Welding Reference Chart
Stick electrode codes and amps, rod drying, preheat, MIG wires and settings, shielding gases, TIG tungsten colours, weld symbols, lens shades and process numbers.
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Typical starting settings - always check the electrode or wire maker's packet and run a test piece.
Stick (MMA) electrodes
Coating and current - the last two digits
| Last 2 digits | Coating | Current | Arc / use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | High cellulose, sodium | DC+ | Deep digging arc - pipe root runs, dirty steel |
| 11 | High cellulose, potassium | AC or DC+ | As 10, runs on an AC set |
| 12 | Rutile, sodium | AC or DC- | Medium penetration, gap bridging, sheet |
| 13 | Rutile, potassium | AC or DC+/- | Soft arc, light penetration, neat finish |
| 14 | Rutile + iron powder | AC or DC+/- | Faster fill, easy slag |
| 15 | Low hydrogen, sodium | DC+ | Crack-resistant welds, DC only |
| 16 | Low hydrogen, potassium | AC or DC+ | Crack-resistant welds on AC |
| 18 | Low hydrogen + iron powder | AC or DC+ | Structural and pressure work - keep dry |
| 20 | High iron oxide | AC or DC+/- | Flat and horizontal fillets |
| 24 | Rutile + heavy iron powder | AC or DC+/- | Fast flat fillets, drag technique |
| 27 | Iron oxide + iron powder | AC or DC+/- | Deep flat fillets |
| 28 | Low hydrogen + iron powder | AC or DC+ | Fast low-hydrogen flat fillets |
Common electrodes
| Electrode | Type | Current | Positions | Use it for | ISO 2560-A (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E6010 | Cellulose | DC+ | All | Pipe root runs, rusty or painted steel | E 38 3 C 21 |
| E6011 | Cellulose | AC / DC+ | All | General repair on AC sets, dirty steel | E 38 2 C 11 |
| E6013 | Rutile | AC / DC+/- | All | General mild steel, sheet, gates, light fabrication | E 42 0 RC 11 |
| E7014 | Rutile + iron powder | AC / DC+/- | All | Faster fill on mild steel, good finish | E 42 0 RR 32 |
| E7016 | Low hydrogen | AC / DC+ | All | Structural steel on AC, crack-sensitive joints | E 42 4 B 12 H10 |
| E7018 | Low hydrogen | AC / DC+ | All | Structural, pressure, high-strength and thick steel | E 42 4 B 42 H5 |
| E7024 | Iron powder rutile | AC / DC+/- | Flat, horiz. | Fast large fillets in the flat | E 42 0 RR 73 |
| E308L-16 | Stainless (rutile) | AC / DC+ | All | 304 / 304L stainless | E 19 9 L R 12 |
| E316L-16 | Stainless (rutile) | AC / DC+ | All | 316 / 316L stainless (acid, marine) | E 19 12 3 L R 12 |
| E309L-16 | Stainless (rutile) | AC / DC+ | All | Stainless to mild steel, buffer layers | E 23 12 L R 32 |
| E312-16 | Stainless 29/9 | AC / DC+ | All | Unknown or hard-to-weld steels, tool steel repair | E 29 9 R 12 |
| ENi-CI | Nickel (99%) | AC / DC+ | All | Cast iron repair - machinable | E C Ni-CI 3 |
| ENiFe-CI | Nickel-iron (55%) | AC / DC+ | All | Cast iron to steel, stronger cast iron joints | E C NiFe-CI 3 |
| Hardfacing | Various | AC / DC+ | Flat | Wear surfaces - buckets, teeth, crusher parts | EN 14700 |
Amps by rod diameter (flat position - drop 10 - 15% vertical and overhead)
| Rod dia mm | Inch | E6013 | E7018 | E6010 / 6011 | Stainless | Plate mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 | 1/16" | 25 - 45 | - | - | 25 - 45 | 1 - 2 |
| 2.0 | 5/64" | 40 - 70 | 50 - 75 | - | 35 - 55 | 1.5 - 3 |
| 2.5 | 3/32" | 60 - 95 | 70 - 100 | 50 - 85 | 50 - 75 | 2 - 5 |
