Ironworker welder here. Been doing it for some time now, but I'm always looking into how to be better. Professionals never stop learning and perfecting. I appreciate your guidance brother.

This man is an absolute blessing to the welding community

After I retired from the Army, I took 2 semesters on welding. Best thing I ever did. We watched your videos in class many times and I spent a lot of time watching your videos over the last 3 years. They have really helped me develop. I am still very much a noob, but I can actually weld projects now. I own a TIG/Stick welder, plasma cutter, and have an oxy/fuel torch setup in my shop. I purchased your 'TIG finger' set and am glad I did. Whenever I need some instruction, tips, or tricks, I refer to your videos. Thank you again for what you do for the welding community. I finally subscribed.

I’ve gotten qualified to many weld procedures in my lifetime and traveled everywhere with my welding ability yet still enjoy watching another professional explain the business. I’ll never be without my welding equipment and I’m certain that you sir feel the same way. Keep up with your always informative videos and passing the torch to the next generation of weldors. No pun intended.😂

I love your videos, I'm 15 and I am about to do a fabrication and welding apprenticeship an your videos are helping me so much, thanks heaps I'm your number 1 fan haha👌🏾

Thanks for the awesome videos Jody.... I welded a bunch in the 70's and early 80's then changed professions and went back to it in the oilfield in the spring of 2008... wow, all the 20 year old contract welders really gave me a hard time and I ended up getting stuck on a burn table operating a automatic gas pattern torch making piece parts for the truck welders in the shop. Got laid off in 2009 when the "boom" slowed down and haven't worked since due to health issues... The welding profession really changed a lot in the off years of my experience. The new age welders seem threatened by my presence and it shocked me to be honest... Strange times!

These videos are a godsend to someone that's 6 months into their welding journey. Thank you.

i have a Lincoln AC 225 that my dad bought back in the 80's then traded off for a boat and the friend he traded with gave it back to me for nothing a week before he passed still works great just put a new stinger on it and cleaned the dust and rat nests out of it plus i still have the boat dad got for it i know my dad and his friend are up there looking down and smiling that i get to enjoy both of them of course the welding part is thanks to you and a few others putting up video's so i could teach my self

Hey Jody, You have nothing to be ashamed of regarding your videos and the content you show! I have been lurking for quite some time, and don't recall ever making a comment, but as a welder fabricator for the better part of 40 years, I would attend your class if you were to do so! I have been certified in every facid of welding there is. Light gage, structural, rebar, pipe, ferrous, and non ferrous, wet welding, (underwater for those that don't know) even underwater tig! Had my own business as a welding contractor, yes I was even licensed!!! Joined the Ironworkers local 433 in Los Angeles, then transferred to 377 in San Francisco where I got injured, (twice) and have been on full disability for some years now! It's been suggested several times that I should become an instructor, but don't know if I could take on such an endeavor at this stage of my life! That being said, I appreciate you being out there, and even though I don't agree with everything you've posted, I have still learned a great deal from you! Pat yourself on the back, as your doing the trade a great and valuable service! Enjoy your holiday's and wishing you a prosperous new year! Respectfully, Ray, aka: Razor!

I’ve been welding for 40 years. Now I’ve bought my retirement farm and find my skill handy all the time.. one thing about getting older is that you need to go back and listen to the guys who do it for a living OFTEN! I’ll be in the middle of lambing season and forget to clean the mill scale or spray on some anti spatter or find myself running the rod I have instead of the rod I SHOULD be using…because the job is always changing and the materials and machines improving. Thanks for a great video, I always need to improve.

Your experience is invaluable, and generally emerges through your ramblings, no apologies needed. You make a real difference in people's lives sharing the way you do, whether it's prepping for a test, or just help someone weld something properly. Merry Christmas from Australia!

Every time you talk you are saying something informative; that's not rambling! Thanks for the tips; really appreciate you and the time you spend educating the rest of us.

Been welding for 30 years, you do a fabulous job!! Would make a great instructor!

I always tell people "I do plumbing and HVAC-R work, I'm no welder but I do know how to do a little but of welding." I'm going to take my cert test for my current company soon thanks to your videos (along with some on the job experience.) Thanks a lot for these vids! You're doing God's work buddy. Us mechanics are a dieing breed but have faith in the next generation. - from a 24 year old who loves not having 100k in student loans and actually enjoys his job.

