INTRODUCTION
  Welding is a practical skill that requires continual
practice and careful attention to the variables that the
welder controls to improve. The old golden rule
“practice makes perfect” applies to welding in that the
more you do, as long as you or someone evaluates your
welds, the better you become.
The term variable as used in this text means
something the welder has control of either before
welding or during welding.
 KEY POINT: An easy way to remember the
variables is by remembering the first letter in
each one spells the word CLASS.
 
 1.      CURRENT SETTING.
 2.      LENGTH OF ARC.
 3.      ANGLE OF ELECTRODE.
 4.      SPEED OF TRAVEL.
 5.      SELECTION OF ELECTRODE.
 1. CURRENT SETTING.
 The welding current or amperage is essential in
producing welds with good appearance and the
required strength characteristics. The welder
controls the amperage variable by setting the
amperage on the welding machine prior to welding.
 The amperage is set from recommended ranges
according to the size of the electrode, the type of
electrode, and the type of current AC, DCEN or
DCEP you are using. 
 
 2. LENGTH OF ARC
When electricity is made to jump across
a gap it is said to arc across the gap. In
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (Stick) it is
this arcing effect that creates the intense
heat required for melting the electrode
and the base metal together.
 The Arc is the term used to describe the distance from
the tip of the electrode to the base metal and can be
varied from lightly touching the metal at an angle
sufficient to maintain an arc to a distance far enough
from the base metal to extinguish the arc.
 If the electrode is held in contact with the work using
the slight angle to maintain the arc it is referred to as
the drag technique. This technique is often used to
weld in the flat and horizontal positions, especially
with larger or iron powder electrodes. If contact with
the base metal is made too quickly however; the
electrode will stick or freeze to the metal.
 Another method to employ is to allow a slight
gap between the electrode tip and the base
metal. The length of the arc gap affects the
appearance of the weld.
 
 The correct arc length may vary according to the
type of electrode and the position of welding.
 When production welding flat or horizontal the
drag method is often used for ease in welding
and faster travel speeds.
 When a slight gap is maintained the force of the
arc provides a weld bead with a slightly flatter
appearance with less chance of slag inclusions
and better joint penetration.
 
 3. ANGLE OF ELECTRODE
 In the Shielded Metal Arc Welding (STICK) process
there are two electrode angles that the welder must
control. The first angle is the one formed between the
electrode and the base metal, called the work angle.
The second angle is the angle the electrode is held at
relative to the direction of travel, called the travel
angle.
 The travel angle for the flat, horizontal and overhead
can be either pulled or pushed and the travel angle for
the vertical can be either upward or downward.
Note: The direction of travel across the plate for both drag and push methods:
 Electrode Angles is the most essentials in the
use of the correct electrode angles. For fillet
weld and groove welds, correct angles are vital
for preventing undercut and inadequate fill.
There are two kinds to specify electrode angles
1.Travel Angle
– Is the angle of an electrode in relation to the
axis of a weld when the electrode is
perpendicular to the axis. It ca be either a drag
angle or a push angle.
 2. Work Angle – Is the angle of an electrode in
relation to the surface of a workpiece when the
electrode is perpendicular to the axis of
the weld.
 A Drag Angle - is when the electrode is pointing
backward, meaning the welders hand
and electrode holder proceeds the puddle.
 A Push Angle - is when electrode is pointing just
the opposite of the drag angle.
 
 4. SPEED OF TRAVEL
 The rate of travel across the joint is controlled
by the welder during welding and greatly
affects the appearance and strength
characteristics of the weld.
 The amount of weld metal deposited (weld
deposition rate) and the travel speed may vary
with the type and size of electrode being used.
The correct weld speed will result in a well
formed weld bead that shows good fusion,
penetration and a gradual transition of weld
metal into the corners of the joint.
 Since the travel speed is not timed in stick
welding, the welder must be able to read the
molten weld pool as the electrode is
manipulated across the joint. A weld speed that
is too fast results in a thin stringy weld with
poor strength. A weld bead that is too slow a
speed will result in a heavy weld that has too
much convexity.
 
