{"id":648,"date":"2022-07-16T20:25:23","date_gmt":"2022-07-16T16:55:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ajpwelding.com\/dev\/magazine\/what-is-stick-mma-welding-the-basics-for-beginners\/"},"modified":"2022-07-16T20:25:23","modified_gmt":"2022-07-16T16:55:23","slug":"what-is-stick-mma-welding-the-basics-for-beginners","status":"publish","type":"welding_magazine","link":"https:\/\/ajpwelding.com\/?welding_magazine=what-is-stick-mma-welding-the-basics-for-beginners&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"What is Stick (MMA) Welding: The Basics for Beginners"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stick welding is one of the oldest types of welding still used today. It\u2019s simple to set up and relatively easy to learn, which is why a lot of people recommend it for beginner welders.<\/p>\n

What is Stick (MMA) Welding?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Manual Metal Arc (MMA) welding is an arc welding process in which an arc is formed between a flux covered electrode and the base metal. The arc melts the electrode into the workpiece, forming the weld.<\/p>\n

MMA is also referred to as Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), but it\u2019s most commonly known as \u2018stick\u2019 welding, after the stick like electrodes used for the weld.<\/p>\n

How Does Stick Welding Work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Stick welding is one of the simplest types of welding because it uses the least amount of equipment. It requires a completed electrical circuit to ignite an arc, which is formed by all the components of the welder.<\/p>\n

First, an electrode holder is connected to the welder, and the electrode itself is inserted into the holder. An electrode holder is a much simpler \u2018torch\u2019 \u2013 its only purpose is to hold an electrode in place and allow the welding current to flow through it. There are no buttons or dials involved at all.<\/p>\n

The electrode is tapped or struck against the base metal, which ignites the arc between the two. The electrodes used in stick welding are consumable electrodes, as they melt into the base metal to form the weld.<\/p>\n

\"Breakdown<\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

That\u2019s the first half of the electric circuit done.<\/p>\n

Unlike MIG or TIG, stick welding doesn\u2019t need an external gas. Instead, the outer flux coating on each electrode works to shield the weld as it melts. The flux coating melts with the metal, releasing gases from within which bubble to the surface.<\/p>\n

These internal gases protect the weld from outside contaminants until the puddle begins to cool. The flux coating, once melted, forms a layer of slag over the final weld, which needs to be chipped off to achieve a clean, finished weld.<\/p>\n

The second half of the circuit is the earth clamp. If you don\u2019t have your machine grounded, your electrode won\u2019t arc. It needs to be attached to clean, bare metal, as a bad earth will give you issues (like a wandering arc) as well.<\/p>\n

So, to complete the circuit, make sure you plug your clamp into the machine and connect it to a clean spot on the metal you\u2019re welding.<\/p>\n

Stick Electrode Selection<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There is a range of different electrodes available for stick welding. Each is stamped with its own classification code, which details the properties of each electrode. For mild steel electrodes, there is an \u2018E\u2019 followed by a 4-digit code, for example, E6013.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Electrode<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Here\u2019s a breakdown of what each part of the code means:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • The \u2018E\u2019 stands for electrode. Every mild steel electrode will start with E.<\/li>\n
  • The first two numbers (60) represent the tensile strength of the electrode after it\u2019s welded. Pretty much every electrode available will be labelled 60 or 70, as a tensile strength of 60,000ksi to 70,000ksi will cover almost every metal.<\/li>\n
  • The third number (1) indicates the weld positions it can be used in. There are only three variations of this number: 1 (all positions), 2 (flat & horizontal) and 3 (flat only).<\/li>\n
  • The fourth number (3) refers to the type of flux coating. There are nine different types of flux coating, each with its own characteristics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Generally speaking, the most common electrodes used for mild steel are E6010, E6011, E6013, E7016, E7018 and E7024. Stainless steel electrodes are marked with their metal grade, e.g., 309L.<\/p>\n

    When it comes to learning to stick weld, though, we\u2019d recommend using E6013\u2019s, as they\u2019re considered general purpose, they work well on all applications, they\u2019re all positional, and they\u2019re easy to strike.<\/p>\n

    The electrode size you\u2019ll need will depend on how thick for plate is. Generally speaking, a 2.5mm diameter electrode works for 3mm \u2013 6mm, a 3.2mm electrode works for 6mm \u2013 12mm, and a 4mm electrode works for 12mm \u2013 25mm.<\/p>\n

    Settings<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The best part about stick welding is that there\u2019s only one setting: your amps.<\/p>\n

    What you want to set your amps to depends on a couple of things, including the electrode type and diameter, the base metal thickness, and your weld position.<\/p>\n

    Most electrode packets will come with a recommended range of amps that the electrode can handle\/will melt at, so even if you\u2019ve got no idea, they provide a good starting place. Starting in the middle of the recommended range and adjusting up or down as needed is usually the best way to find what\u2019s going to work for you.<\/p>\n

    Polarity<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Stick welding can be done in AC or DC.<\/p>\n

    For the most part, stick electrodes generally run on a positive polarity or Direct Current Electrode Positive (DCEP). That means the current is positively charged and runs from the negative to the positive.<\/p>\n

    In this case, the current runs from the base plate into the electrode. It sounds counterproductive, but the heated electrode then melts back into the plate, providing solid penetration.<\/p>\n

    Some electrodes are capable of being welded on negative polarity or Direct Current Electrode Negative (DCEN) as well. The current runs in the opposite direction, from the electrode into the plate, which gives shallower penetration than DCEP.<\/p>\n

    If you have an electrode that can be used on AC, you\u2019ll find that the penetration of the weld falls between the two. It\u2019s not as shallow as DCEN but not as deep as DCEP. That\u2019s because the current alternates between the positive and negative polarities while it welds.<\/p>\n

    Each stick electrode will say whether they should be used in DCEP, DCEN or AC on their packaging.<\/p>\n

    To set up a UNIMIG welder for DCEP, plug the electrode holder cable into the positive (+) panel mount and the earth clamp into the negative (-) panel mount.<\/p>\n

    For DCEN, plug the electrode holder cable into the negative (-) panel mount and the earth clamp into the positive (+) panel mount.<\/p>\n

    You can only DC weld on our stick dedicated machines. So, if you have an electrode that can be used in AC and that\u2019s how you want to weld it, you\u2019ll need an AC\/DC TIG machine that\u2019s set up to stick weld.<\/p>\n

    To run an AC stick weld, you\u2019ll set up your leads for DCEP. There is no specific \u2018AC stick\u2019 setting on most machines. Instead, you\u2019ll need the AC version of the electrode you wish to weld.<\/p>\n

    \"\u062c\u0648\u0634\u06a9\u0627\u0631\u06cc<\/p>\n

    Metals<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Stick welding is the least versatile when it comes to how many different types of metal it can be used on. It can weld:<\/p>\n