I've been 6G for 20+ years, I've been doing tig roots to 300mm pipe for a 10 hour shift all day, so why am I in bed watching this? What I do know is this Chanel is the best on KZfaq if you are learning.

I appreciate the way you start your arc. I do this because u showed me. I work for trucking terminals doing maintenance so I had to learn to weld with a stick. I weld mainly dock plates and dock bumpers on a regular. I like my job because it's something the Lord has blessed me with. I appreciate these videos and there are not many that can articulate like yourself. Good job.

Thank you for your effort to help us amateur welders!

8 years on, thanks for the tips, I'm using stick so much more now and really appreciate your videos for the detailed differences between the different rods. Thanks a lot for your help over the years and enjoy those glasses of wine with your family, Merry Christmas. Michelle : )

I busted my hump for 2yrs as a Welder's Helper aka Gopher. Go-for this, go-for that...up & down 8 flights of metal stairs WE were installing in an 8 story parking garage; partnered with mf'in Dory. This young man had the memory of a goldfish so that meant I'd go down/up those stairs 8 times before lunch the 1st couple days until I wised up & put everything in a 5gal bucket then carried that up ONCE! "Smarter, not harder." The boss, my mentor liked my mindset & because I proved my value I was so fortunate to be taught on the job, in real time, by a mentor how to weld. 💕I love it! I worked for him a total of 6.5yrs until my substance abuse got the better of me & he let me go. That was my wake up call. I'm proud to say I'm 13+ months sober & putting my life back together, this time on a solid foundation. Today I realized 🤔 💭 I miss welding. This was the 1st channel I found in my search & I subscribed after watching your 1st video. Safe to say🪝I'm hooked. 😁 Thank you for lighting that spark in me again! 👩🏼‍🏭💥 "Baby 💪🏼Hercules" 💋🩶

I have been using my Lincoln 225 for almost a half century. It was my Dad’s and mom bought it for him used back around 1973. I used it this evening for a project my brother in law was working on. No question on its durability.

With schools closed due to the virus and online school being used instead, my manufacturing teacher is having us watch these and take notes as we are unable to actually practice at home

Jody, Thanks for all your welding videos. They were very helpful when I was going through my welding program. I was able to become a welding instructor for just a little while and passed some of your feedback to my students. Thanks for all you do with giving back to the skill to others.

Love your videos, been fabricating for 35 years. Mostly stick and tig. Pipe, structural and ornamental. Obviously you are a great welder. Your teaching demeanor is great. Will look forward to seeing future videos. Thank you for your efforts

I’m 64 and after 45 years in the industry had to give it up due to the icd implant they put in my chest. Miss it it something terrible. Nice to see a video by someone that really knows what they’re doing. Nice job.

Hey Jody ! Another year of great video and learning ! Hoping you and your family a Happy and safe Christmas.

I jut want to say thank you for taking the time to make these excellent videos. I think they are really helpful for guys like me who want to learn but don't have the opportunity or money to take a class. Your videos are a good mix of instructional and entertaining - and the rambling and rabbit holes are actually appreciated. Thanks again.

Buzz boxes have become a fairly rare breed here in Oz these days. I reckon your videos hit the mark very well. Not in the least boring and I find them very informative. Your TIG series helped me out quite a lot when I was beginning it, still got a ways to go, but you helped get me on the path. So thanks for that...

Am welder 2 years in self taught and I can’t say how much this video has helped me on my stick welding front!

G'day mate... I've watched many of your videos... you're an exceptional teacher and passionate about what you do...hat's off to you... thanks for sharing. Peter Sutherland Australia

Great videos on this site. I was school trained 25 years ago but spent all that time MIG welding. These videos really helped me get back into stick. Thanks guys for making such good videos. Very informative even if you have been trained, so many things you forget over the years.

New Subscriber , 15 years in a fab shop,15 in the field. I don't think that the arc welder will be replaced in 30 years. I'm a journeyman fitter and a journeyman welder.i weld mostly high pressure pipe as I am Union Boilermaker .the arc welder ,I think is not going anywhere . You root and hotpass tubing , it's nice to cap them fast with the arc welder,and it can reach places that a mig or tig cant. U know your self, that there's less consumables with arc. Your not climbing in and out of a Coker or heat exchanger 50 times chasing gas lines and whatnot . Love the channel

Way back in my early days of welding I worked at a relatively small company and he had a slew of old Lincoln Buzz Box welders that we used for everything less than 200 amps. One of the good things about how they only had a few different settings was you learned what you could do with that setting and also that it was exactly the same setting you had yesterday and last week and last month.

