Stick Welding
Stick welding, also known as shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), uses stick electrodes with baked flux. It is the most widely used choice between the various welding processes, utilizing a fixed-length wire and electric power source to join multiple metals. At Stinson’s Industrial, we offer high-quality, professional Memphis stick welding services to people in and around Memphis, TN.
You’ll find this welding process on construction sites, farms, and field engineering sites, like oil pipelines. The equipment needed is portable and relatively inexpensive, so most contractors prefer to use stick welding to keep costs down, even on massive projects. Windy conditions don’t affect the process as the flux on the rod turns into slag during the welding process, protecting the weld from drafts.
The core of the covered electrode consists of a solid metal rod surrounded by a covering of metal powders, mineral compounds, and a binding agent to adhere to the electrode’s surface. The core rod conducts current to the arc, providing the filler metal that eventually forms the joint.
Stick welding needs a voltage range of 16 to 40V, and the various sizes and types of electrodes define the arc voltage requirements. The amperage requirements are between 20 to 550A. Current may be alternating or direct, depending on the electrode used.
The power source must be able to control the level of current within a reasonable range, though, to respond to any complex variables that arise during the welding process.
Professionals have an easy time producing high-quality welds with this process. It’s quick to change from stainless steel to carbon steel, for example—all you need do is change the rods.
Why Use Stick Welding?
Stick Welding is incredibly versatile concerning the environment and location. Carry your equipment with you and weld anywhere—indoors, outdoors, on a factory production line, a ship, or a bridge.
You do not need to use water or gas hoses, and the welding cables are sturdy and long enough to extend for miles beyond the power source. In remote areas, you may hook the equipment up to a gasoline or diesel-powered generator to keep it functioning.
- The equipment needed for stick welding is inexpensive, simple, and portable.
- Granular flux or gas shielding is unnecessary.
- The weld can be carried out in restricted areas where access is limited.
- The whole process is less sensitive to wind and draft than other gas-shielded arc welding processes like TIG and MIG welding.
- Stick welding is also suitable for most of the commonly used alloys and metals.
Limitations Of Stick Welding
While the advantages of stick welding are significant, there are a few limitations, too. Operator duty cycles are low, which elevates the cost per pound of deposited weld metal.
Deposition rates are also lower than for other welding processes, and the process is not easily mechanized.
Crucially, stick welding is not suitable for reactive metals like zirconium, titanium, or columbium because the lack of shielding allows oxygen to contaminate the weld.
Contact Us Today For Superior Stick Welding Services
When you need Memphis stick welding services, Stinson’s Industrial is here to give you professional services at affordable prices in Memphis, TN, and its surrounds.
We also have a wide range of welding products and safety accessories for everyone, from the professional welder to the artist or hobbyist.
Contact our experts today for Memphis stick welding services to explore how we can be of assistance. We’ve been doing this for over two decades, so Stinson’s Industrial is a name you can trust.
3389 Fontaine Rd.
Memphis, TN 38116
Phone: (901) 345-2201
Fax: (901) 345-2297