What is Stick Welding and How does it Work?

Stick welding is a process that uses a covered electrode that is also called a stick. The full name for Welding is Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) and is more widely used than many other methods of welding.

This works by melting the flux that covers the electrode as the welder welds a work-piece. As this process continues it forms gas and slag and these two things shield the arc and the weld pool of molten metal. One must remember that when you are done welding the piece together there is going to be slag that must be chipped off by the welder. The flux also adds scavengers, deoxidizers and other types of alloy elements to the metal during the weld.

One can find more than one advantage of using Welding . First of all this is one of the most inexpensive ways to weld because the equipment is easy to use, portable and inexpensive. You don't have to worry about regulating the flux because the electrode does the regulating of the flux. Whats nice about this method is that you are getting a method that is less effected by wind and drafts so its less of a concern. No matter what position you find yourself in when welding, you can use this method in just about any position.

The Stick welding process overview shows that this process is used more than any other form of arc welding. It is also versatile, flexible and used by a wider variety of individual. As an example, you can use this method to make small repairs around your home, you can repair equipment and it is used in the erection of still and other commercial types of joining metal.

Sometimes there can be problems with Stick Welding but they are relatively easy to fix. Some of the most common problems you may run into include:

• Spatter -- this basically makes the metal look messy and it is expensive to clean. There are many things you can do to fix this and we will talk more about this in the tips article.
• Undercutting -- this also changes the appearance of the metal and can weaken the weld especially when it has tension or fatigue.
• Wet Electrodes -- if you see that your arc is erratic or it is acting rough, then the electrodes can be wet.
• Cracking -- there are different types of cracks can happen in different spaces in the weld, and it can be caused by high carbon or high alloy content.

When you are looking for flux coated electrodes you can find them in many different sizes and lengths. The best way to tell which ones you need is to match the base metal with the properties of the electrodes. You can usually find them in bronze, aluminum bronze, nickel and stainless steel.

You will find that stick welding is one of the more popular methods of welding because of its versatility of being able to weld many different metals together. Even though this is a nice and easy way to begin welding, it will still take some practice for beginners to learn. However, even when you are a beginner it is quick to learn and with practice you will do a very good weld using this method.

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