2019 still watching jody!! I have learned so much from you man and you have helped me numerous times to past my weld tests. I wish I could do a 1 on 1 sesh with you. Thanks again jody:)

Absolutely excellent video! I am looking to get into stick welding. Been using gas and mig for quite a few years, so I'm hoping it's not too hard a learning curve. I look forward to watching more of your videos

Second to none tips and tricks! Greetings from Brazil.

Love your welds brother. Your work reminds me of a scholarly poet crafting a verse.

Have been watching your vids and would like to thank you for very informative and well presented instructional videos. I have always enjoyed fabricating what ever l needed in the work shop,but now the quality of my welds has really gone to the next level,good feeling seeing the slag curl up and basically drop off,,,,,so thanks Jody,,,,,,regards Warren from AUS

Merry Christmas to you too. By the way, your videos are always very instructional, to the point, and I like, as you call it, the rambling; although to me it is the passing on of your experience,

I'm new to welding & been out in my shop practicing with a 220Amp Lincoln Buzz Box stick welder. My brother is a 30 yr veteran welder so he's teaching me. You're video is just fine by me. Thankya for sharing!!!

Wow, Christmas is right around the corner once again. Funny timing, Merry Christmas 6 years later!

Thanks for your expert tips! I'll get myself a stick welder, the inverter type and get cracking at it. I'm a woodworking guy, but woodwork in Thailand is not the best solution due to termites. So now I want to make stuff around the house in tube metal. Again thanks here from SE Asia!

Thank you for the video, I appreciate all the detail you went into. I'm learning on 6010 DCEP right now and thinking of getting a much smaller type of AC120V-powered stick welder to practice. I can't afford these machines quite yet, but I learned a lot about the process as you went into the nuances of the different arcs. 💥

Jody was the only way I figured out how to weld aside from reading and practicing. I started welding at 27 as a hobby, now I'm a full time certified aluminum tig welder and owe Jody a lot for all his videos. Cathodic etching lol only Jody- thanks brother

You have no reason to apologize for your "so called" rambling; it is part and parcel of the charm of your instructional style. More to the point, you are actually quite concise; ie, you pack a lot of useful information into your videos which means, that in fact, you are not really much of a rambler at all. Rather than describing yourself as "rambling", you could more accurately call your style "folksy". Whatever the case may be I certainly find you consistently informative and enjoyable. Steve in Seattle

Man you can lay those beads straight as an arrow. Nice job Jody keep up the nice work, I enjoy your vids. Pidge.

Thanks Jody, Looking forward to your next video. Thanks for what you do, I am better at welding because of you. Best, Crabby

I wish you were my high school welding teacher lol I would of paid attention. Ten years later I finally learnt to weld stick and I love it, it’s men like you who make welding easier and fun and love the old school attitude of always learning and teaching. Thank you so much.

Been mig welding for years and tried my grandfathers buzz box. It was to hot or to cold and ac only. Found a used stickmate for a good price and been happy with it ever since!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You and Your Family!!! I'm a ClockSmith and studying Watch repair so welding doesn't come up very often except for hobby applications. I enjoy your video's because it's relaxing to learn about another technical field without obligation to make a living at it. Question: I have a Hobart Mig 175 which I love, can I use it for Stick and what Sticks work best for mild steel welding. Sometimes the Mig has trouble welding on Windy Days. Al Takatsch

Still watching in 2019 and in 2020!

Been an iron worker for 25 years always used a Miller welder generator and I'm still learning more tricks of the trade

Your skill may be welding but your God given gift is teaching. That you possess both is a tribute to your character, knowledge and experience. The ability to hold attention of a student, simply for the sake of that student, is that golden fleece that educators strive to capture. Obviously you project through your videos and mannerisms something that may have eluded you and may have suspected. Suspect no more. You Sir are a teacher with a rare credentials.

