Stick Welding Basics: Practice Drills

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▶️ Full Stick Welding Basics Tutorial ▶️
• Stick Welding Basics: ...
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Chapters:
0:00 Welcome
0:30 Setup
1:29 Drill 1 - Be a Scientist
6:56 Drill 2 - Stack 'em Deep
9:38 My Online Courses
10:00 Drill 3 - Stackin' Fillets
13:15 Thank You!
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), also known as stick welding, is an extremely useful and versatile process that only requires basic equipment, however it requires a significant amount of skill. In this stick welding basics for beginners video, I show some practice exercises that can help you fine tune your skill much faster.
**Metalwork can be dangerous, this video is not intended to provide all information to safely perform welding and metalworking tasks. Always consult your owners manual, work safely and seek assistance whenever necessary. This description contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support!

[@KarlBunker]

Along with the excellent tips and techniques, this was a great reminder that even top-notch welders need to practice and drill.

[@TimWelds]

Thanks! A little practice is helpful for anyone. When an exercise gets to the point that it's boring, I start to notice all sorts of interesting things I don't usually see.

[@andrewford80]

I've never welded in my life but you make me feel like I could :)

[@psilocin9533]

+1 for an arc blow video. Or anything else you can find in welding textbooks. The science behind welding is super interesting.

[@TimWelds]

Sounds great! I'll add it to the list.

[@user-yn6vr6qq9y]

These videos are super useful ...all the way from Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 thanks Tim

[@PaulThomas-qo9vy]

Practice, Practice, Practice! Thats what I need to do! I Used to weld 3 processes as part of my profession, but slowly worsening vision made me nearly blind by early 2023. The last good welding I did at work was early 2018. I kept dabbling with it at home & medically retired summer 2019. Thankfully I got insurance for the eye Dr., got laser treatment for both eyes in Dec.2023 & am much improved in vision! I have old SMAW welding rods & tried welding again with mixed results. I could definitely see better but am still fighting a lazy eye that won't accurately focus in the same place. Mainly I should do what you did in this vid. & burn up lots of rods on flat plate to blow out the cobwebs, knock the rust out & get my groove back. I think it's kind of like trying to ride a bike after 15 years of not riding. Very wobbly & ugly, but quickly getting better & nicer, sturdier welds! When I can afford it, I need to buy fresh rods too! Thanks Tim for your timely, helpful vids. Paul from S. Central Tx..

[@TimWelds]

Thanks! Glad to hear that the laser treatments worked well for you. It's amazing what they are able to do these days.

[@RyanSmith-vz5nz]

@TimWelds your content has consistently been the most helpful to this beginner welder, thank you! I have a question about safety, apologies if this was mentioned somewhere I haven't seen yet... I see you leaning on your welding table, and you're certainly not the only one. I realize electricity follows the path of least resistance and the ground clamp should "pull" all the current away from your body, but do welders sometimes get shocked this way? Wouldn't it be safer to put a plank of wood or some other insulating material on the table to isolate you from any potential stray currents? Similar question about holding the electrode with your glove...you're near a table that is now a ground, so I don't understand how this is safe. Appreciate your thoughts/opinions. Thanks!

[@donaldhalls2189]

Great instructors, thanks for sharing, all the best to you and your loved ones

[@-DIYPRO-]

Chipping the slag is so satisfying. Great video, now I have some practice to do this weekend!

[@TimWelds]

Thanks Jeff! My favorite slag is on vertical 7018. The slag drips can look like something from a horror movie sitting right over top a slick bead.

[@rharris7635]

Thanks for the detailed description and videos.

[@91donwilson]

This is exactly the video I needed! Thanks

[@amcustomfab]

Great video as always... Love the new lighting set up as well looking good

[@TimWelds]

Thanks Alex!

[@BruceLyeg]

Informative as always, thanks

[@bjolley8686]

Great tips. Now to get in some practice time.

[@justintasht1067]

Fantastic video as always and I will be giving these tips ago this weekend big thanks for your help and advice 👍👍

[@TimWelds]

Thank you so much!

[@rustygear9370]

I was genuinely afraid of stick welding since my previous exprience with it was disastrous. Your videos gave me the courage to not give up and by the time I got really better. Thank you for making it affordable even for the unskilled people.

[@TimWelds]

Awesome! Keep up the good work!

[@Sanus180]

Good one. Liked the vid

[@TheChronicle323]

My job is currently moving my position from machine operator to stick welder, I have small mig and tig experience but I’ve never stick welded before, they said they will teach me but any outside tips or advice anyone is willing share definitely helps! I’m not nervous but I want to impress my superiors with more that I could know before hand, although it doesn’t give the physical skill I’d absolutely love to know more before going in to it.

[@tinkering123]

Thanks for your advice.

