rated yet
Usually to have a good weld you need an amperage range between 119-126 it all depends on the speed of which you move the rod. Wait for the weld pool to ...

A tip you never see on videos for the noobs - use a chopsaw on those first electrodes Not rated yet
I had a kid want to learn how to stick weld, first time under the hood he stuck the stinger down got stuck pulled back jammed down almost everywhere except ...

Tip for Welding dirty High Strength Nodular Cast Iron Not rated yet
One of the swing tower eyelets (3"ID) let loose on my Backhoe.

Any feasible way to repair this high strength large nodular cast iron piece without ...

Even Better Trick for Restarts with E-7018 Electrodes Not rated yet
Instead of packing the big rough file around in your back pocket just pop the rod out of the puddle when stopping. The Slag will not melt over top of the ...

Restart with an electrode Not rated yet
If melted flux covers the tip of the electrode, tap(peck) it on grounded benchtop quickly and the insulating flux will be removed.

an ole guy told me Not rated yet
use some 6010 as a root before the 7018 will help with material. a good way to know the amperage for a 7018 is to see the end of the rod turn pink when ...

tip for less slag on the end of 7018 rod after weld Not rated yet
whenever you want to keep using the same 7018 rod, as soon as you pull out of the puddle, give the stinger a quick flick of the wrist. this will knock ...

SPLATTER PROTECTION Not rated yet
If you have to stick weld near something with threads or anything you don’t want splatter to stick too try this. Grab your torch and light It up, don’...

for better restarts on 7018 Not rated yet
when u are done welding let the electrode cool then tap it on something hard and the slag on the end will fall off if you hit it to hard the flux will ...

how to Not rated yet
I have a miller dial arc 250 ac dc machine .my brother gave me an airco high frequency box. how do i connect it to my miller so i can weld aluminum ? thanks ...

Welding galvanized steel Not rated yet
When welding galvanized steel (especially hot dipped) set the welder a bit hotter than normal & make sure you give a good "wiggle" between the two pieces ...

best 7010 rod Not rated yet
babcock and wilcox e7010 is the best all position rod ever made

good tips Not rated yet
i like my amps to be no more than 124...at 124 amps, it goes smooth with 7018... try it

settting the stick amperage Not rated yet
the right stick for me and the right thing to use for thick stick is a millermatic and the right amperage is about 124 to about 163.... try anywhere between ...

7018 restart Not rated yet
A little technique to get the slag off a 7018, right before you stop welding, make very small circles to fill the crater then snap ur wrist so your rod ...

trick for Better Restarts with 7018 ( with out a file) Not rated yet
All you need is a good pair of gloves, so your welding with 7018 then you stop. The tip of the rod is red hot, all you have to do is pinch the tip and ...

Another 7018 restart tip Not rated yet
This tip eliminates having a file and works every time. When you are just finished with your weld flick the electrode. That ball at the end of the rod ...

amp. on root weld Not rated yet
when welding 1/4" thick or over you need to apply a root weld.Once you have beveled out your metal all the way and cleaned it up,you begin with the root ...

Welding by the shadow Not rated yet
To run nice and straight stringers with 7018
on pipe, I use what's called " welding by the
shadow". The second pass casts a shadow
exactly at the highest ...

need second income Not rated yet
tip for setting the right amperage. How to start homebase welding business.

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for setting amperage,...

x-ray quality stringer welds Not rated yet
When welding a test piece in the 6g and 2g position. Burn a rod around the pipe chip the slag away from the crater.

Grab a new 7018 dont strike in ...

dont need the file... Not rated yet
you need to carry the file, just reach over and tap the end of the rod on something solid, that flux on the end will come right off

if you have a dc ...

Another tip for restarting 7018 rods. Not rated yet
This is something that's always worked for me, be it out in the refinery or down in the machine shop.

When you've just stopped a pass, your rod will ...

