Shielded metal arc welding, in which an arc between a flux-coated electrode and the work melts both while the burning coating produces shielding gas and a slag blanket. It needs only a power source, leads and a stinger, tolerates wind and less-than-clean steel better than gas-shielded processes, and is the mainstay of field repair, maintenance and much pipe work. It is slow, since the welder stops to change rods and chip slag.
Wind's blowing twenty on the iron, forget the MIG, we're running SMAW with 7018.
Hold an arc about as long as the rod's core wire is thick; a long arc on 7018 is the quickest route to porosity.
Also heard as
- stick
- stick welding
- MMA
- manual metal arc
Related terms
Rod
Shop word for a stick welding electrode, as in burning rod or a box of 7018 rod.
Stinger
Shop name for the electrode holder that grips a stick rod and carries welding current to it.
7018
A low-hydrogen stick electrode with 70 ksi minimum tensile strength, the workhorse rod for structural and pressure work.
Slag
The glassy crust that forms on top of a stick, flux-cored or submerged arc weld and is chipped off.
Buzz box
Nickname for a small AC transformer stick welder, the classic farm and garage machine.