1. A system for simulating welding activity, comprising: a stick welding tool for a simulated welding operation, said stick welding tool having a simulated stick electrode and an actuator; a spatial tracker which tracks a movement and orientation of said welding tool; a welding coupon; a processor based subsystem operatively coupled to said spatial tracker which receives information from said spatial tracker related to said movement and orientation of said welding tool; and a first display device operatively coupled to said processor based subsystem which displays said simulated welding operation; wherein during said simulated welding operation, said processor based subsystem models a simulated welding surface for said welding coupon and displays said simulated welding surface on said first display device; wherein during said simulated welding operation, said processor based subsystem models a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics during said simulated welding operation; wherein said processor based subsystem models a simulated weld bead based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool, and based on a simulation of the solidification of said weld puddle from a molten state to a solid state; wherein said first display device displays said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, and said simulated weld bead; and wherein during said simulated welding operation said actuator moves said simulated stick electrode such that a distance between said welding tool and a simulated welding tip of said simulated stick electrode is reduced during said simulated welding activity.