Beginner's Guide to SMAW by Sean Daniel Slattery

What Is Shielded Metal Arc Welding?

sdsaddress — 2024-10-25 17:15:37 UTC

Summary: Certified welding expert and instructor Jeff Grill goes over the fundamentals of stick welding and what you need to get started while touching on some advantages and disadvantages of the process.

Reflection: Grill gives a detailed look into the general info and knowledge one needs to understand SMAW. He explains the difference between straight and reverse polarity while also taking time to explain electrode classifications and what role the flux plays in a welding electrode.

Citation: Grill, Jeff. “What Is SMAW (Stick Welding) & How Does It Work?” Weld Guru, 4 Jan. 2024, weldguru.com/smaw-welding/.

Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.

What Does Stick Welding Look Like?

sdsaddress — 2024-10-25 17:19:34 UTC

Summary: The YouTube channel Weld.com goes over some basics in electrode classification and demonstrates what it's like to weld with common electrodes in various polarities.

Reflection: Stick Welding 101 is a great example of what it looks and sounds like using SMAW. It's chock-full of info on electrodes and provides a baseline example of what one should and shouldn't do when stick welding. The video also covers the most common types of electrodes used in the workforce, including E6011 and E7018 electrodes.

Citation: Weld.com. “STICK WELDING 101: Getting Started With SMAW.” YouTube, YouTube, 15 Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MKuUICV6-c.

Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.

Welding Positions and Joints

sdsaddress — 2024-10-25 21:27:01 UTC

Summary: Welding Positions and Joint Types from the Red-D-Arc website shows and explains all the different types of joints and describes the four positions that welders use.

Reflection: Welding Positions and Joint Types serves as an introduction to very basic welder terminology and positions and joints. These include flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions. The blog also covers fillet weld joints and groove weld joints.

Citation: Red-D-Arc. “Welding Positions and Joint Types: 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, and 6G.” Blog.Red-d-Arc.Com, Airgas, 26 Mar. 2024, blog.red-d-arc.com/welding/welding-positions-joint-types/.

Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.

How To Identify/Fix Discontinuities

sdsaddress — 2024-10-25 21:49:37 UTC

Summary: In Weld Discontinuities from the Earlbeck Gasses and Technologies website, examples of discontinuities in welds are examined, as well as how to prevent/reduce the number of discontinuities in your welds.

Reflection: This is a quick and dirty resource for all types of weld discontinuities and the way they can occur. The blog also provides ways of preventing discontinuities in your welds by thus improving the quality of the welds you produce.

Citation: Earlbeck.com. “Weld Discontinuities.” Earlbeck Gases & Technologies, 8 Sept. 2022, www.earlbeck.com/welding-blog/weld-discontinuities#:~:text=A%20discontinuity%20is%20a%20flaw,defect%20and%20must%20be%20repaired.

Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.

Electrodes

sdsaddress — 2024-11-26 19:22:31 UTC

Summary: Welding Rod Types from author Peter Germanese on the Red-D-Arc website covers basic electrode classification and breaks down how to decode electrodes and how to identify electrodes based on physical characteristics.

Reflection: Welding Rod Types is ripe with information on how to properly read electrodes and identify them. The blog post also points out six commonly used electrodes in the welding industry and expands on their unique properties.

Citation: Germanese, Peter. “Welding Rod Types: What Are They and Their Various Uses?” Red-D-Arc, 15 Dec. 2023, blog.red-d-arc.com/welding/welding-rod-types-uses/.

Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Joint Preparation and Tips

sdsaddress — 2024-11-26 19:23:22 UTC

Summary: The webpage Joint Preparation on the wcwelding.com website goes in-depth on how to prepare joints to be welded together properly and offers tips on how to prepare joints depending on the thickness of the metal.

Reflection: Joint Preparation is an invaluable resource for welders looking to learn about the five different joints and can offer tips for welders if they want to make projects on their own. This is a critical skill in the welding industry that requires accuracy and patience.

Citation: “Joint Preparation: How To Prepare Metal For Welding.” WcWelding.com, www.wcwelding.com/joint-preparation.html.

Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

sdsaddress — 2024-11-26 19:25:32 UTC

Summary: Written by author Emily Newton, The Ultimate Safety Guide to Welding PPE covers the hazards of welding processes and explains the required personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to weld safely.

Reflection: Newton has done a fabulous job of covering all the hazards one will face when welding, regardless of the process used. She also points out the proper PPE needed to keep someone safe while welding.

Citation: Newton, Emily. “The Ultimate Safety Guide to Welding PPE.” ISHN RSS, ISHN, 12 Oct. 2022, www.ishn.com/articles/113480-the-ultimate-safety-guide-to-welding-ppe.

Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Common SMAW Mistakes

sdsaddress — 2024-11-26 19:30:51 UTC

Summary: Application Specialist Kim Francis lists seven potential mistakes or problems you may face when stick welding in her article on thefabricator.com. Francis also explains potential fixes to these problems that will improve your technique.

Reflection: Dissecting 7 Common Stick Welding Problems can help someone new to SMAW learn how to improve their skills and understand why a weld goes wrong or fails. All seven of these are common problems welders face, most notably having issues striking an arc and fighting arc blow.

Citation: Francis, Kim. “Dissecting 7 Common Stick Welding Problems.” The Fabricators, The Fabricator, 21 Aug. 2021, www.thefabricator.com/thewelder/article/arcwelding/dissecting-7-common-stick-welding-problems.

Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.