What are the limitations of Stick Welding?

• Operator duty cycles are low compared with semi-automatic and automatic processes; this makes the cost per pound of deposited weld metal high with Stick Welding
• Deposition rates are generally lower than for other welding processes
• The process is considered to be manual as it is not easily mechanized
• Stick Welding is not suitable for reactive metals such as titanium, zirconium, tantalum, and columbium because the shielding does not prevent oxygen contamination of the weld