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Neat

Wow, so close to home. Howdy neighbor.

He didn't say that to you... he said it to a different poster.

that, and having sheets layered together like that is just asking for rust

Sounds like a new project

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The annoying part is setting up a work space with ventilation, screens, no flammable materials, etc.

It's quite a bit more involved than, say, drilling a hole or using a hot glue gun.

But yeah, if you have the suitable garage space, it's not rocket science!

I originally picked up a welder for the home shop for this reason. Sometimes you need a space to be filled in the exact way it needs to be filled.

It belongs in a museum!!!

That cheap? I know how to weld, took a class in high school, but didn’t realize the equipment was so cheap

Thanks, now the rest of my night is going to be filled rewatching CGP Grey videos.

Mig?

I’m over in Renton and… it never even occurred to me that we’d get termites in our wood. I feel it’s just as likely to happen as getting termites in your house, which we’ve never had.

Cool! I'm thinking about getting started, and I wonder where you get the raw material?

All the answers you got so far are correct but another reason is that welds are strong, a proper weld is stronger than the material around it. Most stuff doesn’t need all seems welded.

I like yours better

Professional metalworker here: 1000% this! A stick welder is the simplest thing. No movíng parts, low barrier to entry.

A hobbyist should keep the following rod on hand: 6011: Deeply penetrating, high tolerance for rust/paint/etc. 6013: Great for sheet metal! Anything 14ga and under. 7014: Nice bead appearance, simple to use "drag rod", better shelf life and easier arc starts than 7018.

Looks great! I did a compost tumbler this same style and I kinda want a rack like this now.

What gauge is it? Looks to be like 14 or 16? Bet it will last ya a lifetime. Good work!

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At first I thought the kid was OP and was about to be extra impressed

They are the bees’ knees.

I think I'm going to buy one

> annoying to set up and do casually

I disagree. I was gifted a very compact stick welder this spring. I think it cost maybe $80 on Amazon and it plugs into a 110V outlet. Welding rods are cheap as hell, and using 6013s doesn't require much metal prep. It's been indescribably handy and takes less than a minute to set up.

I wouldn't be so quick to discourage someone from trying it. Stick welding is the best way to learn and extremely simple.

nice job!