REDUCING WELDER FATIGUE Not rated yet
wrapping the welding lead around your arm just adds to welder fatigue. make yourself a lightweight whip by adding a duro or twist off type rod holder ...

Tip for getting flux down Not rated yet
Take electrode off the electrode holder, bang it a couple of times on a table or whatever your working with, should bring the metal down enough to be able ...

tip for better restart on 7018 Not rated yet
another trick to allow better restarts with 7018 is to have a small piece of 1x pine board handy and as quick as the arc is broken stick the tip squarely ...

Stick rod use for demolition Not rated yet
Have you ever ran across that nasty rusty flange bolt head or nut that is so rusty you can't cut if off properly with a torch or it is rounded off or damaged ...

How to remove a weld cherry Not rated yet
Here's the easiest way to remove a weld cherry on non-critical work. The proper way is to grind it off.

The easiest solution is to strike an arc ...

Tips for a better Restart. Not rated yet
When you have just stopped a bead, you have a crater. Say you stopped because you need a new electrode. You change the electrode then get ready to start ...

Restarting 7018 rods Not rated yet
Just use your (gloved) thumb to gently break off some of the ceramic slag. Get that bowl removed and the rod will relight.

Let it carry itself Not rated yet
Let the rod stars to arm at a 45 degree angle facing oposite the way you want to weld. Go slow and keep force in it. The ark will drag the rod down and ...

Thin Metal Tip Not rated yet
Eastwood Automotive has a great set of adapters for your AC stick welder.

The diode reduction with special electrodes allows sheet metal welding (automotive)...

Restarts on Any rod Not rated yet
Ever have problems restarting because of burn backs in the rod, or slag covering the tip? Well if u don't have a file handy, you can simply pinch the end ...

Easier Solution for Restarting 7018 Not rated yet
Restarting 7018 is difficult because of the slag coating that covers the tip of the rod. The easiest way I've found to restarting this rod is to simply ...

Restarting with a used 7018 welding rod Not rated yet
Another way to restart with a used low hydrogen (ex.7018)welding rod:
1. With a GLOVED hand remove the welding rod from the stinger.
2. Tap the end of ...

"Dont be afraid to invest a few bucks in a welding video....It might be the best money you ever spent... "

A lot of people don’t know about the small diameter rods that are available. You can get 1/16 inch rods that work a lot better on sheet metal than the bigger ones. In fact if you practice a bit, the little rods work almost as well as a mig welder for thin sheet metal. You can order them online from Northern Tool or get them at the welding supply.

If you have been having trouble sticking rods with your small stick welder, the small 1/16 rods can be a HUGE help.

For heavier welding a good ole 7018 rod is hard to beat for strength and appearance. A 1/8 inch rod only needs about 100 to 130 amps to run smoothly so a 200 amp buzz box easily handles 130 amps. There have been a lot of welding businesses that started with only a cutting torch and a buzz box. 6011 rods work well on rusty metal and for downhill welding. The ripples are a little rougher and the slag is a little harder to chip, but they penetrate like a mug. For sheet metal, sometimes 6013 small rods work. Sometimes... lots of people love them, But I try to avoid 6013 rods because they trap slag on downhill runs.I just don't like them. Cant really explain it.

A lot of the welding on power plants and paper mills and high rises is still done with stick.

In contrast to mig welding, stick welding has sort of a built in control: you at least have to have the machine hot enough to keep the rod lit. That in itself almost ensures some amount of penetration.

Mig welding on the other hand is infinitely adjustable. The welder is free to set voltage and amperage very low, even on thick metal and the appearance of the finished mig weld is not a good indicator of the quality of the weld.

Think about that the next time you are behind a truck hauling a utility trailer.

I was on interstate 75 in Atlanta a few days ago and a utility trailer came loose and went across a few lanes of traffic. It was ugly.

Hot tips and tricks for stick welding - more Stick Welding tips

If you are stick welding / arc welding and If you have an unusually big gap to fill, grab another rod and feed it with your other had like you would if you were gas welding. Make sure your gloves are dry so you won’t shock the piss out of yourself.

