Stick Welding Chart: Amp Settings, Rod Sizes & Thickness

A Saturday afternoon repair under a truck frame ends the same way it always does for beginners: the rod sticks to the plate, the metal glows cherry red, and a hole appears where the bracket should be. Nine times out of ten the welder wasn’t the problem — the dial was set by guesswork instead of by the stick welding chart taped to the machine.

What a Stick Welding Chart Is and Why Every Welder Needs One

Picture a farm shop on a Tuesday morning. A gate hinge has torn out of its post, the electrode box holds three different diameters, and the welder’s dial runs from 30 to 220 with no memory of what worked last time. The same scene plays out in school shops, home garages and maintenance bays every day. The fix is rarely a new machine. It is a piece of paper, often printed on the inside of the welder’s door, that tells you which number belongs on the dial.

The Short Answer: What Settings Do I Use?

If you want the answer before the explanation: pick up the rod, find its diameter on the chart, and set the machine inside the amperage range printed next to it for the thickness you are welding. A 1/8 in 7018 running on 1/4 in mild steel plate typically lands around 110–130 A on direct current electrode positive. A 3/32 in rod on 16-gauge sheet drops to roughly 60–80 A. Start near the middle of the range, lay a test bead, then move up or down in 5–10 A steps. That is the whole routine. Everything else here is detail that makes the routine reliable.

What a Stick Welding Chart Actually Is

A stick welding chart is a lookup table that matches an electrode to the settings it needs. It is not a manual for your machine and not a specification for one particular joint. It converts rod geometry and rod chemistry into dial numbers so you do not have to guess or memorize.

Every useful chart carries the same core columns:

• Electrode diameter — 1/16, 3/32, 1/8, 5/32, 3/16 and 1/4 in, the sizes you can buy off the shelf.
• Recommended amperage range — usually a 20–40 A band rather than a single number, because arc length, rod temperature and joint geometry shift the ideal point.
• Compatible metal thickness — the sheet or plate gauge the rod can weld in one pass without burning through.
• Polarity — AC, DCEP (reverse) or DCEN (straight), which changes how deeply the arc digs in.
• Welding position — flat, horizontal, vertical or overhead, since out-of-position work needs less current; our all position welding rod guide covers that column in depth.
• Current type and rod family — mild steel, low hydrogen, stainless or hardfacing, each behaving differently at the same number.

Those columns are a large part of why stick welding keeps its reputation for versatility: one chart, one machine and a small drawer of rods cover repair work from thin sheet to heavy plate, which is exactly the case made in why SMAW still wins in the field.

Who Uses a Chart, and What They Are Really Searching For

The audience is broader than beginners. Hobbyists, welding students rehearsing a performance test, DIYers repairing trailers, farmers fixing equipment between seasons and maintenance welders troubleshooting a cracked bracket all reach for the same table. The dominant intent behind a stick welding chart search is immediate and practical: what amp do I set right now? People want the number first, then the reasoning that explains it.

Where the Numbers Come From

The ranges are not invented. They come from three directions. Electrode manufacturers run application tests and publish recommended bands, and Baker’s Gas publishes a widely used electrode amperage chart alongside rod-specific guidance such as Hobart Brothers’ 7018 amperage guide. Code bodies set the boundaries, particularly around positional welding and low-hydrogen control for structural work. Experienced welders then refine the published range through repetition. When your job does not fit a printed row, Miller Electric’s free Stick Weld Setting Calculator builds a chart-like recommendation from your material, thickness and electrode choice.

The One-Amp-Per-Thousandth Shortcut

Welders who work without a chart lean on a quick estimate: about 1 amp of current per 0.001 inch of electrode diameter. A 1/8 in rod measures 0.125 in, so it starts near 125 A. A 3/32 in rod (0.094 in) starts near 95 A, and a 5/32 in rod (0.156 in) starts near 155 A.

A Starting Point, Not Gospel

Charts describe a typical situation: clean mild steel, flat position, steady arc length, a machine holding its output. Real jobs deviate. A row that welds perfectly on 1/4 in plate can produce a crown, porosity or a stuck rod on 16-gauge sheet, and the same setting changes character the moment the plate sits on a heavy fixture that soaks up heat. Treat every printed range as a range: start inside it, watch the bead, and adjust in small steps. Correct settings are also a safety control, because a rod stuck to work is an electric-shock risk, and OSHA lists burns, eye damage, electrical shock and cuts among the hazards of welding, cutting and brazing operations.

With that framing in place, the next step is understanding what the chart’s numbers physically do inside the arc, and what the markings stamped on the rod itself are telling you.

How Stick Welding Works and What the Chart Numbers Really Mean

A stick welding chart is basically a cheat sheet for heat. But if you don’t understand what is happening inside the arc, the numbers stay abstract — a column of digits you either trust blindly or ignore completely. Once you know what the electrode is doing and what the dial actually changes, the chart turns into a tool you can reason with instead of a rule you have to obey.

