How to stick weld your first practice bead
Updated: October 2026
Learning how to stick weld starts on clean scrap, not on the gate, trailer or car you eventually want to repair. For a first bead, use mild-steel plate, a beginner-friendly 6013 electrode and a return clamp fixed to bright bare metal. The goal is to strike the arc, keep it short and travel steadily, not to produce a show joint. If you still need a machine, the formats are on the [welder comparison](/hub/soldering-and-welding/welder). This page is the procedure only. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Learning how to stick weld starts on clean scrap, not on the gate, trailer or car you eventually want to repair.
Learning how to stick weld starts on clean scrap, not on the gate, trailer or car you eventually want to repair. For a first bead, use mild-steel plate, a beginner-friendly 6013 electrode and a return clamp fixed to bright bare metal. The goal is to strike the arc, keep it short and travel steadily, not to produce a show joint. If you still need a machine, the formats are on the welder comparison. This page is the procedure only. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Stated output | Stated thickness | Supply note | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  FEIFANKE FEIFANKE ARC200 stick and lift TIG | 20–200 A | 1.5–6.0 mm | 240 V. One review trips the domestic supply above about 110 A. | 9.3 | about £85.49 | View offer |
| Alternative |  DEKO DEKO 120 A stick welder | 120 A | n/a | 220 V AC stated; plug type n/a | 9.1 | about £33.99 | View offer |
| Best value |  H HZXVOGEN H HZXVOGEN ARC200 stick and lift TIG | 200 A | Up to 6 mm | Seller: intermittent use on a UK 13 A socket; 16 A for continuous full power | 8.7 | about £59.99 | View offer |
On this page
Set the bench before you strike
Clear paper, solvents, fuel, sawdust and anything else that can burn. Spatter travels beyond the bright spot you are watching. Work on a stable metal bench, screen bystanders from the arc, and do not leave hot metal where it can be mistaken for a cold offcut.
Wear a welding helmet suitable for the process, with equipment conforming to a relevant standard such as BS EN 175, plus dry welding gloves and non-flammable clothing that covers your arms. Ordinary sunglasses are not eye protection for an arc. Check the helmet before the electrode is live. Anyone nearby also needs protection from reflected ultraviolet light.
The Health and Safety Executive says there is no known safe level of exposure to mild-steel welding fume. Indoors, use local exhaust ventilation where reasonably practicable, and suitable respiratory protection where that control is not enough. Keep your head out of the plume. Inspect the machine, holder, return lead, plug and insulation. Use only the supply the rating plate allows, with the correct fuse. If protection trips or the plug becomes hot, stop. The welder 13 amp plug guide covers that fault.
Choose a 6013 rod and a starting current
E6013 is a common beginner electrode for mild steel because it strikes relatively easily and the slag is manageable. Keep the rods dry. The packet is the primary guide for polarity and current. Electrode-maker ranges override a generic chart, because coatings differ.
As a practical starting rule, try roughly 60–90 A for a 2.5 mm 6013 and 90–130 A for a 3.2 mm 6013. Those are adjustment bands, not fixed answers. A UK tutorial gives about 110 A with a 3.2 mm 6013 on 6 mm practice plate as a worked example. For thinner beginner scrap around 3–6 mm, a 2.5 mm rod is generally easier and asks less of a domestic supply. Start near the lower-middle of the packet range. If the rod freezes despite a short arc and a clean connection, raise the current in small steps. If the pool becomes uncontrollably fluid or you burn through, reduce the current or use a smaller electrode. Do not turn the machine up to hide a poor clamp. A machine advertised as 200 A can still spend beginner practice at 70–110 A.
Set polarity, clamp position and arc length
Many 6013 electrodes can run on more than one polarity, and the packet and the manual decide. DCEP, with the electrode holder positive and the return lead negative, is a common setup. It is not a universal instruction. Switch the machine off before you change lead connections, then seat each connector fully.
Grind a small area to bright metal and attach the return clamp close to the weld. Paint, rust, mill scale and a loose clamp make an unstable arc. Do not attach the clamp across a bearing, hinge or electronic component. On a practice plate, put the clamp on the same clean piece. Strike the rod like a match, or tap and lift, then bring the tip close. Jasic guidance gives an arc gap of approximately 0.5–1.0 times the core diameter. You are controlling the glowing tip, not the full coated rod. A long arc throws spatter. A gap that is too short freezes the rod. Practise straight beads before you try to join two pieces.