On overhead stick welds, I have seen a lot of folks cut the amperage down thinking it will help keep the weld from sagging. Negatory good buddy, you need it good and hot just as if you were welding flat. That way you can keep the arc real close the puddle will drive it home and flatten out from arc force.

On overhead stick welding / arc welding especially, don’t get carried away with angle of the rod. Keep it dead nuts straight in or 5 degrees one way or the other. This is a big deal. Most of the overhead welding I see that sucks can be blamed on too much rod angle. When in doubt , dead nuts straight in is hard to beat.

Throw the little pieces of crap away. I’m serious. They suck, and the only purpose they serve is to help you learn how to weld. Just like Arnold Schwarzenegger said “milk is for babies, when you grow up you drink beer”. (yes he really did say that...even though he probably drinks milk) 6013s are for noobs, when you learn to weld better, use 6011 and 7018.

Give me some 6011s and a buzz box and I will be as happy as a pig in sh...… 6011 rods dig thru paint and rust and run good downhill. What more could you ask for?

Oh yeah,,, Don’t forget 7018 rods run just fine on a buzz box. Especially if you buy the 7018 AC rods made for welding on AC.

And don’t forget about 3/32 7018 rods . 3/32" rods are much easier to control on overhead and vertical welds and the slag chips easily if set the machine right and do it right.

One thing I have not been able to work very well is aluminum stick welding. I will keep trying and when I get something that works, I will post it here.

Need to stick weld / arc weld on your Tig machine? If you only need to burn a few rods then don’t even bother hooking up a stinger. Just use your Tig torch with a 1/8” or 3/32”collet setup. You can even use the foot pedal if you want.

leave stick welding tips and see MIG welding Tips

go to TIG welding Tips

Coming soon... How to hook up a tig torch to a DC arc welderOk I am really dragging my ass on this one. But I will do it soon.I am writing a reminder on my hand right now.

Electrode Identification System

Mild steel electrodes are identified by a system that uses a series of numbers to indicate the minimum tensile strength of a good weld, the position’s in which the electrode can be used, the type of flux coating, and the types of welding currents.

E6012 The letter E prefixes the number and represents the electrode. The E is used as a prefix for any filler metal that uses electricity to perform a weld.

E6012 The first two or three numbers indicate the minimum tensile strength of a good weld, for example E60XX, E70XX, E110XX. The tensile strength is given in pounds per square inch (psi.). The actual strength is obtained by adding three zeros to the right of the number given. For example, E60XX is 60,000 psi. and E110XX is 110,000 psi.

E6012 Refers to the metal welding position. The number 1,2,3, or 4 to the right of the tensile strength designation gives the position...1= all positions - 2 =horizontal or flat - 3 = flat only - 4 = all positions but vertical down.

E6012 The last number indicates the major type of flux covering and the type of welding current.

Understanding Electrode Data

Tensile Strength The load in pounds that would be required to break a section of good weld that has a cross-sectional area of one square inch.

Yield point,PSI The point in low and medium-carbon steels at which the metal begins to stretch when stress is applied, after which it will not return to its original length.

Elongation The percentage, a two inch piece of metal will stretch before it breaks.

Charpy V-notch ft.lb. The impact load required to break a test piece of welded metal. This test may be performed on metal below room temperature, at which point it is more brittle.

Alloy Elements and Their effects on Steel

Carbon (c) As the percentage of carbon increases, the tensile strength increases, the hardness increases, and ductility is reduced.

Sulphur (S) It is usually a contaminant and the percentage should be kept as low as possible, below 0.04%. As the percentage of carbon increases, Sulphur can cause hot shortness and porosity.

Phosphorus (P) It is usually a contaminant and the percentage should be kept as low as possible. As the percentage of phosphorus increases, it can cause brittleness, reduced shock resistance, and increased cracking.

