Stick vs Flux Cored Welding for Hobbyists: Which type of welding is better for you?

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[-DIYPRO-]

I started stick welding and when I moved to flux I thought I'd never go here I am many years later and I have more stick welders than flux! Many applications for stick, It's like driving manual, everyone should learn just in case. Great video! 👍

[cytmjkh]

I have too much blue-collar blood in me to be content at my desk job - so decided to specialize my skills with welding. I visited a couple of training institutions and then consulted with my family. Decided to not go with the institutional training due to the multi-thousands of $$$ in cost and other expenses. I'll purchase a welder / table / vice / tools / helmet and get to practicing and following Tim's advise in his videos. Thanks for the work you do in producing these. Greg (garden grove, CA)

[jvazquez]

I was once in a situation that I had to weld very thin material, I think it was 18 gauge or maybe thinner. Had no wire and I did had some 1/16" 6013 rods around. They solved me the problem. Never thought it was possible to wel that thin metal, wasn't easy but doable.

[carters]

My vote is for a TIG rig for the hobbyist. You can TIG weld in a closed garage without all the fumes or throwing sparks all over your vehicles that may also be parked in said garage. You can also weld steel and aluminum with TIG (assuming you spend a little extra for an AC/DC machine). Lastly almost every TIG welder can also double as a stick welder as well for when you need to weld in a place where you can’t rely on argon shielding.

[fetus]

I have to say, for a guy like me thats welded a couple times in HS shop class 940+ years ago), in other words I know jack squat about it ...Youre very informative for total noobs like myself. I get enough information watching your videos to be Dangerous now :) You are a good teacher mate, ive learned more from you in a couple videos than i have from years worth of watching other people on this platform . I appreciate that, and hopefully by next year, with some practice and more video watching ill be able to repair the motor bike frame i want to fix ... It has the Scariest welds ive ever seen, , even myself being a blind gimp could do better im sure, i wont ride it until its repaired . I have a few projects for welding and want to do it myself.. So thank you for all the information, tips and tricks youre offering here . Cheers mate .

[mike-ypuk]

For me learning the different types gives more opportunities

[teeflo]

I’ve been trying to answer that question for myself for over a year now. well, job done! thank you TW. 👍🏼👍🏼

[ssztmol]

Tim. You are the BEST Teacher for welding. Basic instruction and everything I wanted to know.

[paulj]

Keep up the fine work. I just received my Prime Weld MIG160. Fwiw.. It is dual voltage, comes ready to do Flux, Stick, and MIG. Now if Amazon would deliver my welding mask I could start practicing.

[JWWaldschmidt]

I'm glad you brought up data sheets - great advice for any welding electrode that you're unfamiliar with. Pull the manufacturer's data sheet off of their website and familiarize yourself with the product before welding.

[justintasht]

Fantastic video great explanation of both processes big thumbs up 👍👍

[IRV]

Super great video bro! Im a straight beginner and this is very helpful. Keep being thorough, i know it takes a lot of effort to
Make these videos but they definitely help!

[jamesrock]

I thought that I've made a bad decision to pull the trigger on a flux core machine to weld floor panels on my car. Good thing I picked the right one.

[hectorportillo]

Thanks Tim! As usual your videos are very very informative.

[Commut]

The classic setup of a stick machine (I prefer used transformer machines for shop use because they're inexpensive and nearly indestructible) for thick work like building your welding table, work benches and equipment repair and a small wire welder (preferably MIG capable even if it runs FCAW initially) for sheet metal like auto body (countless body shops have ~100A wire welders) is tough to beat starting out.

Stick has reach advantages (both the electrodes and running longer welding cable, including using jumper cables in a pinch since the electrons don't care!) and is more versatile since you have vastly greater filler selection including cutting rods (though they're not much better than wet 6011 IME), rods for aluminum etc. You can switch much quicker than fighting wire spools.
FCAW works well outdoors and has much less waste than stick rod stubs.


One trick you can do if you score a suitcase feeder is power it off your (suitably stout!) stick power source. Lincoln used to sell a CV conversion box but many welders self included have run suitcase feeders like my old Hobart Heftys straight off a DC stick machine. I did that welding the roof sheet metal for my shipping container shop because lifting my power source that high then putting it away each time would have sucked.


Just because you're a "hobbyist" doesn't mean you can't read up on industrial machines then score them cheap, often cheaper than new budget gear! I'm just a mechanic who welds but most of my machines are industrial and other than the weight (I choose not to care and have some light portable machines too plus OA) they're glorious. Industrial transformer machines fell out of fashion for many shops because they use a lot of juice (not an issue hobby welding unless your hobby has eight hour shifts every day) and modern inverters have many cool features. Industrial inverter machines happen to be VERY expensive when they break while transformer machines can have very high outputs but cost less than a new inverter circuit board, like my Miller 340A/BP I snagged for 250 bucks because the seller didn't know it would work off single phase (I downloaded the manual from Miller and knew otherwise, always score the tech data!). It does 540A out which I'll likely never use and has a delightful stick and TIG arc.

[maxnine]

Great explanation of Flux welding, thanks Tim for your posts very helpful believe me thanks again

[mick]

Awesome video ! Finally at the point where I need a welder to fix my atv plow which broke a weld. Been wanting to get into welding for a long time. Time to buy one and fix my own thing. Hard to pick one. I see amazon has some cheapys that people like

[End_It]

I was 7 yrs old, my uncle said here’s what you need to do.
It was an old Lincoln stick welder.
By the time I was 8 I built a little trailer to pull behind my manual lawn mower without a deck on it.
Pushing 40 and bought a flux welder and threw it out shortly after.

Give me a stick welder and I’ll make about anything you want

Oh…forgot to add that I caught my winter coveralls on fire shortly after the beginning but hell…it’s a good way to learn what not to do…🤟🏼

[hectorportillo]

I just did my first weld just by watching your videos. I WELDED IT HELDED! Lol

[djpenton]

Very recently I sold my 120v flux core welder, and bought a multi-process welder. My goal is to do MIG, but I don'y have the budget for a gas bottle and regulator right now. So I decided to try stick welding. After just a short time practicing with 6013 and 7014 electrodes, I much prefer stick welding. It may have been brand of flux core wire I use, but the smoke from flux core really made it hard to see what I was doing. Visibilty is much better with stick (for my setup anyway). I also find it easier to see the work angle with stick as compared to a wire feed torch. And, if I bend the electrode down a bit, it seems easier on my shoulder than trying to get the wire feed torch at the right angle. Hot start makes it pretty easy to strike an arc without sticking. I am a bit surpised at how quickly you burn through an electrode, but so far that'sthe only minor downside.