Which electrode should I use for steel?

E7018 is the go-to structural rod — low hydrogen, smooth, strong. E6010 digs deep on dirty and rusty steel for pipe roots. E6013 is easy for thin metal and beginners. E6011 runs on AC where 6010 cannot.

What polarity do I use for stick welding?

Most electrodes run DCEP (electrode positive) — deep penetration. E6012 and some others can run DCEN for thinner work. E6011 and E6013 run on AC, which balances heat and works on older transformer machines.

Why does my electrode keep sticking to the work?

Amperage too low, arc too long before contact, or the rod touching the puddle while hot. Scratch-start a little faster and keep the rod moving; if it sticks, rock the holder to snap it free.

Why is my stick weld full of holes or spatter?

Porosity usually means damp rods, dirty base metal, or a long arc. Heavy spatter comes from too many amps, wrong polarity, or an arc kept too long. Dried 7018 from a rod oven behaves completely differently.

How do I avoid cracking in stick welds?

Keep 7018 in a rod oven and use it within hours, clean the joint, preheat thick sections, control cooling rate, and fill craters. Hydrogen from damp rods is the number one cause of delayed cracking.

Stick Welding (SMAW) | ALL ABOUT WELD

Q: What is stick welding?

Stick welding (SMAW) is a manual arc process that uses a flux-coated consumable electrode called a stick rod. The flux melts with the core wire to shield the puddle and form a slag cover that protects the weld as it cools.

Q: Can you stick weld aluminum?

Only as a repair emergency with special aluminum electrodes — the results are poor and the flux is aggressive. MIG with pure argon or TIG is the real answer for aluminum.

Q: Why is the slag hard to remove?

Slag that sticks means the weld was too cold, the arc was too long, or the rod was angled wrong. 7018 slag should practically peel itself with a light chip; stubborn slag is a heat problem.

WHAT IS STICK?

Stick welding (formally SMAW) is a manual process in which a consumable electrode — a steel core wire wrapped in flux — carries the current. The arc melts the core into the weld and burns the flux into a shielding gas plus a layer of slag that protects the hot weld as it cools.

No shielding gas, no wire feeder, no moving parts — just a constant-current power source, a stinger, and a work clamp. That simplicity is why stick is the process of field work, structural steel, pipelines, and repair: it welds outdoors, on rusty metal, and from machines that fit in a truck.

0 gas required

1/8 in typical rod

3 lb/hr avg deposition

STARTING PARAMETERS

Amps follow the rod — size and position decide the rest.

Rod	Diameter	Polarity	Amps	Best for
E6010	1/8 in	DCEP	75–110	Pipe roots, dirty steel
E6011	1/8 in	AC / DCEP	70–110	AC machines, galvanized
E6013	1/8 in	AC / DCEN	60–100	Thin metal, beginners
E7014	1/8 in	AC / DCEN	90–130	High deposition, easy slag
E7018	1/8 in	DCEP	90–140	Structural, low hydrogen
E7024	5/32 in	AC / DCEN	140–210	Flat, high-speed fills

ELECTRODE DECODED

Code	Meaning
E	Electrode
70	70,000 psi tensile strength
1	All positions (2 = flat/horiz only)
8	Coating: low hydrogen iron powder
-H4	Max 4 ml hydrogen per 100 g weld

6010 = fast-freeze cellulose (deep, forceful), 6013 = rutile (smooth, easy), 7018 = low-hydrogen (strong, code-grade). The last two digits are the coating recipe.

HOW STICK WORKS

The arc melts the rod core into the weld, the flux coating burns into gas and slag, and the slag freezes over the bead. The welder holds a short arc, drags or weaves, and chips the slag when the bead cools.

01

PICK THE ROD

Match electrode to metal, position, and power source. 7018 for structural, 6010 for roots and dirty steel.

02

SET AMPS & POLARITY

Amps from the rod chart, DCEP for most rods, AC for 6011/6013 on transformer machines.

03

CLEAN THE JOINT

Stick tolerates more than MIG, but rust, paint, and grease still cause porosity and inclusions.

04

STRIKE THE ARC

Scratch-start like striking a match, or tap for 6010 pipe work. Keep the rod moving once hot.

05

HOLD A SHORT ARC

Arc length about one rod diameter. Long arcs spatter, lose penetration, and trap slag.

06

DRAG OR WEAVE

Drag 10–15° for flat stringers; weave side to side for wide fills. Watch the puddle, not the rod.

07

FINISH THE CRATER

Hold on the end, then flick off — a filled crater is what stops end cracks.

08

CHIP & BRUSH

Let slag cool, chip it with a hammer, and brush clean before the next pass — always.

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

Constant-Current Machine

Inverter or transformer. A 200 A machine handles every rod through 5/32 in.

Browse power sources →

Electrode Holder

The stinger — a spring jaw that grips the bare rod end and carries the lead.

Work Clamp & Leads

A solid copper clamp on clean bare metal — a poor ground is the hidden cause of weak arcs.

Chipping Hammer

Chisel tip for slag, ball peen for 6010 deposits. Pair with a stiff wire brush.

