If you don't mind, here's a little tidbit of history on the old Airco E7016.

In the 60's, my chemical company bought ONLY Murex E7016. Our "standard tests" were 2" sch80 & 5" sch 80, low/hy all the way out and radiographed to ASME Sec. IX (EXX10 electrodes weren't allowed for root passes until 1975). Well they quit making (we couldn't get it and were told it was no longer being produced) it in about the late 60's so we switched to Airco. BAD NEWS! I kid you not, the 1/8" was a porosity making phenomenon. Lot after lot was tested by our Welding Engr. Dept. and disgarded. Nobody could trust it, so subsequently, it was literally outlawed from our site (over 250 welders). Welding Engineering switched us to the Linclon E7018's and we actually had better luck with making satisfactory welds in the test booth and in the field then with the Airco E7016!

Airco E7018 could be found at the site during the following years but it's attributes never overcame the sigma of the E7016!

Years later after I became a memeber of the Welding Engr. Dept., I always got a kick out of walking into a contractor's shop or my own company's shops and just by watching the arc reflections off the walls, could tell which one of the two Linclon E7018 electrodes was being used. One had a "strobe" type light pulsation and the other didn't. Few welders liked it because the core would burn back further in the flux coating before the flux would catch up, thus causing the strobe or pulse effect. It had not effect on the weld quality (some complaints during overhead work), just somewhat visually distrurbing (arc) for some of the welders to run.

Many welders swore by the Atom Arc E7018. McKay did not enjoy near the following as Linclon or ESAB at the site of the local contractor shops.