Welding Rod: A colloquial name of electodes/filler metal used in SMAW process.
A welding rod is a colloquial name given for the electrode which also acts as a filler material in SMAW process. Here, the flux coating over the elcetrode provides the necessary shielding required for the weld pool from the atmosphere whereas in the GMAW & GTAW processes, an external gas shielding is required. But the length of the continuous weld bead is restricted to the length of the welding rod.
There is no “best” welding rod. The type of rod selected varies with the material being welded and the type of welder used. One cannot use the same rod for stainless as for aluminum. For mild steel with an old fashioned AC stick welder, I like 7014 rod. Any other combination and I’ll pick something else.
In arc welding, an electrode is used to conduct current through a work piece to fuse two pieces together. Depending upon the process, the electrode is either consumable, in the case of gas metal arc welding or shielded metal arc welding, or non-consumable, such as in gas tungsten arc welding.
For a direct current system, the weld rod or stick may be a cathode for a filling type weld or an anode for other welding processes. For an alternating current arc welder, the welding electrode would not be considered an anode or cathode.
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