Welding For Dummies. Steven Robert Farnsworth

Figuring out when you should use stick welding rather than other processes

      ❯❯ Knowing important stick welding factors

      ❯❯ Perusing the equipment you need for successful stick welding

      No matter what level of welding you consider – from industrial and commercial applications to tinkering around with a small project or two on the weekends – stick welding is always one of the most prominent and dynamic welding techniques, partially because it’s one of the more inexpensive welding types.

      Regardless of what you want to do with your welding skills, you need to understand the basics of stick welding so that you can make it a key aspect of your welding repertoire. In this chapter, I offer an overview of many critical stick welding basics.

      Looking at the Pros and Cons of Stick Welding

      As with any welding technique, stick welding offers distinct advantages and disadvantages. The beauty of stick welding (also known as shielded metal arc welding or SMAW) is its versatility and portability. Using stick welding you can weld metals in a wide variety of thicknesses and from a range of positions. (In Chapter 6, I go into detail about how you can stick weld in multiple positions.)

      You can also stick weld just about any kind of metal, including steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and just about anything in between. If you’re just getting started with welding as a hobby and you know that you’re going to want to weld a lot of different materials, stick welding is a solid choice for you.

      Following are a few more characteristics that have helped make stick welding one of the most commonly used welding processes.

      ❯❯ Stick welding equipment is less expensive than the equipment you need for any other welding process, in some cases costing half or a third as much.

      ❯❯ Stick welding equipment is lightweight, and it isn’t as complex as the gear you need for other welding processes.

      ❯❯ A range of stick welding electrodes allow you to tackle many different welding applications.

      ❯❯ Stick welding allows you to weld in confined spaces.

      ❯❯ Stick welding operations are very portable. If you know that you’re going to have to weld outside of the friendly confines of your welding shop, stick welding is probably a good choice.

      ❯❯ You don’t have to prepare the surfaces of the metal you plan to weld as much as what you’d have to do to get the metal ready for other welding processes.

      Stick welding sounds great, doesn’t it? It really is a great technique, but it’s not without flaws or drawbacks. Here are a few of the cons associated with stick welding:

      ❯❯ Stick welding can be very labor intensive, which can result in high labor costs.

      ❯❯ You always waste part of your stick-welding electrodes when you’re working on a stick-welding project because you have to stop using an electrode when two inches of it remain. (More about that in Chapter 6.)

      ❯❯ Stick welding requires that you do a lot of cleanup as you work your way through a weld. You must clean the weld after every pass and after every pause or stop.

      ❯❯ Stick welding produces more heat sparks and spatter than any other welding process. Be sure you have the necessary personal protective equipment and you’re familiar with welding safety precautions before you get started with stick welding. (You can check out Chapter 3 for tons of great safety information.)

      ❯❯ As compared to the other welding processes, stick welding is the least efficient in terms of converting electricity to useful welding heat.

      ❯❯ The welds that result from stick welding often have to be chipped and ground down, which can create harmful dust.

      ❯❯ The chipping and cleaning necessary with stick welding can be extremely noisy, and that poses a risk for hearing damage.

      ❯❯ Although stick welding equipment is pretty simple, the technique you need to master to stick weld successfully can be difficult to pick up.

      ❯❯ Stick welding electrode stubs are short and round, and they can cause a slipping hazard if you accidentally step on one.

      ❯❯ Stick welding can be slow because you have to stop welding when you work your way through an electrode. You also have to stop often to chip away at accumulated slag on your welds.

      Understanding the Factors That Influence Stick Welding

      When you’re stick welding, you can control several key factors that determine how your weld comes out. These welding variables allow you to change the finished product of the weld, including the height and width of your welding bead, the amount of spatter, and the penetration. (Penetration is how deep the weld goes below the surface of the metal you’re welding.) I find that new welders really benefit by thinking about these factors before they dig in to the details of stick welding. Here are some pointers that may help improve your welds:

      ❯❯ You can increase or decrease the amperage of your weld by using the controls on your stick welding machine.

      ❯❯ You can increase or decrease the speed of travel (the speed at which you move the electrode along the weld joint) of your weld.

      ❯❯ You can increase or decrease the arc length (the distance from the end of the electrode to the metal you’re welding) of your weld. Your arc length should be the same distance as the diameter of the electrode core wire you’re using.

      ❯❯ You can change the angle at which you hold the electrode to affect penetration. If you hold the electrode so it’s basically perpendicular (at a 90-degree angle) to the parent metal, you get maximum penetration. If you hold it at a tighter angle – 45 degrees, for example – you get less penetration.

      ❯❯ You can use a side-to-side motion with the electrode to control the width of your weld.

      ❯❯ You can use a variety of electrode types and sizes. Check out Chapter 6 for details.

      ❯❯ You can use different kinds of polarity (the direction electricity flows in direct current or DC). Check out the “Polarity” section later in the chapter for more on this topic.

      If you control these factors correctly, you end up with a good, solid stick weld. If you can’t, you end up with a poor, weak weld. You can see examples of both in Chapter 6.

      Getting Familiar with Stick Welding Equipment