Basic Stick Welding – Electrode Technique

Helpful Hints Basic Welding

Basic Stick Welding – Electrode Technique

Striking an Arc

To strike an electric arc, bring the tip of the stick electrode near where you want to start the weld. Almost like striking a match, strike the stick electrode slightly across the workpiece until you have established an arc. Once you have an arc, be sure to keep the electrode slightly above the workpiece, otherwise it will stick and you will have to break the electrode free of the workpiece. If you have trouble striking an arc, you may be lifting the electrode too high off of the workpiece, causing the arc to go out.

The most important thing you want to do after you’ve initiated the arc is to maintain proper position of the electrode and arc. This involves three key factors, namely:

electrode angles
arc length
travel speed

Helpful Hint #5

Position the ground clamp on the workpiece so that you will be welding away from the clamp. This will help keep arc blow (interference from magnetic fields) to a minimum when using DC current.

Electrode Angles

Electrode angles are the angles at which you should hold the stick electrode in relation to the workpiece while welding. These angles differ depending on the type of weld you intend to make.

For instance, when doing a lap weld (one piece of metal overlaps another) or a T-weld (joining two metals to form a ‘T’), hold the electrode so that so that it points into the weld joint at an angle of 45°. When you start welding, angle it 10-15° toward the direction of travel until you complete the weld and terminate the arc.

For butt weld (joining two pieces of metal butted together), first hold the electrode so that it is pointing into the joint of the workpiece at an angle of 90°. Then, as you start welding, angle the electrode so that it is pointing 10-15° in the direction of travel (see illustrations above). When completing the weld, bring the electrode back to 90° and lift it to terminate the arc.

T-weld with 45° work angle

and a 10°-15° travel angle

Arc Length

Maintaining the proper arc length is another key factor in producing a good quality weld. The arc length is the distance from the end of the stick electrode to the surface of the molten weld puddle. Be careful to watch the stick electrode as you weld because as it becomes shorter and shorter, you have to keep moving the electrode toward the weld joint to maintain the proper arc length.

Arc lengths

A good rule of thumb to follow is: try to keep the end of the electrode at a distance from the joint that’s approximately equal to the diameter of the stick electrode. For example, if the stick electrode you are using is 1/8″ in diameter, then keep the end of the electrode about 1/8″ from the molten weld puddle.

Keep in mind that an arc length that is too long makes a coarse, uneven cracking sound that will often go out. You will also see an excessive amount of spatter (metal particles outside the weld) and the weld will be too wide.

A short arc makes a soft buzzing noise and produces a weld that is too narrow. In some cases, the stick electrode will stick to the workpiece. If this happens, move the stick electrode side to side and pull it to free it from the workpiece.

Helpful Hint #6

Arc re-starts are much more effective when the flux covering at the end of the stick electrode is flush with the metal rod.

Travel Speed

Travel speed is the rate at which you weld. A good travel speed produces a uniform weld that is slightly convex in appearance. However, if you travel too slow, the weld will pile up, wasting filler metal. If you go too fast, the weld will be narrow and lack proper penetration and fusion.

Helpful Hint #7

For examples of good and bad welds, along with descriptions and illustrations of common stick welding defects, see pages 12-13.