Quote Originally Posted by randyr
Ok. Perhaps I'll suck it up and spring for the high-dollar kit....LOL!

So, on another note....do you weld? mig or tig? I'm looking for a decent used small welder so I can do much of this work myself. I don't think welding can be that hard with a little practice and the convenience of be able to weld when I need it would be worth a lot. I've read that tig is more difficult but there isn't as much slag and the joints are less brittle than mig. In either case, it has to be a small unit that runs on 110. No 220 is available to me.

Hopefully, we'll get a blast of warm weather while you're here.....but then I guess anything would seem warm to you about now, huh?
I have a 110V Lincoln MIG with gas which does a very nice job. I have somewhere in the realm of $450 in it as far as price which includes a 40 cu ft bottle. For a comparable TIG, would probably be $1000 - $1400 which was my decision maker. If you use gas, there is no or very little slag or splatter with MIG. Without gas - don't bother - it is sloppy farmyard welding. It is very easy to weld with MIG though I did take a 3 night class to sharpen up on long wilted skills - I was a certified navy quality level stick welder way back. Stick with a good brand though - Lincoln, Hobart, Miller, ESAB or similar US made - no Harbor Freight crap - you'll never find parts if you need them.

Anything will be warmer we had +6, but Saranac Lake was -15 !!!!