Welcome to the forum Boz... I was a Navy welder too... But an Airdale
I think for the most part your right.
Both Low hydrogen electrodes like E7018 and Iron powder electrodes like E7024 are run with a "drag" angle in the flat and horizontal fillet position.
The difference is that the low hydrogens such as E7018 electrode is designed to be run with a 10-15 degree drag travel angle whilst the Iron powders like E7024 are designed to be run with a 40-45 degree travel angle. The more radical angle is why it is referred to as "drag rod" The extra thick flux in combination with the core wire burned inside of it create the perfect arc length when the rod is laid down at that 45 degree angle.
Trying to run E7018 with a 45 degree drag travel angle will result in an oblong weld pool, less than optimum penetration and probably lack of fusion in fillets.
Hello all, I've sat back and observed the various posts regarding this topic for a fair time now. MY TAKE: the use of the term drag rod is possibly a matter of symantics(hope I spelled that right). Much of the information that I have ever read will describe a manner in which to progress a weld. Use a push technique, Use a drag technique, oscillate the rod, drag the rod. One person's perception of drag rod would be referring to running E7024 electrode, start the rod, lay it against the surface of the material to be welded, let go of the stinger, walkoff and the rod will weld itself until it either shorts the stinger out or reaches the unshielded portion of the electrode wire and sticks until it turns redhot and melts off. To me, drag indicates a steady dragging of the rod as the weld progresses, but doesn't necessarily indicate allowing the rod to physically touch the material. Just my $.02, I hope everyone else has had as much fun with this topic as I have in reading all of the posts devoted to it. Regards, aevald