Basic elements to improve results

For many people, especially those who are new to it or perhaps don’t weld every day, stick welding,
otherwise known as shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), is one of the more difficult processes to
learn. Experienced welders who can pick up a stinger, pop an electrode in and lay down great welds
time after time can inspire great awe in the rest of us. They make it look easy.
The rest of us may struggle with it, though. And we don’t have to, not if we pay attention to five basic
elements of our technique: current setting, length of arc, angle of electrode, manipulation of
electrode and speed of travel — or CLAMS, for short. Properly addressing these five basic areas
can improve your results.

Prepare
While stick welding may be the most forgiving process on dirty or rusty metal, don’t use that as an
excuse for not properly cleaning the material. Use a wire brush or grinder to remove dirt, grime or
rust from the area to be welded. Ignoring these steps hurt your chances to make a good weld the
first time. Unclean conditions can lead to cracking, porosity, lack of fusion or inclusions. While you’re
at it, make sure you have a clean spot for the work clamp. A good, solid electrical connection is
important to maintain arc quality.
Position yourself so you have a good view of the weld puddle. For the best view, keep your head off
to the side and out of the weld fumes to ensure you’re welding in the joint and keeping the arc on the
leading edge of the puddle. Make sure your stance allows you to comfortably support and
manipulate the electrode.

CLAMS
Bringing all the CLAMS points (current setting, length of arc, angle of electrode, manipulation of the
electrode, and speed of travel) together may seem like a lot to think about while welding, but it
becomes second nature with practice. Don’t get discouraged! There is a learning curve with stick
welding, which many believe got its name because when learning how to weld, everyone sticks the
electrode to the workpiece.
Current setting: The electrode you select will determine whether your machine should be set up in
DC positive, DC negative or AC. Make sure you have it set correctly for your application. (Electrode
positive provides about 10 percent more penetration at a given amperage than AC, while DC straight
polarity, electrode negative, welds thinner metals better.) The correct amperage setting primarily
depends on the diameter and type of electrode you select. The electrode manufacturer usually
indicates the electrode’s operating ranges on the box or enclosed materials. Select your amperage
based on the electrode (a general rule of thumb is 1 amp for each .001-inch of electrode diameter),
welding position (about 15 percent less heat for overhead work compared to a flat weld), and visual
inspection of the finished weld. Adjust your welder by 5 to 10 amps at a time, until the ideal setting is
reached.
Unless the electrode manufacturer states otherwise, use 1 amp for each .001-inch of electrode diameter. Here a 1/8-inch. (.125 inch)
electrode is used, so the operator starts at 125 amps. He’ll then adjust in 5 to 10-amp increments, if necessary to find the optimal setting for
his technique and application.

If your amperage is too low, your electrode will be especially sticky when striking an arc, your arc will
keep going out while maintaining the correct arc length or the arc will stutter.

This weld is a result of too little current. If you’re welding with amperage set too low, your electrode will be especially sticky when striking an
arc, the arc will keep going out while maintaining the correct arc length or the arc will stutter.

Once you get an arc going, if the puddle is excessively fluid and hard to control, your electrode chars
when it’s only half gone, or the arc sounds louder than normal, your amperage might be set too high.
Too much heat can also negatively affect the electrode’s flux properties.
The weld is the result of too much current. When the amperage is set too high, the puddle will be excessively fluid and hard to control. This
can lead to excess spatter and higher potential for undercut. In addition, the electrode will become hot — perhaps hot enough to glow toward
the end of the weld—which can adversely affect the shielding properties of the flux.

A sign of too much current is when the electrode becomes hot enough to glow.

Length of arc: The correct arc length varies with each electrode and application. As a good starting
point, arc length should not exceed the diameter of the metal portion (core) of the electrode. For
example, an 1/8-inch 6010 electrode is held about 1/8 inch off the base material.

Length of arc: The optimal arc length, or distance between electrode and puddle, is the same as the diameter of the electrode (the actual
metal part within the flux covering). Holding the electrode too closely to the joint decreases welding voltage, which creates an erratic arc that
may extinguish itself or cause the electrode to freeze faster and produces a weld bead with a high crown.
An arc length that is too short will create greater potential for the electrode sticking to the base material.

