Stick welding is still very practical for all kinds of welding. A good 120 amp weld with a 1/8th 7018 rod makes for some beautiful welds as well and structurally very stout. It usually boils down to prepping the parent metal such that it is very clean and then lacing that good rod into the joint. Sometimes it's nice to just have to lay that small rod into a corner without the cup in your way.