Re: welding rods....UPDATE
Hey Bondo, yes, I'd heard a similar thing that lack of DC can be limiting (but that's the sum total of all I know about that subject at this point)

For $100 I figure I can't lose.
Speaking of gas torches... my Dad has a lead on an complete oxy-acetylene setup that might be free for his taking. He asked me about it the other day, my limited impressions are, 1) it could come in handy and 2) I once saw a lad a muffler shop give himself a very nasty burn while cutting clamps of my exhaust sytem. That gave me respect for how hot those things really are.
Also Paul, your comment on INE wire got me thinking.... I had been having some feed problems with my mine, that at first I thought might be the wire, so I switched (to INE)... turned out to be a dirty/worn drive wheel.... But now that I've firgured that out and fixed it, I should load back on a spool of Lincoln wire and see if it does better.
Do you have Princess Auto stores in NS? That's our local source for cheap stuff (including INE wire). Kind of like a farm supply outfit.
Brent