I think it is a somewhat delicate subject, instructions for cooking on electrode boxes ask for long times and high temperature.
As I needed more insight I interviewed engineer from Selectarc, an electrode maker, and learned how I could damage some electrodes with too much heat, burning the cellulos that is part of the coating.
but, even those electrodes can be dried if they took humidity, simply the heat level is low.
a talk show on that matter would be very interesting.
I think 7018 type can be used without cooking for non critical weld, as long they are not impacted by humidity (and that mean keeping them in a really dry place, even using sillicate bags eventually, the graphite coating absorb moisture very easily.
I have a table with different heat and "cooking/drying" times depending of the electrode type and the base metal
here it is, all in French and celsius, sorry
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6GjQD ... sp=sharing
also, I was said that 7018 and similar can accept 30 hours cooking at 350 degree celsius or 662 F .
Thank you so much btw for those very well made videos, really instructive, I did begun with stick welding about 2,5 months ago, and they helped me a lot . (I am obliged to learn, and find that job fascinating)
BEST REGARDS
EXCUSE MY SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH
