Which rod and how many amps for your plate? Use a 3/32 in rod on 1/8–3/16 in steel, 1/8 in on 1/4–3/8 in and 5/32 in on 1/2 in and up; with E7018 that is about 70–100 A, 115–165 A and 150–220 A. Pick your thickness, rod and position below for your own range.
Checked by Randy Williams, welder for 16 years. Numbers last checked on .
Rod size for your metal
Pick the plate thickness, your rod and the welding position. The answer gives the rod diameter and its amperage range.
1/8 in
E7018 for 1/4 in (6.4 mm) plate
- Amps115–165 A on the amperage chart
- ESAB puts 1/8 in rods on 6–12 mm plate.
- Flat or horizontal: thinner plate in the band takes the lower part of the range, thicker plate the upper part.
Stick welding amperage by metal thickness
Rod diameter from ESAB’s guide for each plate thickness, with the amp range for that rod from the amperage chart.
| Metal thickness | Rod diameter | E7018 | E6013 | E6010 / E6011 | E7024 / E7028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/16 in (1.6 mm, 16 gauge) | 1/16–5/64 in | –no size this small | 20–60 A | –no size this small | –no size this small |
| 1/8 in (3.2 mm) | 3/32 in | 70–100 A | 45–90 A | 40–80 A | –for 1/4 in plate and up |
| 3/16 in (4.8 mm) | 3/32 in | 70–100 A | 45–90 A | 40–80 A | –for 1/4 in plate and up |
| 1/4 in (6.4 mm) | 1/8 in | 115–165 A | 80–130 A | 75–125 A | 140–190 A |
| 3/8 in (9.5 mm) | 1/8 in | 115–165 A | 80–130 A | 75–125 A | 140–190 A |
| 1/2 in (12.7 mm) | 5/32 in | 150–220 A | 105–180 A | 110–170 A | 180–250 A |
| 3/4 in (19 mm) | 5/32 in | 150–220 A | 105–180 A | 110–170 A | 180–250 A |
| 1 in (25 mm) or thicker | 5/32 in+ | 150–220 A | 105–180 A | 110–170 A | 180–250 A |
Quick answers
What size rod for 1/8 in or 3/16 in steel?
3/32 in. ESAB puts that size on 3–6 mm plate; a 7018 that size runs 70–100 A on the chart.
What size rod for 1/4 in or 3/8 in steel?
1/8 in. ESAB puts that size on 6–12 mm plate; a 7018 that size runs 115–165 A on the chart.
What size rod for 1/2 in or 3/4 in steel?
5/32 in. ESAB puts that size on 12–25 mm plate; a 7018 that size runs 150–220 A on the chart.
How many amps to weld 1/4 inch steel?
With a 1/8 in E7018, the chart gives 115–165 A. A welding textbook puts 1/4 in plate at about 110–125 A for that rod: thinner plate sits low in the range.
Can you stick weld thin sheet metal?
ESAB doesn’t recommend stick for very thin metal; TIG suits it better. If you have to, a 1/16 in E6013 runs 20–40 A on the chart.
What rod for 1 inch thick plate?
ESAB’s guide stops at 25 mm (1 in), where it suggests 4 mm (5/32 in) rods. Thicker plate is welded in several passes with 5/32 in or larger rods.
- Rod diameter by thickness: ESAB, “Polarity in Stick Welding: The Basics for Beginners” (2.5 mm rods for 3–6 mm, 3.2 mm for 6–12 mm, 4 mm for 12–25 mm).
- Amps: the stick welding amperage chart from Randy’s guide to welding rod sticking.
- 1/4 in plate example: “Introduction to Welding”, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (CC BY 4.0), section 8.4.
- Your rod’s box or data sheet has the final word for that brand.
Numbers checked on by Randy Williams against the sources below. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Guides behind the numbers
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