| 3.2 | 1/8" | 90 - 130 | 100 - 140 | 75 - 125 | 75 - 110 | 3 - 8 |
| 4.0 | 5/32" | 130 - 180 | 140 - 190 | 110 - 170 | 100 - 150 | 5 - 12 |
| 5.0 | 3/16" | 180 - 240 | 190 - 260 | 140 - 215 | 140 - 190 | 8 + |
| 6.0 | 1/4" | 240 - 320 | 250 - 330 | - | - | 12 + |
Drying and storing electrodes
| Rod type | Re-dry | Hold / quiver | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low hydrogen (7016, 7018) | 300 - 350°C, 1 - 2 h | 100 - 150°C | Once out of the oven or a sealed tin, use within about 4 h |
| Rutile (6013, 7014, 7024) | 70 - 100°C, 1 h, only if damp | Dry store | Damp rods give porosity and a stubborn arc |
| Cellulose (6010, 6011) | Do not re-dry | Dry store | The coating needs its moisture to work |
| Stainless | 250 - 300°C, 1 - 2 h | 100 - 150°C | Porosity and cracking if damp |
| Cast iron (nickel) | 100 - 150°C, 1 h | Dry store |
Preheat guide (CE = C + Mn/6 + (Cr+Mo+V)/5 + (Ni+Cu)/15)
| Material | Typical CE | Preheat / interpass | Rods / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild steel (S275, A36) | 0.35 - 0.40 | None under 25 mm; 50 - 100°C thicker | E6013 / E7018, ER70S-6 |
| Structural S355 | 0.40 - 0.47 | 50 - 100°C over 20 mm | Low hydrogen |
| EN8 / 1045 medium carbon | 0.55 - 0.65 | 150 - 250°C | E7018, slow cool |
| EN19 / 4140 CrMo | 0.85 - 0.95 | 250 - 350°C | Low hydrogen or E312, slow cool, stress relieve |
| EN24 / 4340 NiCrMo | 0.85 - 1.0 | 300 - 350°C | As EN19 - check the heat treatment |
| Cast iron | - | 250 - 400°C, or cold | Nickel rods; cold: short runs, peen, let cool |
| Manganese steel (Hadfield) | - | None - keep under 250°C | Austenitic Mn or 29/9 rods, short runs |
| Stainless 304 / 316 | - | None - interpass under 150°C | Keep heat input low |
| Aluminium | - | 100 - 150°C on thick sections | Not over 200°C on heat-treated alloys |
MIG / MAG
Wires
| Wire (AWS) | EN ISO | Gas | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ER70S-6 | G3Si1 / G 42 4 M21 3Si1 (SG2) | Ar + 15-20% CO2, or CO2 | Mild and structural steel - the everyday wire |
| ER70S-3 | G2Si1 (SG1) | Ar + CO2 | Clean mild steel |
| E71T-1 | T 46 2 P M 1 | Ar + CO2 or CO2 | Gas-shielded flux-cored - all-position structural |
| E71T-11 / E71T-GS | T 42 Z Z N | None (gasless) | Outdoor and site work on thin mild steel (DC-) |
| ER308LSi | G 19 9 L Si | Ar + 2% CO2 or O2 | 304 stainless |
| ER316LSi | G 19 12 3 L Si | Ar + 2% CO2 or O2 | 316 stainless |
| ER309LSi | G 23 12 L Si | Ar + 2% CO2 | Stainless to mild steel |
| ER4043 | S Al 4043 (AlSi5) | Argon | Aluminium castings, 6xxx alloys, crack-resistant |
| ER5356 | S Al 5356 (AlMg5) | Argon | 5xxx and marine aluminium, anodises better |
| CuSi3 | S Cu 6560 | Argon | MIG brazing galvanised and coated sheet |
Settings for mild steel, short arc, Ar + CO2, flat position
| Plate mm | Wire mm | Amps | Volts | Wire m/min | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.8 - 1.0 | 0.6 - 0.8 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 16 | 2.5 - 3.5 | Tack and stitch to stop burn-through |
| 1.5 | 0.8 | 60 - 80 | 16 - 17 | 3.5 - 4.5 | |
| 2.0 | 0.8 | 80 - 110 | 17 - 18 | 4.5 - 6 | |
| 3.0 | 0.8 - 1.0 | 110 - 140 | 18 - 19 | 5 - 7 | |
| 4.0 | 1.0 | 140 - 170 | 19 - 21 | 5.5 - 7 | |
| 5.0 | 1.0 | 160 - 190 | 20 - 22 | 6.5 - 8 | |
| 6.0 | 1.0 - 1.2 | 180 - 230 | 22 - 24 | 7 - 9 | Bevel over 6 mm for full penetration |