 5. SELECTION OF ELECTRODE
 There are a variety of electrodes available for welding a
wide range of metals. The electrode for a given application
must be selected carefully to provide the strength
characteristics required for the weld joint. One of the most
useful tools for electrode selection is the Electrode
Handbooks available from welding supply outlets. These
handbooks provide information from electrode
classification to application and usability.
 In general the electrode weld metal must be matched to
the type and composition of the base metal being welded.
Further some electrodes within the available scope are
designed for specific purposes.
 Some of the most widely used Electrodes are
those used for welding carbon steel.   
 The following is a brief description of the most
commonly used electrodes for welding Carbon
Steel.
 The electrodes are classified by a letter and
numbering system as follows:
 The Tensile Strength - is defined as the ability
of the weld metal to withstand forces acting to
pull it apart.
 The last digit indicates the type of flux or
electrode covering and in turn determines the
type of current, penetration and appearance of
the weld.
 CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRODES
ACCORDING TO APPLICATIONS 
 A. Mild Steel Electrodes – General purpose

electrodes used for welding steels of 0.25% or

less carbon.
 B. Low Hydrogen Electrodes – Specially
formulated electrodes for use with “difficult
to weld” high carbon (0.30% to 0. 80 % carbon)
and high sulfur steels besides mild steel.
 c. Low Alloy Electrodes – Used for welding low
alloy steels (steels containing not more than 5%
each of alloying elements added to give the
desired properties).Alloying elements are added
to the coating to give a weld deposit similar in
chemical composition to the base metal.
 d. Cast Iron Electrodes – Electrodes for welding
cast iron(with 2.5% or more carbon).There are
two types of cast iron (a) machinable and (b)
non- machinable (can shape only by grinding )
have steel on cast or cast iron core wire.
 e. Stainless Steel Electrodes – Designated for
welding stainless steels. Weld deposit must have
similar composition as to the steels to be welded.
May also be used for joining disimillar metals
 f. Non-Ferrous Electrodes – Used for welding non-
ferrous metals and alloys such as aluminum,
copper, brass, bronze, etc.
 g. Hard Surfacing Electrodes – Are specially for
application that are subject to impact and abrasion.
Deposits have varying degrees of hardness and
toughness to meet conditions of wear to service.
  
 PREPARED BY:


WILMER J. DIRECTO
 TEACHER-SMAW
 1. Welding Shield/ Helmet – is used to protect
our face and eyes from arc rays and heat,and
the spatter from the molten metal.
 2. Leather Jacket – is made of chrome leather
and prevents the entry of sparks between our
clothes and body.
 3.Leather Apron – is made of chrome leather
and provides a welder with complete
protection from sparks and hot metal from his
chest to mid calf.
 4. Leather Gloves/Gauntlets – is made of
chrome leather and protects our hands from
heat, spatter and radiations.
 5. Spats – is made of chrome leather and
protects our feet from spatters.
 6. Safety Glasses (clear) is used to protect the
eyes when chipping slag and grinding.
 7.Welders Boots – is made of heavy leather
with uppers that reach above the ankle to
help prevent burns from sparks and spatters.
 8. Face Shield – provide good visibility when
chipping and grinding, wear a clear, plastic –
type face shield because it will provide
protection from slags or hot metal.
 9. Safety Goggles – During all electric
welding processes, operators must wear
safety goggles to protect their eyes from weld
spatters and also protect the eyes from slag
particles when chipping and hot sparks when
grinding.
 FOUR WELDING POSITION
 
1. Flat Position
2. Horizontal Position
3. Vertical Position
4. Over Head Position
 WELDING JOINTS – The position
of two or more members to be
joined.
 
 WELD JOINT – Physical
configuration of the joint members
to be joined.
 