The SMAW Process in Plain English

Stick welding is formally called shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), and it is one of the few processes where the tool consums itself while it works. You clamp a metal rod — the electrode — into the holder, strike an arc against the workpiece, and both the rod and the plate melt. The rod becomes filler metal; the plate becomes the joint. As the coating on the rod burns, it does three jobs at once: it creates a cloud of shielding gas that keeps oxygen away from the molten puddle, it leaves a layer of slag over the finished bead, and it cleans the base metal ahead of the arc.

The heat involved is serious. A stick arc reaches temperatures roughly in the range of 6,500°F (3,600°C), hot enough to melt steel almost instantly, which is exactly why a dial set by guesswork can turn a bracket repair into a hole in about four seconds.

Two distances matter more than beginners expect:

– Stick-out — the length of bare electrode between the holder and the arc. It changes resistance, and with it, the current you actually get.
– Arc length — the gap between the rod tip and the puddle. In stick welding this gap is the voltage setting, and your hand controls it, not the machine.

Decoding the AWS Electrode Classification

Every mild-steel stick rod carries an AWS code stamped on the flux. Take E7018 apart and it reads like a sentence:

Symbol	Meaning
E	Electrode
70	Minimum tensile strength of 70,000 psi
1	Can be welded in all positions, including overhead and vertical
8	Flux type: low-hydrogen, iron powder, typically run on DC reverse polarity

An E6013 gives 60,000 psi tensile strength, is also all-position rated, and uses a softer, fast-freeze coating that runs smoothly on AC or DC with a forgiving arc — the reason it is the classic beginner rod. The middle digit is the one welders check first on the job site: a “1” means the rod is genuinely all-position, while a “3” or “4” restricts you to flat and horizontal work. For more on which rod earns that “1” in which situation, see our All Position Welding Rod Guide.

The last digit quietly decides your polarity. Low-hydrogen 7018 coatings are happiest on DC electrode positive, while fast-freeze 6010 coatings are built for the same polarity but behave differently in the puddle. Hobart Brothers’ technical notes on 7018 amperage make the same point from the other direction: the flux chemistry and the current settings are designed as a matched pair.

What Amperage Actually Controls

Amperage is the dial number on the chart, and it drives three connected things:

– Penetration — how deep the arc digs into the base metal.
– Deposition rate — how much filler metal liquefies and lands in the puddle per minute.
– Heat input — the total energy going into the plate, which controls warping, grain growth and how quickly the piece cools.

More amps means deeper, hotter, faster. Too few amps and the rod sticks, the bead sits high and crown-shaped, and the metal never truly fuses. Too many and the arc becomes violent: spatter, undercut, a wandering puddle, and on thin material, a hole.

Voltage is the other half of the equation, but on a stick machine you don’t set it with a knob. You set it with your hand by holding a steady arc length. Stretch the arc and voltage climbs, the bead flattens and spreads, and the shielding breaks down. Jam the rod into the puddle and voltage drops until the rod welds itself to the plate. This is why experienced welders talk about amps on the chart and “hand” everywhere else: the chart gives you current, your wrist gives you voltage.

One more machine term appears in every chart footnote: duty cycle. It is the percentage of a ten-minute period a welder can run at a stated output before it overheats and resets. A machine rated 60% at 150 amps can weld six of every ten minutes. Exceed it repeatedly and the welder throttles or shuts down mid-bead, which looks suspiciously like a bad rod.

Think of the chart as a starting window rather than a verdict. Set the dial inside the range for your rod and thickness, strike a test bead, and adjust — which is exactly what the next section’s master chart is built to help you do.

The Master Stick Welding Chart: Amperage by Rod Diameter and Metal Thickness

Now that the fundamentals are understood, it’s time for the part most welders reach for first: the numbers. A good stick welding chart isn’t a set of magic digits, it’s a baseline to get your arc started before you fine tune it for your machine. For mild steel, the ranges below are the most widely used for flat position welding with common all-purpose rods.

The Go-To Amperage Chart

Before picking a setting, remember that every electrode behaves a little differently. The chart below covers the typical ranges for the rods you’ll run into the most, while also factoring in the metal thickness each size can reasonably handle in the flat position.

Electrode Diameter (in)	Recommended Amperage Range (General)	Typical Flat-Position Thickness Handled	Suggested Applications
1/16″	20–40 A	Thin sheet up to ~0.035″ – 0.048″	Light repairs, sheet metal patches, or very delicate work.
3/32″	40–90 A (6013: 40–80 A)	~0.048″ – 0.093″ (up to just under 3/32″)	Great all-rounder for small brackets, tabs, and hobby repairs.
1/8″	75–140 A (7018: 90–140 A | 6010: 75–125 A)	~0.093″ – 0.1875″ (roughly 11 gauge up to 3/16″)	The workhorse size. Ideal for farm repairs, frames, and general fabrication.
5/32″	110–170 A	~0.125″ – 0.25″	Heavier fillets and plate work, best on mid to larger output machines.
3/16″	140–220 A	~0.1875″ – 0.375″	Structural joints, thick plate, and high deposition passes.
1/4″	200–275 A	~0.25″ and thicker (multi-pass recommended)	Heavy equipment repair, built up passes, and joints requiring deep reinforcement.