Rod Oven

7018 must stay dry — 250–300°F storage. Damp rods cause hydrogen cracking. A cheap oven pays for itself.

Fume Extraction

Stick fume is dense and high-volume — ventilate well, especially indoors on stainless.

Browse extractors →

PPE

Auto-dark hood shade 10–13, leather gloves, long sleeves — hot slag flies everywhere.

Browse PPE →

Grinder

Flap discs for joint prep and slag clean-up between passes.

ELECTRODES — YOUR CONSUMABLES

STEEL RODS

The last digit is the coating; the letter suffix is hydrogen rating.

Rod	Coating	Use
E6010	Cellulose	Pipe root, rust, deep penetration
E6011	Cellulose (AC)	Same, on AC machines
E6013	Rutile	Smooth easy beads, thin metal
E7014	Iron powder	Fast flat fills, forgiving
E7018	Low hydrogen	Structural, code, tough welds
E7024	Iron powder	Flat, high deposition

SPECIALTY & STORAGE

Stainless: E308L-16 for 304, E316L-16 for marine. Beware hexavalent chromium fume.

Cast iron: ENi-CI nickel rods with preheat and peening.

Hardfacing: EFeCr-A for wear surfaces on buckets and blades.

Aluminum: E4043 — repair only, poor cosmetics, aggressive flux.

Low-hydrogen rods come sealed; once open, keep them at 250–300°F and re-dry at 650°F if they get wet. Cellulosic rods (6010/6011) are fine dry and cool — the moisture is built into the coating.

AMP RANGES BY SIZE

3/32 in

35–75 A — thin sheet, root passes, precision work.

1/8 in

75–140 A — the everyday size for 1/8–3/8 in steel.

5/32 in

130–220 A — heavy fills and structural plate.

Run amps at the bottom of the range out of position; the top end flat. Too-low amps is the most common beginner error.

WELDING POSITIONS

Stick welds every position, but the rod chooses your options — 6010 and 6013 are all-position; 7024 is flat only. Drop amps as you go up.

FLAT

Drag the rod 10–15° back, full amps. The easiest place to learn a steady hand.

HORIZONTAL

Tilt the rod 10–20° upward against gravity and hold the puddle on the lower edge.

VERTICAL UP

Point the rod up 5–15°, run 10–20% less amps, and use a triangle or whipping weave.

OVERHEAD

Lowest amps, short arc, small weave. 6010 excels; keep the rod moving.

JOINT PREPARATION

Stick forgives rust better than any process, but slag traps and porosity still come from dirty or poorly fitted joints.

STRIP THE JOINT

Wire-brush or grind to bright metal within an inch of the joint. Rust and mill scale cause cold starts.

BEVEL ON PLATE

Above 3/16 in, bevel to a 60° included angle with a root face — full penetration without burn-through.

FIT-UP & TACKS

Tack every few inches at full amps. Keep gaps even — uneven gaps weld unevenly and trap slag.

PREHEAT THICK

Above 1 in, or in cold weather, preheat to 150–400°F. Temperature stick on steel, chalk test on aluminum — no, stick is steel.

INTERPASS CLEAN

Slag between passes is an inclusion defect waiting to happen. Chip, brush, grind if needed.

DRY RODS

Keep 7018 in the oven until the moment of use. Hydrogen from moisture = cracks hours later.

WELDING TECHNIQUES

Six moves that cover every stick job. The first is the foundation of all of them.

STRINGER BEADS

Straight drag, no side motion, short arc. The cleanest, strongest pass there is.

WHIP & PAUSE

Flick the rod forward to let the crater cool, pause to refill — 6010's classic move for thin metal.

TRIANGLE WEAVE

Vertical-up staple — step up one edge, hold center, cross to the other. Broad and flat.

WEAVE WIDTHS

Never weave wider than 2.5× the rod diameter — wide weaves invite slag traps and undercut.

RESTART CLEANLY

Grind the crater end clean, start 1/2 in ahead, and run back over it — no porosity at rod changes.

CRATER FILL

Hold on the end for a beat, then snap the rod off — a filled crater never cracks.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR PARAMETERS

Stick has fewer knobs than other processes — which is exactly why the ones you have matter.

AMPS

The rod chart is gospel. Too low: sticking, cold lap. Too high: undercut, spatter, burn-through. Bottom of range up high.

POLARITY

DCEP digs deep — the standard for 6010/7018. DCEN runs cooler for thin sheet and some 6013. AC is a compromise for old machines.

ARC LENGTH

Keep it at one rod diameter. Long arcs splatter, lose penetration, and pull in air — that is porosity.

TRAVEL

Move when the puddle reaches the width you want. Too fast = skinny cold bead; too slow = buildup and undercut.

ANGLE

Drag 10–15° in flat and horizontal. Point up 5–15° on vertical. The angle steers where the puddle goes.

ELECTRODE SIZE

Rod diameter sets your amp window. Reach for a bigger rod instead of cranking amps on a small one.