Manganese (Mn) As the percentage of manganese increases, the tensile strength, hardness, resistance to abrasion, and porosity all increase; hot shortness is reduced.

Silicon (Si) As the percentage of silicon increases, tensile strength increases, and cracking may increase.

Chromium (Cr) As the percentage of chromium increase, tensile strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance increase, with some decrease in ductility.

Nickel (Ni) As the percentage of nickel increases, tensile strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance increase

Molybdenum (Mo) AS the percentage of molybdenum increases, tensile strength at elevated temperatures and corrosion resistance increase.

Stick Electrode Selection--Choosing the right Stick Rod

Type of Current: Can the welding power source supply AC only, DC only, or both AC and DC?.

Power Range: What is the amperage range on the welder and it’s duty cycle? Different types of electrodes require different amperage settings even for the same size welding electrode.

Type of Metal: Some welding electrodes may be used to join more than one similar type of metal. Other electrodes may be used to join two different types of metal.

Metal Thickness: The penetration characteristics of each welding electrode may differ. Selecting the electrode that will properly weld on a specific thickness of material is very important.

Weld Position: Some electrodes will weld in all positions. Other electrodes may be restricted to the flat and horizontal or vertical positions, or only the flat electrodes will weld on metal that is rusty, oily, dirty or galvanized with sufficient penetration.

No. of passes: The amount of reinforcement needed may require more than one pass. Some welding electrodes build up faster and others will penetrate deeper. The welding slag may be removed more easily from some welds than others.

Temperature: Welded metals react differently to temperature extremes. Some welds become very brittle and crack easily in low temperature service. (when welding in cold temperatures, you should pre-heat the metal, and after the weld is made it should be covered or shielded from the cold to allow it to cool slowly).

Mechanical: Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, yield strength, hardness, toughness, ductility, and impact strength can be modified by the selection of specific welding electrodes.

Distortion: Welding electrodes that will operate on low-amperage settings will have less heat input and cause less distortion. Welding electrodes that have a high rate of deposition (fills joints rapidly) and can travel faster will cause less distortion.

Welding Clean-up: The hardness or softness of a weld greatly affects any grinding, drilling, or machining. Also slag and spatter removal affects the time and amount of clean-up required.

Most Common Steel Stick Welding Electrodes

E6013 The E6013 electrodes are designed to be used with AC or DC, either polarity current. They have a rutile-based flux (titanium dioxide). The electrode has a very stable arc that is not very forceful, resulting in a shallow penetration characteristic. This limited penetration characteristic helps with poor fitting joints or when welding thin materials. Thick sections can be welded, but the joint must be grooved to allow for multiple weld passes. A thick layer of slag is deposited on the weld, but is easily removed, and may even remove itself after cooling. These electrodes are commonly used for sheet metal fabrication and general repair work. These electrodes are not designed for welding downhill and will trap slag easily. (They work well for learning to weld, but after that move on to real electrodes)

E7018 The E7018 electrodes are designed to be used with AC or DC reverse polarity currents. They have a low hydrogen based flux with iron powder added. The E7018 electrodes have moderate penetration and buildup. The slag layer is heavy and hard but can be removed easily with a chipping hammer. The weld metal is protected from the atmosphere by the slag layer and not by rapidly expanding gases. The E7018 is very susceptible to moisture which may lead to weld porosity.

E7024 The E7024 electrodes are designed to be used with AC or DC, either polarity current. They have a rutile based flux with iron powder added. This welding electrode has a deep penetration and fast fill characteristic. The flux contains about 50% iron powder, which gives the flux its high rate of deposition. In other words, a lot of the flux actually gets deposited as weld metal... The heavy flux coating helps control the arc and can support the electrode so that a drag technique can be used. The drag technique allows this electrode to be used by welders with less skill. The slag layer is heavy and hard but can be easily removed. Because of the large fluid puddle, this electrode is used in the flat and horizontal positions only.

Stick Welding is Old School... I like Old School...I like it a lot