Rod Specific Differences To Know

Not every rod of the same diameter shares the same sweet spot. A fast freeze rod will run differently than a low hydrogen one, so it’s worth keeping these differences in mind:

• 6010: Known for its aggressive, digging arc. For a 1/8″ rod, it’s commonly run between 75–125 A. It prefers DC and shines for root passes where penetration is king.
• 6013: One of the most beginner friendly options. Expect a softer arc, with a 3/32″ often between 40–80 A, and a 1/8″ around 75–110 A. Great for lighter material with less chance of burn through.
• 7018: A structural staple. For 1/8″, 90–140 A is the most common range. It favors DCEP, has a forgiving puddle when run correctly, and is the rod you’ll see the most on code oriented work. For cross checking your settings, tools such as the Miller Stick Welding Calculator can be a great sanity check against your chart.

Gauge, Thickness, And Machine Limits

One of the quickest ways to misread a stick welding chart is to guess your material thickness. Charts love decimals and fractions, whilst sheet metal is often stamped in gauge. For reference, 16-gauge steel is about 0.060 in thick, and 1/8 in equals 0.125 in and roughly 11 gauge. Anytime you’re working off of gauge, convert to decimal inches before looking up your amperage. Keep in mind that some references, such as Bakers Gas’ electrode amperage chart, present both values side by side for this exact reason.

Machine output is just as limiting. Most 120 V home stick welders top out around 90–140 A, meaning the vast majority of them can only effectively run rods of 1/8 in or smaller. If you’re wanting to run 3/16″ or 1/4″ rods, you’ll need a much larger machine capable of 200–300+ A to reach their minimums without maxing out its duty cycle. If you’re looking to branch out into other processes in the future, it’s worth reading up on topics such as Aluminum MIG Welding: The Complete Practical Guide to see just how different the amperage windows can be between processes.

Derating, Multi-Pass, And The Amp-Per-Thousandth Rule

There are two scenarios where the flat-position numbers need to be tampered with. Firstly, thin-sheet derating. Anything below around 16 gauge is incredibly prone to burn-through. For these jobs, drop down to a smaller rod (often 3/32″ or 1/16″) and run towards the bottom end of its range. Alternatively, utilize copper backing or skip welds to help wick away heat. For preperation on trickier metals such as aluminum, knowing the proper prep work from something like Aluminum Cleaner for Welding: How to Prep Aluminum Right is just as vital as amperage itself.

Secondly, for anything over about 3/16″, the multi-pass approach is your friend. Rather than cranking a massive rod to its maximum to fill a thick joint, run a smaller root pass, chip your slag thoroughly, and build up with subsequent passes at appropriate settings. This drastically cuts down the risk of lack of fusion whilst also managing heat input.

At the end of the day, no printed stick welding chart will account for every variable on your specific machine. Use the numbers above as your launch pad, test on scrap of the exact thickness and rod that you’ll be running, and tweak from there. A chart gets you in the ballpark, your puddle control is what gets you across the finish line.

Choosing the Right Rod: 6010, 6011, 6013 and 7018 Compared

Every row of amperage ranges in a stick welding chart is tied to a specific electrode, and swapping one mild-steel rod for another at the same dial setting can give you anything from a clean root pass to a glorified doorstop. Four electrodes cover the vast majority of mild-steel stick work in North America: 6010, 6011, 6013 and 7018. Learn what each one does and the chart stops being a reference sheet and starts becoming a tool.

How to Read the Numbers Before You Pick a Rod

Those digits aren’t arbitrary. For an alloy steel welding electrode or a mild-steel rod, the AWS classification decodes the same way: “E” stands for electrode, the first two digits are the minimum tensile strength of the deposited weld in thousands of pounds per square inch, the third digit tells you welding positions, and the last digit indicates the flux coating type and recommended current.

• 6010 — 60,000 psi tensile strength, all positions, fast-freeze cellulose coating, DC only.
• 6011 — Same 6010 core, reformulated to run on AC for machines that can’t put out clean DC.
• 6013 — 60,000 psi, all positions, soft titania coating, runs AC or DC.
• 7018 — 70,000 psi, all positions, low-hydrogen iron-powder coating, typically DCEP.

So the “70” in 7018 isn’t marketing. It’s a real 14 percent strength advantage over the 60-series rods, which is why structural code work leans on it so heavily.

Penetration Profile and Slag Behavior

6010 has the deepest, most aggressive penetration of the group. Its cellulose coating burns off with a forceful arc that blasts through mill scale, rust and even light oil, and the weld pool freezes almost instantly. That fast freeze is exactly what makes it the go-to root-pass rod on pipe and heavy plate — you can push a keyhole and fill it without the puddle sagging, including vertical-up work. The trade-off: a rough, rippled bead, plenty of spatter, and a thin flaky slag that chips off easily.

6011 is essentially the same animal on AC. Farm welders and hobbyists with old transformer machines love it because it burns on machines where a 6010 will wander and sputter. Penetration and bead appearance are close enough that many welders treat them interchangeably.

6013 sits at the opposite end. The arc is soft and gentle, penetration is shallow, and it deposits a smooth, flat bead with minimal spatter. The slag lifts off in satisfying strips, and restarts are effortless — even a crusty rod end will strike up again. That forgiving behavior is why the all position welding rod most instructors hand to first-timers is a 6013. On thin sheet it’s excellent. On heavy plate, it simply won’t reach the root without grinding a bevel.

