The purpose of this lesson is to give an overview of technique before we focus on each of these elements individually in the following sections and exercises.

The Start
Each weld is started by striking an arc, which is basically touching the end of the electrode to the workpiece. This produces a small spark which ionizes the air which allows electricity to flow over the gap to form an arc. It is usually best to strike an arc ahead of the start of the weld so that you form the weld puddle at the start of your joint and weld over any marks produced during the arc strike.

The Run
While running a weld, there are 3 things to pay attention to: arc length, rod angle and movement. Arc length is the distance between the end of the electrode and the workpiece. Rod angle is the angle between your workpiece and your electrode. Movement will depend on the type of electrode you are using, your joint configuration and welding position.

The Finish
When finishing the weld, it is best practice to pause for a moment to allow metal to fill in the crater that is left by the weld pool because this can be a weak point in the finished weld.