Curious about the choice of the wire: figured you were outdoors, probably not Solid Wire but Flux Core - and if so, was it gasless or with a cover gas?
Only reason I ask is ......there is sometimes conversation(s) around here re impact properties and indeed a oven fresh 7108 like Excaliber will provide these, but productivity reasons & we are getting to learn & observe the cover gas flux core (nickname in these parts is dual shield but that is not what the mfg calls it) - although plenty of ESAB Core 8 & Lincoln 223 [gasless flux core] has gone thru the LN25 wire feeder.
The cover gas version has shown some behavior with undetected whilst welding but unveiling of the slag showed some serious termite damage what with worm tracks and porosity - sometimes blamed on the wind, sometimes the stick out, could be a bad tip etc etc.
When a given weld is in a location that a grinder wont resolve - this to me is nightmarish. On the other hand: Recent work nice weather and outdoors with CO2 [as opposed to more expensive Ar/CO2 blend] and a machine with an inverter power supply had very good performance (luck? LOL) with cover gas flux core.....but the image of those fugly weld looms in me mind.
All that work thinking measuring cutting and fitting/grinding and rigging/clamping and then the weld is sized perfect with no defects like undercut etc ..... and the porosity appears with that type of weld wire, can be heartbreaker.
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Your job showed some really nice work to get that finished result. Appreciate your time to make this post & comments on these weld wire questions. Thanks in advance!