7018 is the professional’s smooth operator. The low-hydrogen coating produces a quiet, stable arc, very low spatter, and a bead that looks ground down straight out of the stinger. Slag is heavier and slower to cool; chip it while it’s still glowing and it can crack and freeze into the surface. On 1/8-inch and larger rods, the iron-powder-rich coating also makes deposition fast, so 7018 fills joints quicker than any of the others.

Comparison Table: The Four Common Mild-Steel Rods

Rod	Penetration	Polarity	Positions	Slag	1/8 in. Amp Range	Best For
6010	Deep, digging	DCEP	All	Thin, flaky	75–125 A	Root passes, pipe, dirty steel
6011	Deep, digging	AC / DCEP	All	Thin, flaky	75–125 A	Farm repair, AC machines
6013	Shallow, soft	AC / DCEN / DCEP	All (flat best)	Medium, lifts clean	60–110 A	Thin sheet, beginners, tacks
7018	Moderate, smooth	DCEP (AC grades exist)	All (flat/horiz best)	Heavy, glassy	80–130 A	Structural, fillets, cap passes

Notice that at the same 1/8-inch diameter, a 7018 wants roughly 5–20 more amps than a 6013, and it can carry that current with less risk of burn-through because its arc is so controlled. Hobart Brothers’ 7018 amperage guidance and a general electrode amperage chart both land in the same neighborhood, which is why the chart in the previous section gave ranges rather than single numbers.

Base Material Considerations

All four rods handle clean mild steel. Past that, the choice narrows quickly. Rusty, painted or mill-scaled steel belongs to 6010 and 6011. Galvanized stock tolerates 6013 and 7018 fine once the coating is ground or burned back, though the zinc fume is its own hazard. Cast iron is a different conversation entirely — mild-steel rods will crack it, and even dedicated nickel rod work is best treated as a specialized repair. For stainless, aluminum and exotic alloys, you’re outside this chart completely; aluminum in particular usually calls for TIG or MIG rather than stick, as our guides on aluminum MIG welding and prepping aluminum for welding explain.

Practical Pick: What to Buy First

If your welding cart only holds two rod types, make it 6013 and 7018. The 6013 covers thin material, tacks and practice sessions; the 7018 covers anything structural or heavy. Add 6011 when you’re working on a farm or off an AC buzz box, and 6010 when you start running root passes on pipe or plate. Stock 3/32, 1/8 and 5/32 diameters of each, keep them in their original packaging until needed, and let the Miller stick welding calculator cross-check your dial settings when you’re unsure. The right rod, at the right amps, is the whole chart in practice.

Beyond Amperage: Polarity, Arc Length, Travel Speed and Rod Angle

Getting the dial inside the range printed on the stick welding chart is only step one. Two welders can set the exact same 120 amps on the same 1/8 in rod and produce completely different beads, because four variables sit between the machine and the finished weld: polarity, arc length, travel speed and rod angle. Learn to read those four and the chart stops being a rulebook and starts being a tuning guide.

Polarity: The Same Rod Can Weld Two Different Ways

On an AC/DC machine you have three choices, and they are not interchangeable. DCEN (straight polarity) puts the electrode on the negative terminal, DCEP (reverse polarity) puts it on the positive terminal, and AC alternates the current roughly 120 times per second.

Polarity changes which part of the arc gets the most energy. With DCEP, more heat concentrates at the electrode, which speeds melting and gives a stable arc; with DCEN, more heat drives into the plate, which deepens penetration. For the same rod at the same amperage, simply reversing the leads can shift penetration and deposition by 10 to 20 percent or more. That is why a 6010 is normally run DCEP for a forceful, digging arc on root passes, while many 6010 techniques on thin tubing use DCEN to avoid blowing through. Low-hydrogen 7018 rods are designed for DCEP (or AC), and running one on DCEN is a common cause of a rough, unstable arc. Manufacturers publish these pairings for a reason; the Hobart Brothers 7018 amperage guide is a good example of rod-specific polarity and current recommendations.

Arc Length: The Voltage Your Hand Controls

Amperage is set with the dial; voltage is set with your wrist. A tight arc, roughly equal to the core wire diameter, keeps voltage low and the heat focused, producing narrow penetration and a clean bead. Pull the rod away and the arc length stretches, which raises voltage, spreads the heat over a wider area, weakens penetration and starts throwing spatter. A long, noisy, erratic arc is also where porosity comes from, because the shielding gas cloud gets disrupted before it can protect the puddle.

The fix is almost always physical rather than electrical: shorten the arc, do not turn the amps up to compensate for a puddle that will not wet out.

Travel Speed: Where Heat Input Actually Lives

Heat input is amperage divided by travel speed, so the clock in your hand matters as much as the setting on the machine. Move too slowly and the heat stacks up in one spot, the puddle grows, the bead stands up proud and crowned, and on thin material you burn a hole. Move too quickly and the rod arrives before the base metal is hot enough, giving you a narrow, ropey bead sitting on top of the plate with no fusion at the toes, the condition welders call cold lap.

