Stick welding electrode holders let welding operators control the position of the electrode during stick welding tasks. Also known as stingers, the holders connect to a stick welder that supplies current to the electrode. An arc is struck between the electrode and the workpiece, and the heat from the arc melts and fuses the workpiece material and the electrode material to create a weld. The flux coating on the electrode shields the weld pool from airborne contaminants as the electrode melts. Stick welding does not require shielding gas and can be used in windy outdoor areas. It has fewer parts and is more portable than MIG (metal inert gas) and TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding. Also called shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), manual metal arc welding (MMAW), and flux-shielded arc welding, stick welding can join most common alloys and metals, and it can even weld dirty or rusty metals. It uses consumable electrode sticks, so it is ideal for short welding tasks.