Learning how to stick weld may not be the easiest of processes, but those that have mastered it say it’s worth every minute they spent sweating over that hand-held electrode. This technique may not have an interesting name, but it has an interesting history – it’s the descendant of the original welding technique, which was invented in the late 1800s. These days, stick welding is used for everything from shipbuilding to at-home repair jobs; it’s generally preferred for heavy-duty projects involving iron and steel.
How to weld with a stick welder
As the rod electrode makes contact with the metal, an arc of electricity forms – this creates the heat necessary to melt the metal. Unlike with MIG or TIG welding, a stick welding setup doesn’t require a cylinder of protective gas. Instead, the electrode provides both gas and slag through its consumable coating and the consumable core wire.
DC electricity is recommended for stick welding, but AC electricity can be used if you’re welding magnetized parts. The benefits of using DC electricity include more easily controlled arcs, less spatter, and fewer outages.
Pros of learning how to stick weld
If you want to learn how to stick weld, it only makes sense for you to know what you’re getting into. With that in mind, here are the pros and cons of stick welding.
- It’s easy to set up – You’ll have to grind a tungsten rod with TIG welding, or adjust the wire speed with MIG welding – but if you know how to stick weld, you can pretty much just set it up and go.
- It doesn’t cost too much – Do you want to learn how to stick weld, but you’re on a budget? Don’t worry about a thing; stick welding rigs are available at nearly any price point.
- It’s optimal for outdoor welding – One shortcoming of many welding techniques is that the gas shield disappears at even the mildest gust of wind. This can be a problem for at-home welders; whether the project is too big to fit in their workspace, or they don’t really have a sheltered workspace, wind can temporarily limit their ability to weld. Stick welding, on the other hand, will still work in up to 35 mph winds. Even better, it’ll work in drizzle and snow too – and you’ll still get the same weld quality as if the weather was calm and sunny.
- You won’t need much equipment – Once again, stick welding comes out ahead of MIG and TIG welding. If you’re learning how to stick weld, you won’t need gas canisters or foot pedals; you just need a stinger lead, a ground lead, and the stick welding machine.
- You don’t need to buy shielding gas – In this case, the shielding gas (mainly carbon dioxide) is produced by the electrode. Stick welding electrodes are coated with flux, which emits the protective gas as you weld.
- It’s extremely versatile – You can move from one project to another by simply switching to the appropriate electrode; all the other settings stay the same. As long as you have the necessary electrodes, you’ll be ready for just about any project.
- It’s portable – Since you don’t need to lug around a gas cylinder, a stick welding setup is much easier to transport than with other welding techniques.
- You can weld cast iron with a stick welder – Cast iron is notoriously hard to weld, but this is one of the few techniques that produce consistently good results (provided you already know how to stick weld)
Cons of learning how to stick weld
Stick welding has plenty of unique features compared to MIG welding, TIG welding, or any other welding technique, but there’s one thing they all share in common: it isn’t perfect. Here are a few disadvantages you’ll run into if you learn how to stick weld.
- It’s harder to weld thin metals – If you use stick welding for anything below 18-gauge metal, you’ll probably run into issues when the electrode keeps burning through the metal. The issue can be partly solved by using smaller electrodes, but they’re harder for anyone who isn’t an expert to use.
- It’s messier – Stick welding generates a lot of slag and spatter, which have to be cleaned up afterwards. There are also more sparks, which can cause injury to the welder or to those who are standing too close.
- Some electrode rods are susceptible to damage from moisture – Most electrodes are resistant to humidity, so you don’t always have to worry about this. Low hydrogen rods like the 7018, though, won’t work if they’re exposed to moisture. For many welders, the only solution is to regulate humidity exposure with a rod oven.
- Electrodes have to be replaced more frequently – Since the electrodes used for stick welding are consumable, they have to be replaced much more frequently. You may not notice much of a difference with smaller projects, but you’ll find yourself going through plenty of them with bigger projects.
- There’s more cleanup involved – Because of the flux coating on the electrodes, stick welding produces slag. The job isn’t done once you’ve finished welding; the final step is to clean up the mess. There will be slag left behind, and probably some spatter as well. You can use a wire brush or a chipping hammer to get rid of the slag; the spatter can be removed with a grinder or a strong solvent.
Which types of metals can be welded with a stick welder?
Obviously you can stick weld stainless steel, but what about other metals? While it’s tricky to weld aluminum with a stick welder, this technique works well with other metals and alloys like steel, iron, copper, and nickel.
Learning how to use a stick welder takes time, but not all that much
With just a few hours of practice, you could be laying down some pretty decent welds – and it’s all uphill from there! Even if there’s a bit more cleanup involved, the many benefits of this technique encourage more people to learn how to stick weld with every passing year.