A good target is a puddle about 3/16 in wide with the leading edge just ahead of the rod, and the finished bead roughly one to one-and-a-half times as wide as the electrode is thick.

Rod Angle and Work Angle

Angles decide where the arc force pushes. For a T-joint fillet weld, hold the rod at a 45 degree work angle, split evenly between the vertical and horizontal members. For flat butt welds, use a drag angle of about 10 to 20 degrees, pulling the puddle rather than pushing it, which keeps the gas shield over the molten metal. Lap joints shift slightly toward the gapped member to tie both edges in. Travel angle changes bead shape faster than any dial setting: angle up more and the bead narrows and rises; angle back and it flattens and widens.

If This, Then That: Fast Adjustments

Symptom	Likely cause	First move
Rod sticks to the plate	Amps too low, cold start, or arc too long on strike	Add 5–10 A, strike with a scratch start, shorten the arc
Arc wanders or crackles	Wrong polarity, excessive arc length, contaminated tip	Check leads, snug the arc, brush the arc zone
Burn-through on thin metal	Too many amps or travel too slow	Drop 10–15 A, speed up, or step down a rod diameter
Cold lap / no fusion at toes	Travel too fast or amps too low	Slow down, let the puddle wet to the edge
Heavy spatter and porosity	Long arc and damp coating	Shorten arc, fresh dry rod, verify polarity

These micro-adjustments are exactly what a stick welding chart cannot print, because they depend on your hands and your joint. When in doubt, dial back to the All Position Welding Rod Guide range, weld a test bead, and move five to ten amps at a time. Small corrections beat big ones, and one test pass on matching scrap will teach you more than an hour of reading.

Position Welding and Material Variables: When to Adjust the Chart

Every number on a stick welding chart assumes flat, clean, mild steel on a bench. In the shop or out in the field, that’s rarely the case. A bracket under a frame, a pipe in a jig, or a tank floor overhead all change the way the puddle behaves. The chart should always be your starting point, but knowing when to step off of it is what turns theory into a sound weld.

Out-of-Position Welding: Why Amperage Drops

Gravity is the biggest hurdle when leaving the flat position. In flat welding, the puddle stays put, but in vertical welding it wants to run down, and in overhead welding it wants to drip. To counter this, less heat is needed so that the puddle can freeze before it has a chance to move.

As a general rule, drop about 10–15% below your flat setting for vertical and overhead work, making small adjustments from your bead rather than jumping straight to a new number. For example, a 1/8 in 7018 at 110 A flat will often start closer to 95 A overhead or vertical up. Many welders will also step down one rod diameter out of position for better control. Resources such as the Baker’s Gas electrode amperage chart reflect these differences by listing separate ranges for flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead.

Position	Starting Amperage vs. Flat	Practical Tip
Flat (1G/1F)	Chart midpoint	Use the widest rod the joint allows.
Horizontal (2G/2F)	5% under flat	Watch the top edge of the puddle for sag.
Vertical up (3G/3F up)	10% under flat	Use a tight weave with steady upward travel.
Vertical down (3G/3F down)	10–15% under flat	Only for thin sheet or specific root passes.
Overhead (4G/4F)	10–15% under flat	Step down a rod diameter and keep a short arc.

Not every electrode can handle these positions either. For a breakdown of classifications and their ratings, take a look at our All Position Welding Rod Guide: Types, Uses & Tips before reaching for a rod that isn’t meant for the job.

Material Conditions the Chart Can’t See

Even in the right position, the metal itself can throw your settings off. With a little preparation, most of these hurdles can be accounted for:

• Rust, mill scale, oil, and paint: These contaminants insulate the arc and introduce impurities to the puddle. A wire brush or grinder is almost always required. While a few extra amps can sometimes help with imperfect prep, cleaning will always yield a cleaner, more predictable result.
• Galvanized steel: Grinding back the zinc coating from the joint is a must. Burning it off creates zinc oxide fumes that can lead to metal fume fever. As noted by OSHA’s welding, cutting and brazing guidance, proper fume control isn’t optional for this material.
• Cast iron: This material calls for dedicated high-nickel electrodes, amperage on the lower end of the rod’s range, and slow, controlled cooling to limit the heat-affected zone and cracking risk.
• Stainless steel: Stainless holds heat longer and warps easily. Lower amperage, faster travel speed, and strict ventilation due to chromium in the fumes are all important considerations.
• Aluminum: Stick welding aluminum is possible with 4043- and 5356-type rods, but it’s often more trouble than it’s worth. For most work, AC TIG or MIG is preferred. Success is far more dependent on prep than amps, which is covered in our Aluminum Cleaner for Welding: How to Prep Aluminum Right. For situations where flux-based stick methods are considered, our Aluminum Flux Welding: How It Works and When to Use It goes over where they may fit.

Heat Sinking, Multi-Pass, and Preheat

Thickness and restraint can be just as impactful as position or material. A heavy plate will act as a heat sink, pulling heat away from the joint and making it difficult to get proper fusion. Tacking both ends, clamping the work down, and running a slightly higher setting than you would for thin sheet can help combat this chill.

