7018

[shenion]

Yes, the slag bubbles up and looks horrid at times. The welds are nice.

I'd try heating them up, mine were easier to use after cooking them in my rod oven.

 

[Gosh14]

and the slag never seems to curl up like a scorpions tail, much rather use a good quality mild rod.

Actually when "tail" isn`t happening then it means you doing something wrong, usually amps are not set properly. The "tail" of slag on low hydro rods is a sign of proper weld. But 2 manufacturers doesn`t have this feature: BOHLER FOX and ESAB OK48. Other benefit on them rods is that you no need to spend hours with a grinder trying to get mirror preparation of your weld for next run. You have to do so for poxy AC rods like 6013 otherwise it won`t penetrate the fillet weld making a pore around tiniest bit of slag on the root weld, brrrr. 7018 melts them bits like a chocolate in a microwave. It works both for fillet and cap welds. So 7018 in number one!