How to stick weld: beginner steps that work

Free guide · The Welder's Forge · updated September 2026

Stick welding (SMAW) is the classic process: a simple machine, no gas cylinder, and it works outdoors. It is where many people start. The secret is not machine power, it is controlling the arc.

1. Before you strike the arc

• PPE: helmet with shade 10–11, leather gloves, cotton clothing with no synthetic parts, boots and ANSI Z87.1 safety glasses for chipping slag.
• Power: read the nameplate for input voltage and current and match the circuit (120 V or 240 V). No improvised extension cords or adapters.
• Clean metal: remove paint, oil and rust with an angle grinder until the metal is bright.
• Work clamp near the joint, on clean metal.
• Work area well ventilated and clear of flammables within 35 ft (11 m), or covered with fire-resistant blankets.

2. Strike the arc

Scratch start: drag the rod across the plate like a match and lift as soon as the arc lights. It is the easiest for beginners. Tap start: touch straight down and pull back quickly. It is cleaner, but the rod sticks more until you get the feel. If that happens, read welding rod sticking to the metal.

3. Arc length, angles and travel speed

Section 3.3 of the e-book The Welder's Forge.

The rod gets shorter as you weld, so your hand has to keep feeding down to hold the same arc length.

4. The 7 mistakes that make ugly welds

1. Arc too long: spatter, pores and a wide, uneven bead.
2. Wrong amperage: too high gives undercut and burn-through; too low gives a tall bead with no fusion. See the stick welding amperage chart.
3. Uneven travel speed: a bead with lumps and changing width.
4. Welding over dirt: paint, rust and oil cause porosity, mostly at the start of the bead.
5. Poor work clamp connection: the arc spits, does not fuse and makes the machine look weak.
6. Damp rods: unstable arc and pores. Store rods dry (and 7018 in a rod oven).
7. Not removing slag between passes: it gets trapped inside the weld (slag inclusion).

5. A practice plan for your first sessions

1. Straight beads on flat plate: the only goal is a stable arc at the right length.
2. Side-by-side beads, each covering half of the previous one.
3. T joint in the flat position (45° angle).
4. Butt joint with a small gap.
5. Only then, vertical uphill with 10–15% less current. See vertical stick welding when you get there.

After each bead, chip the slag with a chipping hammer, brush with a wire brush and look: constant width, well-fused edges, no pores and no undercut. When you swap rods in the middle of a bead, restrike the arc a little ahead of the crater and come back into it before moving on, so you do not leave a “step”.

Frequently asked questions