For thicker sections, avoid trying to fill the joint in one pass. Build it up in layers: a properly sized root pass for the root opening, a hot pass to tie it in, and cover passes kept within the plate’s amp range. This keeps heat input controlled while still achieving full penetration. On heavily restrained or low-alloy joints, preheat is often specified for the same reason, slowing the cooling rate to reduce the risk of cracking.

The real skill is documentation. Position, clamping, coating, thickness, and restraint will all shift the dial from the chart’s ideal. By keeping track of the changes you make and the results you get, your generic stick welding chart will slowly become a shop-specific one tailored to the work you actually do.

Common Stick Welding Chart Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Knowing where to look on a stick welding chart is only half the battle. The other half is avoiding a handful of chart-reading errors that send beginners back to the grinder again and again. Once you can name the error, the fix usually takes ten seconds at the dial.

Mistake 1: Setting Amps by Rod Diameter Alone

The most common error is reading the rod size column and ignoring the thickness column. A 1/8 in 7018 might list roughly 100–130 A, but where you land inside that range depends on the plate. The same rod at 130 A will blow a hole through 16-gauge sheet. Diameter sets your ceiling; thickness decides where you land. The “one amp per thousandth of inch” shortcut is only a starting estimate, because it says nothing about position, joint design, or heat sinking.

Mistake 2: Running the Rod Too Cold

A cold rod is a sticky rod. When amperage sits at the bottom of the chart’s range, or below it, the arc fails to establish, the flux doesn’t fully break down, and the electrode welds itself to the workpiece. Expect a tall, narrow, ropey bead that sits on the metal instead of tying in, plus porosity under heavy slag. A rod that keeps sticking usually means settings too low, a long arc during strike-off, or a cold, dirty workpiece. Raise the dial in 5–10 A steps and clean the mill scale first.

Mistake 3: Running Hot Enough to Damage the Plate

The opposite end of the dial produces its own signature: burn-through on thin metal, undercut along the joint edges, spatter welded to surrounding steel, and, the dead giveaway, thin rods glowing orange along their length. Undercut comes from too much amperage paired with travel speed too fast, which melts a groove the filler never fills. If the coating is discoloring halfway back toward the holder, you are well past the chart’s upper number.

Mistake 4: Wrong Polarity, Wrong Rod, Wrong Duty Cycle

Chart ranges assume a polarity. A 7018 wants DCEP, a 6010 wants DCEN, and running either backwards shifts penetration and deposition enough to change the result completely; polarity can move effective penetration by 10–20% or more. Grab a fast-freeze 6010 for an overhead fillet when the entry you copied was for a 7018 in flat position, and a sagging, irregular bead is guaranteed. The All Position Welding Rod Guide: Types, Uses & Tips explains which classifications are genuinely qualified for vertical and overhead work.

Duty cycle is the quiet one. A machine rated at 100 A for 60% duty will shut down thermally mid-pass if you keep a 3/16 in rod burning continuously at 140 A. Chart numbers describe the weld, not your machine’s ability to sustain it. And welding 20-gauge sheet with a 5/32 in rod is a mismatch no setting can rescue: the deposition rate is too high for the heat the plate can absorb.

Symptom → Cause → Fix

Symptom	Likely Cause	Fix
Electrode keeps sticking	Amps too low, long arc during strike-off, cold or dirty plate	Raise 5–10 A, scratch-start with a short arc, clean the surface
Porosity in the bead	Contamination, arc too long, wind disrupting shielding	Grind off oil/rust/paint, shorten arc, screen the area from drafts
Heavy spatter	Amperage too high, arc too long, wrong polarity	Drop 5–10 A, tighten arc length, confirm DCEP/DCEN for the rod
Undercut along joint edges	Excessive amperage or travel speed too fast	Lower amps slightly, slow down, add a brief pause at the toes
Lack of fusion at the root	Amps too low, steep rod angle, cold workpiece	Move up the chart range, correct angle, preheat thick sections
Slag inclusions	No cleaning between passes, inconsistent travel speed	Chip and wire-brush every pass before restart, hold steady travel
Uneven, crowned bead	Cold setting, wandering arc length, erratic travel	Raise amps, keep a tight arc, practice consistent travel on scrap

Porosity deserves a second look, because the cause is rarely the dial. Slag inclusions come from poor cleaning between passes and inconsistent travel speed, a technique problem rather than an amperage one. Matching the symptom to the right category stops you chasing settings that were never the issue. That habit transfers to other processes too, as covered in Advantages of Stick Welding: Why SMAW Still Wins.

None of these mistakes mean the chart is wrong. It means the chart is a starting point, and the final number is always the one your puddle, your plate, and your machine agree on.

Stick Welding Safety: Protecting Yourself While Using the Chart

Using a stick welding chart correctly does more than improve bead quality; it also reduces risks in the shop or field. Correct settings help prevent the rod from sticking, limit spatter, and reduce the chance of unexpected arc behavior. With that in mind, this section covers key hazards, protective controls, and practical steps to keep you and others safe.

OSHA Hazards: Burns, Eye Damage, Electric Shock and Cuts

Welding, cutting, and brazing expose workers to multiple hazards. According to OSHA, the main hazards include burns, eye damage, electrical shock, cuts, and crushed fingers and toes (OSHA welding hazards). Arc radiation can cause painful “arc eye” or more serious eye injury, while contact with hot metal and slag produces thermal burns. Electric shock is a constant concern with live circuits, and handling metal with sharp edges or falling parts can lead to cuts and crushing injuries.

