I've been learning about welding for two years now. Other than a couple hours in FFA class in 9th grade, I had no experience whatsoever. I always wondered what I would ever need a welder for? What got me interested enough to finally look into a small inexpensive welder was my ever worsening arthritis. I needed to make some larger thumb screws for some of the adjustments on the old printing press and plate mounter I run at work. I started out with an 80 amp ac only stick welder and after lots of practice I was able to tack up some of the required screws out of bolts & washers. I found this little welder worked pretty good but required too much practice to stay good enough to do acceptable work especially on the small and thin stuff. And it seemed that most of what I wanted to do was small and thin stuff!
This is getting long, so to the point: I now have a MillerMatic 140 and can't believe how much I have used it in the short time I have been back into it!
I made a list the other day of everything I have welded that I can remember:
RV battery tray, Lawn mower axel height adjusters, thumb screws, exercise bicycle reading bracket, drill press table, welding table work holder post, magnetic dove decoy brackets, knick knack animals (cats, dogs, donkeys, fish), stock box, dog kennel repair, repaired lawn mower pull deck, repaired boat trailer guide on roller bracket, sculpture of "Gary" the sponge bob snail character, horseshoe nail & nut “dancers”, Repaired old cracked lawnmower deck, extended Phillips screwdriver (16”) to get at an “impossible” fastener, back scratcher, 12 volt fence battery carry strap (1/8” wire), air conditioner dolly, 1/8” rod “bookends” to metal shelves, spintight pegboard racks , reinforced stock cart, repaired old drafting stool, several hangers and hooks to metal shelving units, horse shoe & concrete nail crosses, etc.
I'm amazed at how useful this tool is and how lost I'd be without it!