Stick Welding Basics: Practice Drills

👨‍🏭 Learn welding in my $39 online courses 👨‍🏭

🧰 Tools I Use and Recommend 🧰

▶️ Full Stick Welding Basics Tutorial ▶️

💰Deals for Subscribers💰
Save 10% Off Welding Practice Metal and Kits: (Code 'TimWelds'):

Chapters:
0:00 Welcome
0:30 Setup
1:29 Drill 1 - Be a Scientist
6:56 Drill 2 - Stack 'em Deep
9:38 My Online Courses
10:00 Drill 3 - Stackin' Fillets
13:15 Thank You!

Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), also known as stick welding, is an extremely useful and versatile process that only requires basic equipment, however it requires a significant amount of skill. In this stick welding basics for beginners video, I show some practice exercises that can help you fine tune your skill much faster.

**Metalwork can be dangerous, this video is not intended to provide all information to safely perform welding and metalworking tasks. Always consult your owners manual, work safely and seek assistance whenever necessary. This description contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support!

[KarlBunker]

Along with the excellent tips and techniques, this was a great reminder that even top-notch welders need to practice and drill.

[psilocin]

+1 for an arc blow video. Or anything else you can find in welding textbooks. The science behind welding is super interesting.

[TheChronicle]

My job is currently moving my position from machine operator to stick welder, I have small mig and tig experience but I’ve never stick welded before, they said they will teach me but any outside tips or advice anyone is willing share definitely helps! I’m not nervous but I want to impress my superiors with more that I could know before hand, although it doesn’t give the physical skill I’d absolutely love to know more before going in to it.

[matthewpflugh]

Wow I learned so much from this video. I work on a farm and been here on this farm for 7 years. We do alot of welding. I had no clue how to but I really wanted to learn this skill so I just started to do fence repair and hard surface sweeps. No one really ever taught me how so I was having issues with some of my weld's sticking or staying together. Everything I fixed eventually came apart. But I never gave up. I'm working on a gate right now and I have to do it right because it's a big deal if this gate fails. So I looked up videos on how to weld and here u are. I didn't even know about the puddle until now. Thanks for sharing

[DennisTapfumaneyi]

These videos are super useful ...all the way from Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 thanks Tim

[-DIYPRO-]

Chipping the slag is so satisfying. Great video, now I have some practice to do this weekend!

[PaulThomas-qovy]

Practice, Practice, Practice! Thats what I need to do! I Used to weld 3 processes as part of my profession, but slowly worsening vision made me nearly blind by early 2023. The last good welding I did at work was early 2018. I kept dabbling with it at home & medically retired summer 2019. Thankfully I got insurance for the eye Dr., got laser treatment for both eyes in Dec.2023 & am much improved in vision! I have old SMAW welding rods & tried welding again with mixed results. I could definitely see better but am still fighting a lazy eye that won't accurately focus in the same place.
Mainly I should do what you did in this vid. & burn up lots of rods on flat plate to blow out the cobwebs, knock the rust out & get my groove back. I think it's kind of like trying to ride a bike after 15 years of not riding. Very wobbly & ugly, but quickly getting better & nicer, sturdier welds! When I can afford it, I need to buy fresh rods too! Thanks Tim for your timely, helpful vids. Paul from S. Central Tx..

[andrewford]

I've never welded in my life but you make me feel like I could :)

[rustygear]

I was genuinely afraid of stick welding since my previous exprience with it was disastrous. Your videos gave me the courage to not give up and by the time I got really better.
Thank you for making it affordable even for the unskilled people.

[JacobyBrown]

Great video thanks for posting, I am in welding school and I've been watching your videos the they really help reinforce what I am Learning. Right now I'm struggling with 2G and need all tue help I can get. Thank you again 👍🏾

[sellorapao]

Thanks for the video. Been practising for a day and getting better

[RyanSmith-vznz]

@TimWelds your content has consistently been the most helpful to this beginner welder, thank you! I have a question about safety, apologies if this was mentioned somewhere I haven't seen yet... I see you leaning on your welding table, and you're certainly not the only one. I realize electricity follows the path of least resistance and the ground clamp should "pull" all the current away from your body, but do welders sometimes get shocked this way? Wouldn't it be safer to put a plank of wood or some other insulating material on the table to isolate you from any potential stray currents? Similar question about holding the electrode with your glove...you're near a table that is now a ground, so I don't understand how this is safe. Appreciate your thoughts/opinions. Thanks!

[amcustomfab]

Great video as always... Love the new lighting set up as well looking good

[mr_robot_]

Thanks Tim for all of your videos! This one will come in handy for my welding class later today. I have been having problems with running straight consist 7018 welds.

[ivanmykhailov]

Yeah! Welding is mostly practice, Great video, Tim. Stick drill, mig drill, tig all these drills are crucial ;)

[fastbusiness]

The arc shot beginning at 8:33 is the best I've ever seen of the weld bead being formed. It's an especially clear view of the molten metal coming off the rod and flowing into the weld pool.

[todayletsbuild]

Great video. I have to spend a weekend soon and go through a few pounds of 7018 and get some arc control back. ( I have an essential tremor that makes me loose muscle memory fast). Right now I am about to go down the arc blow rabbit hole, see you on the other side..

[justintasht]

Fantastic video as always and I will be giving these tips ago this weekend big thanks for your help and advice 👍👍

[tedbastwock]

Tim, I enjoyed this very much, really like this content. I would have liked to see that last T joint cut in half to see whats going on on the inside. IK thats not typically done for production, but some guys do it anyway. Thanks for all your videos, truly a treasure 🙏

[donaldhalls]

Great instructors, thanks for sharing, all the best to you and your loved ones