These hazards reinforce why following a chart to choose appropriate amperage and technique matters: predictable arc behavior means fewer surprises that can result in injury.

Screens, Curtains, Arc Flash Protection and Hot Work Permits

Protecting others nearby is just as important as protecting yourself. OSHA 1910.252 requires welding screens and curtains to shield adjacent workers from arc flash and radiation, and also mandates fire prevention controls such as removing combustibles or covering them with fire-resistant blankets (OSHA 1910.252). In addition, the standard addresses hot work permits and fire watch requirements where ignition risks exist.

Understanding process differences helps tailor controls for the job; for example, methods like air arc welding and carbon arc gouging generate intense light and debris compared to standard SMAW, so shielding and cleanup deserve extra attention.

Ventilation and Fume Exposure

Fume exposure is a long-recognized health risk. NIOSH maintains a welding topic page documenting respiratory hazards and metal fume exposure research (NIOSH welding topic). Adequate local exhaust ventilation or general ventilation is essential, especially in confined spaces or when working with coated materials and certain alloys.

Fume levels and controls vary by material and process. For example, working with specialty steels may call for specific filler metals and precautions (alloy steel welding electrodes), while some high-performance alloys present additional considerations (alloy 20 welding procedures). When tackling different applications, such as alloy wheel welding or AJ marine welding, ensure ventilation is matched to the environment and materials.

PPE for SMAW

Proper PPE forms the last line of defense. Welding helmets must filter ultraviolet and infrared radiation; common SMAW filter shades run in the 10–13 range depending on amperage (OSHA Education Center welding safety guide). Use a helmet that fits well and offers reliable protection. Additional gear includes flame-resistant gloves, a welding jacket, hearing protection in noisy environments, and respiratory protection for stainless or fume-heavy work.

PPE needs can shift across industries and materials. For instance, aerospace contexts (aerospace welding, aerospace TIG welding) and marine work may have specific requirements, and aluminum processes such as aluminum MIG welding, aluminum flux core welding, aluminum flux welding, and aluminum boat welding require attention to surface prep and fume considerations. Surface preparation tools like an aluminum cleaner for welding can reduce contamination but still require proper PPE and ventilation. Training programs (aluminium welding course, aerospace welding school) help build safe habits from the start.

Statistics, Attribution, and Safety as a Control

Welding injuries are well documented across industry sources. For example, Texas TDI highlights common welding hazards and injury types in its training materials (TDI welding hazards PDF). While exact numbers vary by year and source, the pattern is clear: burns, eye injuries, and electrical incidents remain frequent when controls are missing.

One often overlooked control is correct machine settings. Running the chart-recommended range reduces stick-to-work incidents and minimizes spatter, both of which cut down on secondary hazards like slips, burns from hot spatter, and arc flash from repeated starts. This makes settings selection a core safety practice, not just a quality step.

Practical Tips and Context

Develop a consistent workflow: choose electrode and thickness, consult the chart, set polarity per electrode, test on scrap, and adjust in small increments while wearing full PPE. Keep fire protection in place, maintain ventilation, and confirm hot work permits when required.

Don’t overlook position and technique; different rod types and positions affect settings and risk (all position welding rod guide). Also consider process alternatives and their hazards when appropriate (air gas welding, air acetylene welding, air gas welding explained, alpha laser welding). Reliable equipment and supplies support safe operation (Airgas welding supplies, Airgas welding equipment guide, AllGas welding supply, air gas welding supply). If you’re working in a shop setting, knowing local resources or service providers (Alamo welding & boiler works) can help with equipment and compliance questions, and broader steel topics (agar welding and steel) round out context.

Building Your Own Workflow: Practice, Quick-Reference Tips and Conclusion

A stick welding chart only earns its place on your machine once it survives contact with real metal: the rusty trailer hitch, the thin sheet you are convinced will blow through, the heavy plate that eats rods for breakfast. Good welders rarely recite amperage from memory. They follow a repeatable setup routine, read the bead, and adjust. The steps below turn everything above into a workflow you can run this weekend.

The Eight-Step Stick Welding Setup Workflow

1. Identify the material and thickness. Clean a small spot, look at the cut edge, and measure with a caliper if you are unsure. Sheet gauge numbers fall as thickness rises: 16 ga is 0.0598 in, 12 ga is 0.1046 in, and 7 ga is 0.1793 in. Ten-gauge plate is a different job than 16-gauge sheet, even though the rods look identical.
2. Pick the rod for the joint, not the rod in the box. A root pass on dirty or painted steel calls for 6010 or 6011; a structural fillet on clean plate calls for 7018; thin sheet and nervous beginners do best on 6013. The All Position Welding Rod Guide walks through the common choices.
3. Look up the diameter row. Read the recommended amperage band and note whether it assumes flat position and which polarity.
4. Convert gauge to inches if the chart is written in inches. A 3/16 in rod on 14 ga (0.0747 in) steel is a burn-through generator regardless of what the rod size suggests.
5. Set the dial a few amps below the midpoint. If the chart lists 70–90 A for a 1/8 in rod, set roughly 78–80 A rather than 90. Starting slightly cold is far easier to correct than starting hot and putting a hole in the work.
6. Weld a test bead on scrap of matching thickness. A 3-inch bead on plate of the same gauge, same material and similar surface condition tells you more than a long run on whatever steel was nearest the bench.
7. Adjust in 5–10 A steps. Bead sitting proud, sticky arc, or a ropey crown means add 5 A. A flat washed-out profile, heavy spatter, or orange-peel undercut means drop 5–10 A and check travel speed too.
8. Write down what worked. Machine, dial setting, rod and batch, polarity, thickness, position, and a one-line note on the bead.