Excessively long arcs (too much voltage) produce spatter, low deposition rates, undercuts and often
leaves porosity.

Too long of an arc length will create excess spatter in the weld joint. There is also a high potential for undercut.

When first attempting to stick weld, it seems natural to use too long of an arc, possibly to help get a
better view of the arc and puddle. If you have trouble seeing, move your head, rather than
lengthening the arc. Start by finding a good body position that gives you an adequate view of the
puddle, while also allowing you to stabilize and manipulate the electrode. A little practice will show
you that a tight, controlled arc length improves bead appearance, creates a narrower bead and
minimizes spatter.
Angle of travel: Stick welding in the flat, horizontal and overhead positions uses a drag or backhand
welding technique. Hold the electrode perpendicular to the joint, and then tilt the top in the direction
of travel approximately 5 to 15 degrees. For welding vertical up, use a push or forehand technique
and tilt the top of the electrode 0 to 15 degrees away from the direction of travel.
Angle of travel. When welding from left to right, maintain a 0 to 15-degree angle tilted towards the direction of travel. This is known as the
drag or backhand technique.

Manipulation of electrode: Each welder manipulates the electrode a little differently. Develop your
own style by observing others, practicing and noting which techniques produce the best results. Note
that on material 1/4 inch and thinner, weaving the electrode is typically not needed because the
bead will be wider than necessary. In many instances a straight bead is all that’s needed.
To create a wider bead on thicker material, manipulate the electrode from side to side, creating a
continuous series of partially overlapping circles in a ‘Z,’ semi-circle or stutter-step pattern. Limit
side-to-side motion to two times the diameter of the electrode core. To cover a wider area, make
multiple passes or use stringer beads.

Here the welder uses a semi-circular motion to create a wider bead with a stacked dimes appearance. For thinner welds, a straight line bead
may be sufficient.
When welding vertical up, if you focus on welding the sides of the joint, the middle will take care of
itself. Move across the middle of the joint slowly enough so that the weld puddle can catch up, and
pause slightly at the sides to ensure solid tie-in to the sidewall. If your weld looks like fish scales, you
moved forward too quickly and didn’t hold long enough on the sides.
Speed of travel: Your travel speed should allow you to keep the arc in the leading one-third of the
weld pool.

To establish the optimal travel speed, first establish a weld puddle of the desired diameter, and then move at a speed that keeps you in the
leading one-third of the puddle. If you travel too slowly, the heat will be directed into the puddle and not into the weld, leading to cold lap or
poor fusion.

Traveling too slowly produces a wide, convex bead with shallow penetration and the possibility of
cold-lapping, where the weld appears to be simply sitting on the surface of the material.

Too slow of a travel speed will create a bead that has too much weld deposit, which can lead to cold-lap. This can result in insufficient
penetration in those areas. Traveling too slowly can also focus the heat into the puddle and not into the base material.

Excessively fast travel speeds also decrease penetration, create a narrower and/or highly crowned
bead, and possibly underfill or undercut, which is when the area outside of the weld is concave or
recessed. Note toward the end of the bead in the image below how the bead appears inconsistent
as if the puddle were trying to keep up.
Traveling too fast will create a thinner/undersized bead that will have more of a V-shaped ripple effect in the puddle rather than a nice U-
shaped, or stacked dimes, effect.

These tips, along with practice and patience, will get you headed in the right direction to improve
your stick welding technique.

ELECTRODE SIZE
Electrodes for shielded metal arc welding range in diameter from 3/32 to
3/16 of an inch. You may also come across some ¼ inch electrodes. They are
commonly found in 9, 14 and 18-inch lengths.

