A quote from the "Welder's Handbook." ............Everything in this book can be welded with a 220-AC Stick. Dont worry about how pretty it looks. Thats what a grinder and paint are for. This isn't monster garage. When you wrap your first set of homemade rocksliders around your rear axle with the e-brake wire hanging out your tailpipe, as I did, (Cadillac hill) you really wont care about your pretty little weld beads....

My vote after the stick welder is the auto darken helmet. It really helps to be able to see what you are burning.

Edit: Obviously, I am no profesional. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />