Clean connections, ground/stinger, heat 90-120 amps on the miller NT 250, polarity was stick positive and is what did the welds above which are not too bad for an inexperienced amateur.
If I use the high end of that setting, the penetration and heat is unreal with 1/8" or 5/32" 7018, it will blow right through thin material with this machine, but you can strike and re-stike this electrode and weld smoothly especially in position all day long with correct heat.
The one thing about these electrodes I have noticed, to re-strike, you have to take the electrode off the stinger, rub it on something rough, knock off the slag on the end, without knocking off too much flux, there is always a coating of slag on the end, it will act like you have no ground, same happens if you arc out on the first strike with a fresh rod, take it out of the stinger, tap or rub off the thin layer of slag and it will re-strike, correct heat and arc distance + all the other correct habits make a big difference, now I can strike and re-strike without losing the arc, and don't waste any part of an electrode. I'm not sure what the pro's do, but on larger jobs, they burn complete electrodes and don't re-strike in the middle, I would imagine the electrodes vary by MFR., but these lincoln electric electrodes always leave a thin layer of slag on the end, one tap and it will re-strike.
Vertical is no doubt harder to learn with 7018, too much heat the puddle can drip off, too little it sticks, but for any easily accessed repairs around the farm, shop, or home, in position looking over the work, if you have enough range on a machine I would think 7018 would be no problem to learn and become satisfied with the results. I've done the trial and error and went through all the sticking, re-strike etc., good learning experience, but once finding the heat range this electrode works well with, all those problems went away.
Thin material is tough for me still with this electrode, really have to be careful, a quick spot weld, then let cool, repeat, works for some things, but on that note, also time to learn to use an electrode or another method better suited for the purpose, as this electrode does not do well without lots of heat.
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