[@TimWelds]

No problem! Thanks for watching and for the comment!

[@mr_robot_1835]

Thanks Tim for all of your videos! This one will come in handy for my welding class later today. I have been having problems with running straight consist 7018 welds.

[@TimWelds]

Thank you! Keep working at it and try to enjoy the learning process, as frustrating as it can be at times.

[@afields-zu5hh]

Same 🤦🏾‍♀️

[@michaelburton7942]

Fair Dinkum, you make it look so easy... top tip show good Sir.

[@JacobyBrown]

Great video thanks for posting, I am in welding school and I've been watching your videos the they really help reinforce what I am Learning. Right now I'm struggling with 2G and need all tue help I can get. Thank you again 👍🏾

[@TimWelds]

Thanks! Awesome, keep up the good work! 2G can be super frustrating, especially tying in both sides on an open root. Hang in there, it took me a really long time to learn and I'm still learning every day.

[@tedbastwock3810]

Tim, I enjoyed this very much, really like this content. I would have liked to see that last T joint cut in half to see whats going on on the inside. IK thats not typically done for production, but some guys do it anyway. Thanks for all your videos, truly a treasure 🙏

[@CatzyCatzy]

I got some projects that require just practise. This will be a good start.

[@guillermonieri4203]

Thank you.

[@karlmartinek6939]

Ah. Im 52 and i just took up stick welding. Keep doing it over and over.

[@mikewithers299]

Tim i always love watching and learning. I definitely need to get my arc on again. Been a few years

[@TimWelds]

Thanks! It's always a better day when you weld something :)

[@pomicultorul]

Thank you very much!

[@TimWelds]

You're welcome!

[@orsonyancey4131]

Yes, I would like to see a video on arc blow.

[@fakrulislam5404]

thanks a lot

[@aziznuhu3151]

Good job

[@TimWelds]

Thank you!

[@ivanmykhailov8767]

Yeah! Welding is mostly practice, practice..... Great video, Tim. Stick drill, mig drill, tig drillllll all these drills are crucial ;)

[@TimWelds]

Thanks!

[@Sanus180]

Yes would like to see fix to arc blow

[@user-vp4gu1qx6q]

Yes, please. I get arc blow all the time... I use 6013.

[@todayletsbuild2153]

Great video. I have to spend a weekend soon and go through a few pounds of 7018 and get some arc control back. ( I have an essential tremor that makes me loose muscle memory fast). Right now I am about to go down the arc blow rabbit hole, see you on the other side..

[@TimWelds]

Thanks! The arc blow rabbit hole can run pretty deep, but this is one of the best articles I've seen on it: www.lincolnelectric.com/en/welding-and-cutting-resource-center/welding-how-tos/prevent-arc-blow

[@WelderKere]

Nice video

[@geeman5294]

Could you do video on arc rods 308l 1.6 or tell me a bit more about these rods Uk

[@chifkief]

You should do a video showing tips for vertical and butt joints

[@melgross]

Nice, Tim. I’m not much of a stick guy myself. If I feel I have to use it I do. Likely I’ll never use up the stock of rods I have.

[@TimWelds]

Thanks Mel!

[@bluegill2030]

I’m trying to learn stick welding and getting scraps when I can. What’s the difference in all the rods and diameters??

[@grayhelium513]

Can you please type.what ampere kind of stick sowe can follow it easily

[@JCWren]

Definitely be interested in a video on the magnetic effect of the leads and the blowout.

[@TimWelds]

Awesome! I'll put something together in the next little bit.

[@fastbusiness]

The arc shot beginning at 8:33 is the best I've ever seen of the weld bead being formed. It's an especially clear view of the molten metal coming off the rod and flowing into the weld pool.

[@trulyinfamous]

The only thing that would make these videos even better would be english captions. I may not be hard of hearing but many people are and they're kind of being left out from this great information. In my own case, reading the captions on videos helps me focus more on the content and retain information better.

[@johnschmidt874]

Hi Tim! After watching a lot of your videos, I decided I would get a welding machine. There are a lot of welding helmets out there. What kind of welding helmet do you recommend?

[@jason-4636]

You should do a video of capping a 6011 weld with a 7018, Very hard to get it to look good at least with 3/32" rod but I noticed my test beads look pretty much like yours so I am starting to think it is just not a good size rod to cap with?

[@brandonnagy5243]

I'm trying to learn to stick weld it's very difficult sometimes I can get a decent weld then I'll try it again and it will look like crap, it's very difficult!

[@jason-4636]

I have some blue demon 7018 3/32" rods. The packaging says the amperage is only 60-80. I have identical size radnor 7018 which has a range up 115amps. Is that some kind of mistake? Seems like same size rods should be same amp range?

[@jaramiepayne6341]

Are you weaving or any movement or just running a straight bead

[@TimWelds]

Just a straight bead. Weaving is usually only needed on vertical up with stick welding.

