Recommended Guide for Shade Numbers
| Miscellaneous Welding | Recommended Guide for Shade Numbers | |||
| Operation | Electrode diameter inches |
Arc current, amps |
Minimum Protective Shade |
Recommended Shade Number |
| Shielded metal arc | < 3 | < 60 | 7 | — |
| 3-5 | 60-160 | 8 | 10 | |
| 5-8 | 160-250 | 10 | 12 | |
| > 8 | 250-550 | 11 | 14 | |
| Gas-metal-arc welding |
< 60 | 7 | — | |
| 60-160 | 10 | 11 | ||
| 160-250 | 10 | 12 | ||
| 250-500 | 10 | 14 | ||
| Gas-tungsten-arc | < 50 | 8 | 10 | |
| 50-150 | 8 | 12 | ||
| Air-carbon-arc cutting |
< 500 | 10 | 12 | |
| 500-1000 | 11 | 14 | ||
| Plasma-arc welding |
< 20 | 6 | 6-8 | |
| 20-100 | 8 | 10 | ||
| 100-400 | 10 | 12 | ||
| 400-800 | 11 | 14 | ||
| Plasma-arc cutting | < 300 | 8 | 9 | |
| 300-400 | 9 | 12 | ||
| 400-800 | 10 | 14 | ||
| Torch brazing | 3-4 | |||
| Torch soldering | 2 | |||
| Carbonarc welding | 14 | |||
| Plate thickness, in. | ||||
| Oxyfuel welding | < 1/8 | 4-5 | ||
| 1/8-1/2 | 5-6 | |||
| > 1/2 | 6-8 | |||
| Oxyfuel cutting | < 1 | 3-4 | ||
| 1-6 | 4-5 | |||
| > 6 | 5-6 | |||