Thank you so much, I couldn’t figure out why the rod sticks some times

This was really helpful, I've been enrolled in the Fortis College welding program here in Georgia for a month now. I had some issues using 7018 today but after hearing the amperage you were set at, it raises the question. What reason would instructors have a student run a 90-95 Amps?

Great video Jody.Been welding for about 40yrs.and enjoy watching your videos.Recently picked up a miller dynasty 180 tig welder.You're videos help me a lot(your never to old to learn)Your second to none.I look forward to your videos every week.Merry Christmas to you and your wife.

Jody, you are my man for information on welding. You take the time to explain and present different welding techniques for us. So many people get hung up on their way of welding and sometimes forget that what they do is not the only way of getting things done. Thanks for sharing and stay safe out there.

7024 (rutile high iron powder) is good for long fillets when severely hungover; strike the arc and doze off. . . .

Was that a left field reference to a cheapo fishing reel I heard or is there a Zebco welder? Here I am absorbing some welding wisdom and then a sudden 30 year flashback involving tangled piles of mono-filament line and many colorful metaphors. You really gotta warn a guy before doing that.

Lifelong hobby welder with all the bad habits. Thank you for all the simple, necessary welding instruction to make it more fun and better welding.

I'm taking a welding and metal fab class and I finished all my mig projects and now I have to do the same projects on Stick. Very helpful video man.

when welding I noticed u wernt doing any circular or moon like motions... can u just do straight welds and it come out looking like the circle type bead?

How would you recommend welding 1/2" plate to 1/8"? Any help appreciated

Very nice video. I really enjoyed it. I'm a retired railway welder and now my grandson is following my steps taking welding at a local college. I'm sending him your videos. Thank you !!

New subscriber here, and I must say that all your videos I've looked at so far I've found to be very practical, illustrative, and well paced. I'll be checking them out as time goes by, especially since I'm in the process of learning MIG welding now that I have a Miller-Matic 35 that my dad used for decades before he gave it to me. I'm just an amateur with a lot of "seat time", and stick welding is where my experience has mostly been because more than 20 years ago I bought a Miller AC/DC 225 which I've used a bunch (it's not the same one as in your video, but the older boxy, upright model with the crank on top and the amperage indicator on the front). It has industrial-style cable plugs, which brings me to my point. I know that in the case of this video, I'm late to the party, but since it's about choosing a first welder I thought of another consideration that could matter to some people. None of these machines (I'm sure this is true of all hobby-style machines these days) give you enough cable to reach a reasonable distance (like with repairs on large machines or in different areas of the shop). In my situation, I bought that Miller AC/DC 225 for my own hobby work at home but ended up using it a lot more for projects at my place of work, and I was so glad for those industrial-style cable plugs! I ditched the 10-foot ground cable and 12-foot stinger cable that it came with and fitted it with industrial-grade cables that are 40 and 45 feet long, with a better-quality stinger too (the more rugged stinger doesn't get hot and uncomfortable to hold after extended non-stop use like most hobby-grade stingers do). The ability to make use of long cables when necessary can be a game changer if your jobs are not all right there on the workbench, and for any new welder who might face that situation, I recommend hunting the used market for an older machine that uses plug-in cables. And as is pointed out here about transformer machines, they last forever with minimal care (I've literally got thousands of hours running that little Miller machine), while I am not convinced that anything that has modern electronics inside can be genuinely reliable in the long run (I've seen way too many electronic devices fail, long before they ever get "old").

When you stick weld 6011 or 7018 I noticed it looks like you are almost just dragging the rod. I was tough in school which I graduate in Dec 2016 to use a c motion horizon but, on my root on a tee joint I have trouble getting the weld on the top plate. Also, I think I am using to much of a c motion cause, it won't stay uniform and, 6011 is messy. What is your advise.

Imagine waking up and walking into that room

I welded the seat and fender support back onto my Tank Mini Sport today, and this video helped a TON. I welded it last year and the weld broke after six months or so. Now I think they'll hold up for much longer. Thank you for this video. You rock!

