As a beginner, I am offering this observation to other beginners. I have discovered an unexpected advantage to my new mig welder. When you are attaching a piece that is hard to hold in the correct position with clamps, it is so EASY to just hold it in one hand while tacking it. The wire feed, together with an auto-darkening helmet, makes it simple to put a tiny tack weld just where you want it, and eliminates all the tedious and infuriating clamping effort. I was never able to do this very well with a stick.
-- Leo Lichtman snipped-for-privacy@worldnet.att.net