re: OB welders - I want a welding machine

Some stick rods are easier to weld with than others. You need to read up on them. The digits in each rod number represents something. (6010,6011,7018,7024 ect). Then there are the stainless rods, some are best for stainless to stainless and others stainless to carbon, they're pricey

First 2 digits represent tensile strength, third represents position (1 is all position) 4 represents position and or coating iirc.

One advantage to stick over mig and Tig is that you don't need gas. You can mig with self shield flux core but if you're teaching someone how to weld I would go with a good stick machine. A spider monkey can be taught to mig weld, you set the machine and pull the trigger.