I sure do appreciate you making such nice clear welding videos. I was a job-shop machinist, that did whatever came in to do...everything from cutting down and welding up driveshafts for cars & pickups and farm equipment to making injection molds for machine-gun turrent mounts for helicopters. Most of my early life, from about 7 years old on up to about 12..my Dad taught me how to weld with an oxy/actelyn torch & a wire coat hanger...I, not realizing there was such a thing as electric arc welding, which i began learning in the 7th grade. Past that I, pretty much, taught myself. I would take my breaks watching the booksellers run passes. Get tips from the old journeymen and became a pretty fair cross trained tool and die maker/welder. When it came to the point that everyone that welded had to be certified by the FRA...I was told that the company felt better about my welds than they did concerning the ones that WERE certified. All this write-up isn't patting myself on the back...its telling the average Joe, if you Care...if you want to be the best at your craft...if you want your product to never break-down...apply yourself...110% !Aspire to continually learn! Never think you know it all! My Dad, God rest his soul, always said..."The day you DON'T learn something, is the day they throw dirt in your face!" God designed us to learn...and we will till we die! THANK YOU FOR SHOWING US HOW TO DO THE CRAFT THE PROPER WAY. And God bless you!

Avoid the el-cheapo buzz-box stick welders made in China. Spend the money on a Lincoln AC225 and upgrade your electrical system to support a dedicated 50amp welder circuit. Then if welding is something you really want to get into, then upgrade welders. Better to make a $150 mistake on a used buzz-box Lincoln than a $500 mistake (is my best welding tip as a beginner welder).

"turn the machine up hot enough that when you hold a tight arc it wont stick". Yes, great advice

Thank you for this. It answered at least one of my questions when you mentioned rubbing the flux along the base metal. I'm a mechanic so I don't weld much and I have been doing that and wondering if I was doing it right.

Am I the only one that likes hearing "AC/DC" ??

what confuses the hell out of me is the throwing around of all these different numbers for rods. would someone please do a video on just the rods and make it simple, like rod , amps , application etc. thanks

Hi Jody......I've done alot of welding in my life but realize there's a million things I still don't know.....welding can be like a bottomless pit when it comes to techniques/types of metal/the science behind it......your videos and the way you present it cut through all the confusion especially for the beginners out there..I just now subscribed..keep up the good work....Christopher in Tucson AZ

I gotta say Jody, you are awesome. A great teacher and welder. I have been teaching myself to TIG with my big old Airco 3A Heliwelder, and these vids have been very helpful. These are also good vids for brushing up on stuff if you've not done it for a while, for instance overhead stick welding. Thank you!

This video is the best stick welding video I have seen so far. After learning by my self for a month. Clearly, explained, instructional and helpful. weldingtipsandtricks Thank you for this video.

I have many practical skills but welding is entirely new to me and I'm using it as part of my hobby (restoring classic cars). I just want to thank you for this video as I made quite a mess with my first attempts on my practice scrap pieces and then I saw your channel and I have improved greatly in a short time. I've recently been informed that I should learn MIG welding if I want to cut down on outside labour so I am hoping you have some videos on that. I look forward to learning more from you. Thanks :)

Burnt up the Lincoln Red box switching amperage with it running, the Miller Thunder has been working great, but dirt daubers got in the vents & shorted that machine out, was able to clean it & taped window screen material over the vents. Learned a few years ago that the reading glasses helps one see the bead, yep welded a few years thinking I had lost it, but was not seeing it. Thanks for the post.

It's all good digger, I've just started a course for tig,mig,braze and stick all the info is good and you don't sound like a drag in most demo's so cheers cobba.

Great video. I am planning on getting back into welding soon. Got my 2 year AS in welding back in December 2013, but haven't touched welding since. Thanks for the review tips and I'll be watching more of your videos in the future.

I really appreciate your videos I've been what I would call a blind , lucky welder not much knowledge but luckily did ok really can't afford to get in a class and to late in the game for me but just wanted to let you know your videos are my classroom and your a dam fine teacher easy to understand and follow, keep it up great job looking forward to seeing more.

Your tie ins on the corners are awesome. You are definitely the best welder I have seen on you tube for versatility and skills. Keep the vids coming

Just watching this helped the first welds I tried today not turn out total crap. Thanks Jody, enjoyed every second!

I'm a beginner and I find these videos helpful. I have been struggling with my angles and watching your vids have definitely helped. Keep them coming

I started mig and stick class in August 2018. Still love it almost 2 months later. First time in my life I look forward to class.