ADVANTAGES & LIMITATIONS

ADVANTAGES

No gas, no wire feeder — the cheapest way to start welding
Works outdoors, in wind, and on rusted steel
All positions with the right rod
Handles thick and heavy sections easily
Simple equipment, easy to transport and repair
Huge rod selection for every metal and job

LIMITATIONS

Slow — rod changes and slag chipping eat time
Slag to chip between passes; inclusion risk if lazy
Heavy spatter and rough cosmetics
Poor for thin sheet — heat control is coarse
Stub ends waste up to 2 in of every rod
Aluminum and thin stainless are out of reach

INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS

Wherever the job site moves faster than the shop, stick is already there.

Structural Steel

7018 columns, beams, and bracing — the code rod that holds buildings up.

Pipeline

6010 roots on the line, 7018 fill — the classic downhill and uphill pipe technique.

Shipbuilding

Plate and stiffener welding in dry dock, out of position, in all weather.

Field Repair

Farm equipment, trailers, machinery — the rod bag that goes in every truck.

Heavy Equipment

Bucket teeth, frames, and hardfacing on excavation gear.

Pressure Vessels

Code-qualified roots and repairs with low-hydrogen rods and controlled preheat.

Welding School

The first process taught — every other process makes more sense after stick.

Home & Hobby

Too many amps, long arc, or wrong polarity for the rod.

Prevention

Right amps, short arc, right polarity — spatter is a symptom.

Full Defect Library

STICK SAFETY

Stick is heavy on spatter, smoke, and open voltage — respect all three.

ARC EYES & UV

Shade 10–13 hood, always before the arc. Bystanders need screens — arc flash blinds in seconds.

HOT SLAG & SPARKS

Slag bounces for yards and stays hot. Leather gloves, closed collars, and boots that shed sparks.

ELECTRIC SHOCK

Open-circuit voltage is live even between welds. Dry gloves, dry ground, insulated holder.

FUMES

Stick fume is heavy — especially stainless (hexavalent chromium) and painted steel (zinc). Ventilate.

FIRE WATCH

Sparks reach hidden corners — clear flammables, wet the area, and stand watch after the weld.

SLAG CHIPPING

Chip away from yourself and always with safety glasses — slag shards are sharp and hot.

ROD STORAGE

Keep rods sealed and dry — damp 7018 is both a defect and a hazard. Dispose of used stubs safely.

HOT WORK

Mark hot metal, use gloves to move parts, and let stubs cool in a metal can.

STANDARDS & SPECIFICATIONS

The documents behind stick electrodes, structural welding, and qualification.

Standard	Covers
AWS A5.1	Carbon steel electrodes for SMAW — the E70XX system
AWS A5.5	Low-alloy steel electrodes, including high-strength 7018 variants
AWS A5.4	Stainless steel electrodes (E308L-16, E316L-16)
AWS D1.1	Structural steel welding code — electrode, preheat, and QC rules
ASME Section IX	Welder qualification for pressure and boiler work
ISO 2560	International designation for covered carbon steel electrodes
AWS B2.1	Procedure and performance qualification standard
API 1104	Pipeline welding — the field standard for line pipe

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The questions every new stick welder asks — answered straight.

What is stick welding?

Stick welding (SMAW) uses a flux-coated consumable electrode. The flux burns into shielding gas and slag that protects the weld as it cools. No gas bottle, no wire feeder — just a machine and a rod.

Which electrode should I use?

E7018 for structural and strong welds. E6010 for pipe roots and dirty steel. E6013 for thin metal and beginners. E6011 where you need 6010 behavior on AC.

What polarity do I use?

DCEP for most rods — deep penetration. DCEN for thin work with some rods. AC for E6011 and E6013 on transformer machines. The rod package always says.

Why does my rod keep sticking?

Amps too low, or the rod touches the cold plate before the arc forms. Raise amps, scratch faster, and keep the rod moving. If it sticks, rock the holder to snap it free.

Why is my weld full of holes and spatter?

Porosity: damp rods, dirty steel, or a long arc. Spatter: too many amps or wrong polarity. Dry 7018 from an oven welds like a different rod entirely.

Can you stick weld aluminum?

Only as an emergency repair with special aluminum rods — poor results, aggressive flux. MIG with pure argon or TIG is the real answer for aluminum.

Why is the slag hard to remove?

Cold welds, long arcs, or bad angle make slag grip. 7018 slag should almost peel itself; stubborn slag is a heat and technique problem, not a hammer problem.

How do I avoid cracking?

Keep 7018 in the oven, clean the joint, preheat thick sections, control cooling, and fill craters. Damp rods cause hydrogen cracking that shows up hours later.

RELATED PROCESSES

MIG / GMAW FCAW TIG / GTAW SAW

NEXT TOPICS

Amperage Guide Electrode & Wire Selection Material Thickness Welding Calculator Articles & Guides

VIDEO LIBRARY

Watch the technique sections — scratch starts, vertical up, and crater control — demonstrated on real steel.

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DOWNLOADABLE PDF GUIDE

A shop-floor cheat sheet with the electrode chart, amp table, and polarity quick reference.

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STICK WELDING (SMAW)