Free a stuck rod and know when to stop
If the electrode sticks, release your grip on the holder handle so you are not wrestling a live rod. Try a quick twist to detach it while keeping your face clear. If it does not come free promptly, switch the machine off and let the rod cool. Do not touch the bare electrode with unprotected hands, and do not rely on an anti-stick feature for every freeze.
After each bead, let the glare settle, then chip and brush the slag while wearing eye protection. Slag left in place hides the bead and can be trapped on the next pass. Change one variable at a time: current, arc length or travel speed. Stop if leads become hot, insulation smells, the holder loosens or protection trips. Do not move from a practice plate to structural brackets, lifting points, pressure equipment or a road vehicle because the bead looks tidy. Never learn on a vehicle with its battery connected. Disconnect it using the maker’s procedure. Thin body steel is not a 6 mm practice plate. If the real work is thin sheet, compare MIG or stick welding before you buy more electrodes.
If the first bead is the only goal
If the scrap is mild steel around 3–6 mm, start with a dry 2.5 mm 6013, the lower-middle of the packet current, and a return clamp on bare metal beside the bead. If the rod sticks, fix the contact and the current before you lengthen the arc. If the job is a car, a lifting point or anything structural, stop and use someone competent. Five controlled beads on one plate are the practice. The repair comes after that, on metal you have already learned.
Common questions
What electrode should a beginner use?
A 2.5 mm E6013 is a practical starting point for mild-steel scrap around 3–6 mm, because it needs less current than a 3.2 mm rod and is generally easy to strike. Use the packet’s polarity and current range, store the electrodes dry, and practise on scrap before you weld a real component. The packet overrides a generic amp chart.
How many amps should I use for 2.5 mm 6013?
About 60–90 A is a useful rule-of-thumb range, and the electrode packet is the controlling guide. Start in the lower-middle of its range on clean scrap, then adjust in small steps. Clamp contact, plate thickness, welding position and the individual electrode all change the useful setting. A poor earth connection is not fixed by a large jump in current.
How many amps should I use for 3.2 mm 6013?
Roughly 90–130 A is a common starting band. One UK tutorial uses about 110 A on 6 mm practice plate, and that is an example rather than the only correct setting. Make sure the welder, the leads and the mains supply are rated for the current and the duty cycle you intend. A 200 A title is not an instruction to set 200 A.
Which way should the stick-welding leads go?
DCEP, electrode positive and return negative, is common for 6013, and it is not universal. Read the electrode packet and the welder manual before you connect the leads. Turn the machine off before you change polarity, and secure the return clamp to clean bare metal near the weld. A clamp on paint is a resistance joint, not an earth.
How do I stop the electrode sticking?
Use clean metal, a firm return connection, the packet’s current range and an arc gap around the rod-core diameter. If it still freezes, raise the current in small steps rather than lengthening the arc. A stuck rod that will not twist free should be made safe by switching the machine off and letting it cool. Do not hold a live, heating electrode by the bare metal.
Do I remove slag before another pass?
Yes. Let the bead settle, then chip and wire-brush the slag while wearing eye protection. Welding over remaining slag can trap inclusions and hide defects. Cleaning also shows whether current, arc length or travel speed needs to change. Change one of those at a time so you can see which one moved the bead.
Can I practise on my car?
No. Practise on separate scrap of similar thickness. Vehicle welding adds thin coated steel, fire hazards, electronics and structural implications, and the battery must be disconnected using the maker’s procedure. If the repair affects structure, or you cannot control those risks, use a competent professional. A tidy bead on 6 mm plate does not transfer to a sill.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings in this set, last checked on 17 October 2026.
- HSE, Controlling the risks from welding (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- HSE, mild steel welding fume bulletin (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- HSE WL3, welding fume control (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- BSI, BS EN IEC 60974-1 arc welding power sources (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- Jasic, TIG DC versus AC (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- The Welders Warehouse, stick welding amps (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- SIP Weldmate Autoplus 130 A (retrieved 17 October 2026)