Just started teaching my kids how to weld this year. I picked up the little Everlast 140ST for under $300 and it has been working great. The 110v works but you don't get a lot of range in amperage, so i built a little 220 pigtail and steal the dryer outlet when we're going to put down some beads (long enough to get in the garage or outdoors). This video is super timely because of the excellent arc shots and it's always great to hear an expert explain it vs. someone that's probably got less than 30hrs over an arc in his life. Hoping to get a bottle of argon and my girls and i can learn TIG together, haha! Thanks again for all the videos and have a wonderful and relaxing Christmas with the family!

Hey, well done! I really like the little asides like about filing the stick a bit between passes or striking to start in a spot you will then weld over. Excellent work!

Hi Jody, I'm 69 yrs. young and have been an on again off again 'buzz box' welder most of my life. Now I've got the itch to take it a lot further. The videos that you make are incredibly good and never boring. I can't help but think of you as a friend. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !

I've been learning to stick weld on the job. Picked a couple great tips from this video. I think I've had my arch too far out. Thank you! Very helpful! Btw those are some outstanding looking welds. Your skill really shows.

That was a very helpful video, I just started the process of teaching myself stick welding. My father gave me his old stick welder (SIP Weldmate 75) it seems to work well with the small 1/16" electrodes but does not seem to have the power to jump up to the 1/8" or even 3/32" which my dad had lying around too. After watching your video I would like to give the Everlast model a shot but before I get too carried away I think I am going to keep practicing with the 1/16" rods and the cheap little welder my dad gave me then once my ability improves I am going to move to the next one up. Like I said the video was very helpful and informative and I really enjoyed watching it.

These videos, with your comments, are excellent. Many thanks.

I welded for the first time in my life 3days ago & the welder at work was surprised what he seen Wish I could post a picture. But I know a lick about welding. I couldn’t tell you what is used for what to use to weld this or that, but that what has me here today.

Thanks Jody... always enjoyed watching your videos. I"m an ex-welder ... oilfield welding shop and a gas pattern torch burned me out on it. Don't even own a welder anymore... but may get a dual process here before too long. I miss the ability to burn some steel together every now and then.

My powerarc stick welding skills have gotten so much better after watching your videos.

Hey man, just have to say i really like your videos. Very informative, very instructional. I went through a very detailed welding course in my industrial maintenance school and learned quite a bit, but i'm no professional. Your videos though are keeping me on the right path. thank you very much. Keep em coming and merry Christmas.

I teach welding and watch your videos to get a different perspective or a Different way to explain a concept when some one just isn’t grasping the idea. You a very good job explaining your topic in an easily understandable manor, and the content is quite good. Keep it up!

Welcome to the New Year. Excellent video. I'm retired and working on my second career as small engine tech. I have been involved in mechanic s many years but never welded. Always had my friend do the welding when needed. I have been getting a lot of cracked decks and support s on lawn equipment. The metals are not thick on parts so I don't want to warp anything. I'm going to invest in a welder which will accommodate my needs. I do pick up things easy when it comes to mechanical.

I am learning stick welding at the moment, and was practicing running beads. I tried a really really close arc length, more than I had usually been doing. I am not sure if it is correct or not, but it ended up feeling as if the rod was cutting through butter, as if it was smooth, and it was really easy to control because I did not have to focus so much on actually hovering above the work piece. It felt really good, hard to describe, but I started searching about arc length and stuff, and ended up here. Jody mentioned he could feel the flux moving over the base metal, and I felt that too. But one of the key things was besides those random flux moments, it felt like it was gliding along very smoothly. The welds looked very nice and consistent and uniform (I tried it with both 7016 and 7018). One of the things I noticed was it was a lot less bright, sometimes hard to see, but if I let off just a teeny bit it would raise it enough to light up the way. Is this what I should be aiming for? It felt really really nice and smooth, and natural.. I am hoping it is, because it felt really good and natural, and a lot lot easier than what I have been doing previously. Any comments? Cheers

Great video. This will help me out. I have my dads thunderbolt which is about 45 years old and still works great. Never needed repair yet, it is pretty growly but welds good. It has burned a lot of rod over the years, a LOT.

your videos hit right on, i was a welder in the power plants on steam piping over 30 year, and a AWS CWI for 12 years tell i retired. the part about stuctural welding was right on i thought it was harder then pipe at times.your heat was set to hot for me but every welder has a different comfort spot. i thought the tranformer welded better. bet you can tell im old. get DC so you can use low hydrogen rod.