Hand welding, also known as stick welding, uses a welding rod with a flux coating to melt and fuse steel together. Different flux coatings are used for specific types of steel and applications. Hand welding requires more individual skill and control than wire welding, which uses a cylinder of shielding gas to protect the weld. Welding techniques vary depending on the application and require different styles, speeds, and equipment.
Hand welding is a type of welding that uses a welding rod set in a holder which is used to melt two pieces of steel together. It is more commonly known as stick welding and is often referred to as a buzz box due to the telltale buzz the welder makes when it is turned on. The welder uses AC, alternating current, or DC, direct current electricity to melt and fuse steel together.
A solder rod is covered with a flux coating. This coating melts when the rod is burned into the space between the two pieces of steel. This flow creates a shielding gas to help bond the two steels.
Hand welding uses different flux coatings designed to work with specific types of steel and welding applications. Amperage is increased or decreased in hand welding depending on the thickness of the steel and the intended uses of the welded product. Unlike manual welding, wire welders often use a cylinder of shielding gas which is applied to the weld area by the welding gun. The gas is needed to protect the fresh weld from contamination from both the atmosphere and any contaminants on the steel itself, such as oil or paint.
In applications such as shipbuilding, manual welding techniques would be different from those used in high-rise construction. While the practice of joining two pieces of steel appears to be the same, there are differences in the welding speed, rod and flux used, as well as general styling methods. In one application, one welder may use a weaving style that involves a single pass of weld, while another may require the welder to make a succession of beads, overlapping and overlapping to complete the job.
There is also more individual input to hand welding than other forms. Hand welding relies on the skill and experience of the welder to move the hands at the correct speed towards the weld to keep its puddle of an even size. This technique also requires the welder’s hands to move forward to control the speed of the weld. The welding equipment used for wire welding, however, can be set to control the rate at which the wire is fed into the puddle, the rate of shielding gas used to protect the weld, and the heat range used to create the welding.
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