ER7018 - How clean is clean enough?

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Most of the steel I work on has been around for a while and shows pitting and rust.  Normally I would use 6010/6011 to weld on them, but a lot of it is pretty thin and I burn a hole through pretty quickly.  I like the 7018 rods, how they work and how they look.  I have used 6013 and 7014 rods before, but they only work on new steel, or at least steel that is clean enough to eat off of.I use grinders and flapper discs to clean the steel, but given the fact that there is a good deal of pitting on the steel, will I still get the same kind (amount) of slag inclusions with 7018 as I would with the 7014s?
Reply:No worries man, hit it with a grinder and weld it up Here's a dirty, rusted, pitted hunk I welded on recently - grind and weld, old 1/8" 7018 at 130-135 amps.Puzzled by your problems with 7014, I've found them to run about the same. Attached ImagesDave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:For the most part I just use a wire wheel on the grinder to clean all the metal I weld with 7018. Get the dirt/rust off and weld it up. 7018 will weld fine over mill scale.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:CLEAN is a relative term when using a 7018, if you can knock the flakes off and start an arc your in bisness!They are a very forgiving electrode and also very versite.Real welders know how to penetrate!(Equipment)Whatever can be used to beat my opponent into submission!
Reply:I was hoping ya'll would say that.  I'm really getting tired of grinding out inclusions.  Takes all the fun out of it.
Reply:You would be surprised how well a chipping hammer hand brush works at times.  Also, just recently, I needed to use some flat bar that was galvanized. I couldn't use a flap disk because it was scarring and leaving a pattern. I sanded it by hand and it turned out like a mirror. Funny how the basic simple things work so well.Nothing Ever Got Done By Quitting, Never Give Up.