Electrode diameter is based on the thickness of the base metal, the

welding position and the type of joint to be welded. Larger diameter electrodes
are used on thicker metals and for flat position welding because they offer
higher deposition rates.
Diameter of electrode in Electrodes
inches
3/32 40-80 45-90

1/8 75-125 80-130

5/32 110-170 105-

180
3/16 140-215 150-
230

Smaller diameter electrodes are used for horizontal, vertical and

overhead welding, because they produce a smaller weld puddle that is easier to
control than the bigger puddle produced by larger diameter electrodes. Joint
design also affects electrode diameter. On groove welds for example, the
electrode has to be small enough to access the root of the joint. he welder’s skill
also has a bearing on electrode diameter because a more capable welder can
control a larger, more fluid weld puddle.
 As a general rule, when there is no welding procedure specification, use
the largest diameter electrode possible. Larger diameter electrodes produce
welds of the required dimensions in the least amount of time and at lower cost,
because they have higher deposition rates and allow faster travel speeds.

CURRENT
Current is measured in amperes, or amps. Each type of electrode has
recommended amperage ranges for optimum performance. Amperage ranges
are usually specified in the welding procedure or in the manufacturers’ data
sheets.

If the amperage is set above the suggested operating range, the electrode
melts too fast. This increases deposition and the weld puddle becomes too large
to control. It could also cause the electrode coating to overheat and break
down.

Amperage too high – The weld bead is wide and flat with excessive penetration
and spatter, and undercutting frequently occurs along the toes.

If the amperage is set below the designated range, there is insufficient heat to
melt the base metal, and the weld puddle is too small for proper control. The
droplets forming on the end of the electrode may bridge to the weld puddle
periodically extinguishing the arc. The weld bead will be irregular with a
crowned appearance and insufficient penetration.

Amperage too low -The weld bead will be irregular with a crowned appearance
and insufficient penetration
 Welding Current for Carbon Electrode Types

ARC LENGTH
Arc length is the distance from the tip of the electrode core wire to the
weld puddle. Arc length can be deceiving, because the core wire is recessed
inside a cup that forms at the tip of the electrode. You have to take this into
consideration when gauging arc length.

The correct arc length varies according to the

electrode classification, diameter and composition of
the flux coating, as well as the amperage and welding
position.

As a general rule, when amperage is set within

the specified range, arc length should not exceed the
diameter of the core wire. Increasing the arc length increases the arc voltage,
and reduces the amperage slightly.

If the arc is too long, the metal core melts off in large globules that
wobble from side to side and drop onto the work as spatter, rather than
forming useful weld metal. The weld bead is wide with excessive spatter and
undercut. The base metal is not properly melted, so the weld metal is deposited
on top of the plate with incomplete penetration, and slag inclusions will
probably occur. Long arcing is often used to preheat the base metal directly
after striking the arc.

Shortening the arc length reduces the arc voltage and increases the
amperage slightly. If the arc length is too short, the arc has a tendency to short
out and the electrode freezes to the work.

TRAVEL SPEED
 Travel speed is the rate at which the electrode moves along the work. The
key to correct travel speed is “reading” the weld puddle, because the weld
puddle is a liquid version of the weld bead.

A properly formed weld bead has an oval shape with an oval crater and
uniform ripple pattern. Travel speed is influenced by the type of welding
current (DCEN, DCEP or AC), amperage, welding position, electrode melt rate,
material thickness, surface condition of the base metal, type of joint, joint fit
up and electrode manipulation.

If you travel too fast, the puddle cools too quickly trapping gasses and
slag. The ripples are pointed and narrow with irregular penetration and
undercut along the toes.

If you travel too slowly, the weld metal piles up forming a high, wide
weld-bead with too much reinforcement that may result in overlap. So read the
puddle, and keep the arc on the leading edge.

ELECTRODE ANGLE
In shielded metal arc welding, the work and travel angles are used to
control the shape of the weld puddle and the amount of penetration. The travel
angle is the angle between the joint and the electrode along the axis of the
weld.

A push angle exists when the electrode points in the direction of travel.
And a drag angle points away the direction of travel.

When all other essentials are under control, a change in the direction of
travel changes the heat input to the puddle. A drag travel angle increases heat
input because the arc is pointing into the puddle. A push travel angle reduces
heat input because the arc is pointing away from the puddle.

The work angle is pointing between the electrode and the work surface
along the work plane, which runs perpendicular to the axis of the weld. An
incorrect work angle can cause you to favour one side of the joint more than
another. The result is undercut and lack of fusion.