Step eight is the one most people skip and the one that pays the most. After a few months of jotting entries, you own a shop-specific chart tuned to your machine’s actual output, since a 140 A buzz box rarely delivers the same current as a 250 A machine set to the same number.

A simple log template works fine as a table:

Date	Machine / Amps	Rod	Polarity	Thickness	Position	Result
10/14	Lincoln 180 / 82 A	E7018 1/8 in	DCEP	10 ga (0.1345 in)	Flat fillet	Good profile, slight cold lap at 76 A

Five Habits That Speed Up Progress

• Keep a written settings log. It converts a generic chart into a shop-specific reference you will actually trust, and it makes troubleshooting easier because you can retrace exactly what you did.
• Buy scrap that matches your projects. Off-cuts of the same gauge you repair most often are worth more than a stack of thick plate you never test on.
• Cross-check with a manufacturer calculator. A calculator plus your own log gives the two most reliable starting points for any new rod or material. Hobart Brothers publishes useful guidance too, including its 7018 amperage article.
• Own a small range of diameters. Keeping at least 3/32 in and 1/8 in on the shelf covers most light fabrication and repair work; add 5/32 in only when you have a machine that can run 150–200 A comfortably.
• Store rods properly. Low-hydrogen 7018 especially must stay dry, in a sealed rod oven or desiccant container, or the moisture reintroduces hydrogen and the porosity returns. For less common materials, our notes on alloy steel electrode selection cover the same storage discipline in more detail.

Conclusion: The Chart Is the Starting Point, the Bead Is the Judge

So, back to the question every beginner asks: what settings do I use? For a 1/8 in mild-steel rod on flat plate, most charts land around 90–120 A, dropped roughly 10–15 percent for vertical-up or overhead work, then dialed in with a test bead in 5–10 A steps. The workflow around that number is what makes it reliable: measure the metal, choose a rod suited to the joint, look up the range, set slightly under the midpoint, weld scrap of matching thickness, adjust, and record.

Charts exist because electrode manufacturers and code bodies tested these ranges thousands of times. Your shop log exists because your machine, your arc length, and your travel speed are not the lab’s. Together they are the fastest path from guesswork to repeatable welds. Keep the log honest, keep testing, and let the bead decide. If stick welding has you curious about the broader craft, our overview of why SMAW still wins is a good next read, and when the job turns to aluminum, start with our aluminum MIG welding guide rather than trying to force a stick rod onto it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What amperage should I set for a 1/8 inch stick rod?

A 1/8 in rod typically runs from about 75 to 140 amps depending on the electrode: 6013 often sits near 90–110 A, while 7018 commonly runs 90–140 A in flat position. Start around the middle of the range and adjust in 5–10 A steps based on bead appearance.

What is the 1 amp per thousandth rule for stick welding?

It is a quick estimating rule that says to use roughly 1 amp per 0.001 in of electrode diameter, so 1/8 in (0.125 in) starts near 125 A. It is a starting point only — position, rod type and thickness still require adjustment.

How do I choose a rod for a given metal thickness?

Match rod diameter to the thinnest section you are welding: small rods (3/32 in) for thin or out-of-position work, 1/8 in for general fabrication, larger rods for thick plate and multi-pass welds. Then set amps from the chart range for that rod and thickness.

Which rod is best for a beginner?

E6013 is the usual first choice because it strikes easily, runs a soft forgiving arc and produces a smooth bead on AC or DC. E7018 is the next step for stronger, cleaner structural welds but needs dry storage and consistent arc length.

Does polarity change the amperage I need?

Polarity changes penetration and bead profile, so the same rod can perform differently even at identical amps. Always run the polarity printed on the electrode’s classification recommendation — for example many 7018 rods specify DC electrode positive (DCEP).

Why does my rod keep sticking to the metal?

Usually the setting is too low, the arc was not established cleanly, or the workpiece is cold or dirty. Raise amperage slightly, strike the arc with a quick scratch or controlled tap, and clean the surface before welding.

Should I use different settings for vertical or overhead welding?

Yes. Out-of-position welding generally requires roughly 10–15% less amperage than flat settings so gravity does not pull the puddle out of control, and smaller rod diameters are easier to manage.

Can I use a stick welding chart for stainless steel or cast iron?

Charts for mild steel rods do not directly transfer. Stainless and cast iron use dedicated electrodes with their own amperage ranges, and cast iron often requires preheat and slow cooling. Always consult the specific manufacturer’s data sheet for the rod you are running.