[@mak4374]

Thank you for a nice detailed video! Question: Is there a reason why I shouldn't hold on to the rod itself, to steady it? Is it a safety issue, even if I am very careful not to put my fingers close to the arc, or something else?

[@TimWelds]

Thanks! A lot of people, myself included at times, hold the rod loosely with a dry welding glove without any issue. The rod itself can get a bit toasty, though.

[@stevendobbs7318]

Would love to see an arc blow video

[@TimWelds]

Awesome! I'll add it to the list!

[@Kcbrickz_4ril]

The rough spatters when welding you didn’t finish that aspect in the video, please I need to know more about it

[@lcyboi]

any lenses for my welding hood you can recommend me?

[@TimWelds]

If you look at the optical clarity specs, any of them with a 1/1/1/1 or 1/1/1/2 rating will generally be really good and there are a lot of them available at many different price points. I use Miller Digital Infinity hoods, which are great for benchwork, though a bit heavy and tipsy for out of position stuff. They aren't cheap and I don't know how much better they are, but they work for me and take a beating. @MakeAndFixItYourSelfProjects mentioned a YesWelder auto darkening hood, they sent me one a while back to try and I was surprised how clear it was.

[@steveRBForge]

I do ok with 6011. My problem is I can’t seem to see the puddle with 6013.

[@TimWelds]

6013 is kind of difficult to see the puddle because the slag runs over it. I think 7018 is much easier to read the puddle.

[@aaal695]

Beginner here. What size of electrode do you recommend if I am going to weld a 1.5mm steel?

[@irishlush364]

6011 3/32

[@aaal695]

@@irishlush364 how about a galvanized iron steel? Do you recommend the same?

[@irishlush364]

@@aaal695 that's what I'm gonna use on galvanized coated steel

[@aaal695]

@@irishlush364 thanks!

[@irishlush364]

@@aaal695 I ran it on galvanized yesterday at 70 amps.i grinded the galvanized off where I was gonna weld it did decent

[@Cmc-365]

Can u rest to rod on your glove?

[@irishlush364]

You can hold it actually

[@danielchambers1958]

Thanks Tim…..

[@Mustbetrue133]

I get my scraps from a shop with a laser cutter from the skeletons at scrap price

[@johnverdin6600]

Why is the rod sticks every time trying to start the arc that's very aggravating

[@tryanniuszhin2795]

Did you forget to add the scrap metal link? edite: Nope! i see it now :D whoops

[@TimWelds]

Glad you found it! I buy most of my coupons there, but whenever I come across cheap metal, I'll use that too :)

[@paddlepower888]

I’m confused. Just before the fillet weld you wanted to use 6010 but at 10:34 you discussed 7018? Rearranged leads to address arc blow? A switch of polarity? I saw no change in ground clamp position.

[@TimWelds]

I just used 6010 to tack it up, all the weld beads were done with 7018. The work clamp moved from the end to the beginning, but I might have mixed up a clip so that it didn’t show that way since I filmed the video twice to get all the shots.

[@HELIARCMASTER]

I truly enjoy your videos but as an instructor I would never start a beginner on running beads. They need to first learn how to strike an arc. I would have them just do Tack up and down to start so that they get use to not sticking and used to starting the weld.

[@TimWelds]

Thanks a ton for the comment! I completely agree. What you described is actually the first exercise in my online courses and I have several videos about it too. I’m not suggesting stacking beads as a starting point, just an exercise to improve consistency and learn to see.

[@engjds]

I am thinking of giving it up, no amount of online tutorials seems to make me any better, too many variables to get a good weld.

[@dankflakes9673]

Same bro😢

[@engjds]

@@dankflakes9673 If it helps, you need really good sight on the weld, magnified reading glasses worked for me and get up close (1ft to 2ft), cheap welders are under current by about 10%, so if you are using 6013 2.5mm, about 100A on the display. Can get it some days, then other days the welds look like crap.

[@justinphillips2796]

Ah don’t give up it just takes time I use to think that back in high school wanting to be a welder. 2 years later I’m a tankshop welder.. practice makes perfect I burn so many 5p rods over and over intel I finally got that prefect weld. It will come in time

[@robertharris57]

Never quit, you can do it!

[@derekquiram]

If stick doesn't give you satisfaction, try MIG. Take a class at a community college or something. Nothing is easy or natural; everything takes practice.

[@jaybillyjosh]

whined me up our easy you make it look

[@TimWelds]

It's easy for me know, at least on a good day, but it wasn't always that way. I struggled for a long time to learn.

[@johnlovell3616]

Can't watch video for words cover's it up

[@chadlegaultgmail]

Yes. Arc blow :)

[@TimWelds]

I'll add it to the list! Thanks for watching!