Good advice and dialogue on this equipment question. I will file away some of this for my future shop. But there's one item not yet (directly) mentioned here I would put right on top of the shopping list.

OffRodEO, how familiar and/or experienced are you with hands-on welding and fab work? It appears that as you're just becoming familiar with the wide variety of equipment out there maybe you've not done a lot of welding to this point?

Perhaps the first thing on your list should be completing at least one (or more if available) general welding and fab class at a local community college or vo-tec school, if you're lucky enough to have one nearby. If such is not available then maybe seek out someone in the business who could serve as a mentor or teacher who might let you get your hands dirty a bit on the equipment.

Pros: In a community college setting you should be able to play with a wide variety of good equipment and techniques and get solid instruction and practice in all the areas of interest that will allow you to make informed decisions before parting with your hard-earned cash. You'll know the equipment, what it does, how it works and doesnÆt work for your needs and so forth. You might even be able to network toward finding decent used equipment through connections you're sure to make there.

Cons: You will be certain to contract a horrible case of the dreaded ETEL disease. This affliction is of great concern to anyone on this forum and about anyone reading this post most certain already suffers from it. What is ETEL? Why, Extreme Tool and Equipment Lust, of course.

Symptoms of ETEL include sudden swerving of your vehicle toward certain retail establishments, mysterious and continuous draining of the family bank account, chronic maximizing of all family charge card accounts, unexplained hoarding of more and more equipment and materiel in the garage/shop in an ever-accelerating rate. Some victims report a feeling of occasional well-ness washing through them though in more extreme cases it is reported that victims retain a feeling they will never find satisfaction no matter how much they are able to add to their inventory.

Cures for ETEL include sudden swerving of your vehicle toward certain retail establishments, mysterious and continuous draining of the family bank account, chronic maximizing of all family charge card accounts, unexplained hoarding of more and more equipment and materiel in the garage/shop in an ever-accelerating rate.

Other home-made remedies are beginning to surface and many on this forum have concocted their own clever cures. Maybe some will share their stories.

So, yeah, take that CC class and learn all you can. But beware the consequences. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

- Paul <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />