Flux-coated consumable electrode for SMAW, sold in fixed lengths such as 14 inches and diameters like 3/32, 1/8 and 5/32 inch, with its classification printed near the grip end. Welders burn rod, run rod and argue about rod angle, and a rod with damp or chipped flux gets tossed. Rod also loosely means TIG filler wire in straight lengths, and a rod burner is a self-mocking name for a stick welder.
Grab me a can of eighth-inch rod from the oven and a fresh grinding disc.
Also heard as
- electrode
- stick
- welding rod
Related terms
7018
A low-hydrogen stick electrode with 70 ksi minimum tensile strength, the workhorse rod for structural and pressure work.
6010
A deep-digging cellulosic stick rod run on DCEP, the classic choice for open-root pipe passes.
Stinger
Shop name for the electrode holder that grips a stick rod and carries welding current to it.
SMAW
Shielded metal arc welding: arc welding with a flux-coated consumable electrode, known in the shop as stick.
Filler metal
The rod, wire, strip or electrode metal melted into a joint to build up a weld or braze.