 5 BASIC TYPES OF WELD JOINTS
 
 1. BUTT JOINT – Weld joint between two
members aligned approximately
in the same plane, are positioned edge to
edge.
 2. CORNER JOINT – Weld joint formed when
two joint members are positioned at an
approximate 90 degrees angle
with the weld joint at the outside of the joint
members
3. EDGE JOINT – Weld joint formed when the
edges of two joint member are joint.
4. LAP JOINT – Weld joint formed when two
joint members are lapped over one another.
A joint between two overlapping members.
5. T- JOINT – Weld joint formed when two joint
members are positioned approximately 90
degrees to one another in the form of a T.
 Bead Running Techniques and their
Procedures/Weaving Techniques and
Pattern
 STRINGER BEAD – A type of weld bead
made without appreciable weaving motion.
 Weaving – is a technique used to increase the
width and volume of bead.
 * SIDE- to – SIDE WEAVE /ZIG-ZAG – Used
with all types of electrodes to make fill passes
on vertical fillet and V- groove butt welds.
 *CIRCULAR MOTION – Used with all types of
electrodes to make overhead welds
 *TRIANGULAR WEAVE – Used with fill- freeze
and low-hydrogen electrodes to make the first
pass on vertical fillet and V-groove butt welds
because it provides a larger weld than a side-to
side weave.
 BOX WEAVE – Used with all types of electrodes
to make the fill pass on vertical fillet and V-
groove butt welds, and is similar with side- to
side weave but with a distinct pause and slight
upward motion at each edge of the weld .
 * FILLET WELDS – The fillet weld is the most
common weld used in industry. It is a weld
type in the cross-sectional shape of a triangle. It
joins two surfaces at approximately a right
angle, to form a lap joint, T-joint, and corner
joint. Fillet welds require little or no edge
preparation.
 *GROOVE WELD – It is a weld type made in
the groove of the pieces to be welded. Groove
welds join welded parts edge to edge. Edge
preparation may be required on thick weld
parts to allow for the required penetration of
the weld metal.
 1. DISTORTION – Change in the original shape
of the metal as metal expands when heated and
contracts when cooled. Cause is due to
excessive heat input on the metal to be welded.
 2. INCOMPLETE FUSION – Discontinuance of
a weld where complete fusion does not occur
between the weld and the fusion faces of the
joint member. It is a failure of weld metal to
fuse completely with the base metal or a
preceeding weld beads.
 Possible causes are insufficient heat input,
improper welding technique and, workpiece
dirty.
 3. LACK OF PENETRATION – Shallow fusion
between weld metal and base metal. Possible
causes are improper joint preparation,
improper weld technique, and insufficient heat
input.
 4. BURN – THROUGH – Weld metal melting
completely through base metal resulting in
holes where no metal remains. Possible cause is
excessive 5.
EXCESSIVE PENETRATION – Weld metal
melting through base metal and hanging
underneath weld. Possible causes are excessive
heat input, and improper weld technique.
 heat input
 6. EXCESSIVE SPATTER – Scattering of molten
metal particles that cool to solid form near
weld bead. Possible causes are amperage too
high for electrode, arc length too long and
voltage too high.
 7. POROSITY – Small cavities or holes resulting
from gas pockets in weld metal. Possible causes
are arc length too long, workpiece dirty, and
damp electrode.
 8. SLAG INCLUSION – Small particles of slag
(cooled flux) trapped in the weld metal which
prevent complete penetration. Possible causes
are high flow rate of molten metal, rapid
chilling, or a weld current that is too low.
 9. WAVINESS OF BEAD – Weld metal is not
parallel and does not cover joint formed by
base metal. Possible cause is unsteady hand.
 10. UNDERCUTTING – Creating a groove that
is not completely filled by weld metal in the
base metal during the welding process.
Possible causes are too high a current, too long
an arc length, improper electrode angle
manipulation, and too fast a welding speed.
 11. WELD CRACKS – This can occur due just
to thermal shrinkage or due to a combination
of strain accompanying phase change and
thermal shrinkage.
 Electrode Angles is the most essentials in the
use of the correct electrode angles. For fillet
weld and groove welds, correct angles are vital
for preventing undercut and inadequate fill.
There are two kinds to specify electrode angles
 1. Travel Angle – Applies to the position the
electrode make with a reference perpendicular
to the axis of the weld in plane of the weld axis.
It can be either a drag angle or a push angle.
 A Drag Angle is when the electrode is pointing
backward, meaning the welders hand and
electrode holder proceeds the puddle. A Push
Angle is when electrode is pointing just the
opposite of the drag angle.
 2. Work Angle – Is the angle of an electrode in
relation to the surface of a workpiece when
the electrode is perpendicular to the axis of
the weld.
 Weld Pass – each layer of beads deposited on
the base metal.
 Single pass – simply means depositing one
layer of bead.
 Multiple pass – when a weld is built up of
more than one layer of bead.
 ROOT PASS – Is the initial weld pass that
provides complete penetration through the
thickness of the joint member.
 HOT PASS – Is the weld pass that penetrates
deeply into the root pass and the root face of
the joint.
 FILLER PASS – Is the weld pass that fills the
remaining portion of the weld after the root
pass and hot pass.
 COVER PASS / CAPPING – Is the final weld
pass/beads deposited needed to complete the
weld joint.