Troubleshooting
Why is my stick welding undercut?
Quick answer
Undercut in stick welding usually means too much heat or too fast travel at the weld toe — the parent metal gets washed away. For this process, slow down and keep the angle tight before touching anything else.
The specific fix
Slow down and keep the angle tight. The general rule: reduce current, slow slightly, adjust torch angle to fill the toe.
Process checklist
- Arc too long — stick wants a rod-width gap or less
- Dragging too fast, leaving thin, weak, undercut beads
- Not chipping and brushing slag between multi-passes — slag inclusions