| 8.0 | 1.2 | 230 - 280 | 25 - 28 | 6 - 8 | Multi-pass; spray transfer needs Ar-rich gas |
| 10 + | 1.2 | 250 - 320 | 27 - 31 | 7 - 10 | Multi-pass, flat or horizontal |
Shielding gases
| Shielding gas | Process | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Argon + 15-20% CO2 (M21) | MAG | General mild steel - good all-rounder, low spatter |
| Argon + 5-8% CO2 (M20) | MAG | Thin steel and spray transfer, smooth finish |
| 100% CO2 (C1) | MAG | Deep penetration on mild steel, cheap - more spatter |
| Argon + 2% CO2 or O2 (M12 / M13) | MAG | Stainless steel |
| 100% Argon (I1) | TIG, MIG | All TIG welding; MIG on aluminium and bronze |
| Argon + 25-70% Helium (I3) | TIG, MIG | Thick aluminium and copper - hotter arc |
| Flow rate | MIG 12 - 18 L/min, TIG 6 - 12 L/min; more outdoors or with a larger cup |
TIG
Tungsten electrodes (ISO 6848 colour codes)
| Colour | ISO 6848 | Oxide | Current | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WP | Pure tungsten | AC | Balls easily - older AC aluminium work | |
| WT20 | 2% thorium | DC | Long-lasting DC steel work - radioactive grinding dust | |
| WC20 | 2% cerium | AC / DC | Good low-amp starts, thin sheet | |
| WL10 | 1% lanthanum | AC / DC | ||
| WL15 | 1.5% lanthanum | AC / DC | Good all-rounder, thoriated replacement | |
| WL20 | 2% lanthanum | AC / DC | Best all-rounder - steel, stainless and aluminium | |
| WZ3 | 0.3% zirconium | AC | Aluminium - holds a clean ball | |
| WZ8 | 0.8% zirconium | AC | Aluminium, higher current | |
| E3 | Rare-earth mix | AC / DC | Long life, easy starts on everything |
Current and cup size
| Tungsten mm | Inch | DC- amps | AC amps | Cup size | Filler mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 0.040" | 15 - 80 | 15 - 60 | #4 - #5 | 1.0 - 1.6 |
| 1.6 | 1/16" | 70 - 150 | 60 - 120 | #5 - #6 | 1.6 - 2.4 |
| 2.4 | 3/32" | 150 - 250 | 100 - 180 | #6 - #8 | 2.4 - 3.2 |
| 3.2 | 1/8" | 250 - 400 | 160 - 250 | #8 - #10 | 3.2 - 4.0 |
Filler rods
| Filler rod | Use it for |
|---|---|
| ER70S-2 / ER70S-6 | Mild steel (70S-2 has extra deoxidisers - better on dirty steel) |
| ER308L / ER316L | 304 / 316 stainless |
| ER309L | Stainless to mild steel |
| ER4043 / ER5356 | Aluminium - as for MIG wire |
| ERCuSi-A (silicon bronze) | Bronze, copper, galvanised steel, cast iron brazing |
| ER80S-B2 (CrMo) | 1.25 Cr 0.5 Mo boiler and pressure steels |
Weld symbols, lens shades and process numbers
Lens shade (EN 169 / AWS F2.2)
| Process | Current | Lens shade |
|---|---|---|
| MMA (stick) | Under 60 A | 7 - 9 |
| 60 - 160 A | 10 - 11 | |
| 160 - 250 A | 11 - 12 | |
| 250 - 550 A | 13 - 14 | |
| MIG / MAG | Under 60 A | 7 - 10 |
| 60 - 160 A | 10 - 11 | |
| 160 - 250 A | 11 - 12 | |
| 250 - 500 A | 12 - 14 | |
| TIG | Under 50 A | 8 - 10 |
| 50 - 150 A | 10 - 12 | |
| 150 - 500 A | 12 - 14 | |
| Plasma cutting | Under 300 A | 8 - 9 |
| 300 - 400 A | 9 - 12 | |
| Oxy-fuel cutting | Plate to 25 mm | 3 - 4 |
| Plate 25 - 150 mm | 4 - 5 | |
| Gas welding / brazing | 4 - 6 | |
| Grinding / helpers | Clear or shade 2 - 3 |
Process numbers (ISO 4063)
| ISO 4063 | Process |
|---|---|
| 111 | Manual metal arc (MMA, stick) |
| 114 | Self-shielded flux-cored (gasless) |
| 121 | Submerged arc (SAW) |
| 131 | MIG - inert gas |
| 135 | MAG - active gas, solid wire |
| 136 | MAG - flux-cored wire |
| 141 | TIG |
| 15 | Plasma arc welding |
| 311 | Oxy-acetylene welding |
| 912 | Flame brazing |