Ok, I've been wrenching and racing for years, never learned to weld. Got a Campbell Hausfield in a trade a few years ago, turned out it wasn't that I couldn't weld, it was torn up & garbage. A buddy that owes me some money got a Hobart through some trading and gave it to me. Another friend came in, set it up and got me started. Spent the money for a new helmet that wasn't crap, got a tank of gas & started playing. My house & shop are built on the location of an amusement park that closed 45 years ago, and I've dug a bunch of scrap steel out of the woods where they just bulldozed some of the stuff over. Played with making beads, welding stripped out bolts to other things, etc., until I can at least get a bead that will hold. May not always look pretty, but it holds, which is ok until I get more practice. A year or two ago I picked up a 15 passenger van for a buddy, and pulled out the seats to load up some car parts for him. I have a two person bench seat sitting in the corner of the shop, so yesterday I got a wild hair, found some angle iron, bought a few caster wheels, and welded up a new seat for the shop! Even put a little bit of a recline on it so that it was more comfortable. Just felt good about it and wanted to share, even if it is silly.
Not silly at all. I did the same thing. I Have a C-H flux core and I could stick stuff together but it always looked like crap. Few years ago I spent a couple hundred dollars on a night welding class at the vo-tech and found out I was not the problem.
Sometimes it really is the little things, being able to get two pieces of metal to stick together is loads of fun.
I've been wrenching and racing for years, never learned to weld. my B'date 9/19.
You and I seem quite similar. I've been wanting to get to welding and have been looking for a good used machine. Good luck on your project(s).
Thanks everybody! I've always been jealous of other people's ability to weld and make really cool stuff. I may not get to the cool stuff anytime soon, but at least I can make stuff strong enough to keep me from falling on the floor! I'll take that for now 
JBinMD
New Reader
1/15/21 10:25 p.m.
Well done. Nothing silly about that. At least not unless someone sits on the end and it flips over. 
In reply to JBinMD :
I was thinking exact same thing!
Not the least bit silly. I've been attempting to learn for most of my life, off and on, and can bairly stick two pieces together. I CAN tack stuff, and then take it to a friend to weld it uo right.
I would be a bit worried about how narrow the base is... but as long as its stable, what it might look like is less important.
Hadn't thought about sitting on the sides, it's a kid two seater IMO, one grownup with elbow room in reality lol. That was one of the reasons I went out with the casters, to try to help stabilize it with a wider/longer base.
Looks great. In my opinion, this is the Way to learn to weld. Find a project, build it. +1mil for not being potentially life threatening if it fails.
Announcer: Now coming off the bench and getting into the game, HoserRacing!
good on you for getting in the game.
Good for you!
Everyone has to start somewhere!
Fun to make stuff when you first start welding!
I'd move the legs before someone gets hurt. The combination of narrow spacing and wheels makes it likely that someone might crack their tailbone on concrete.
This is going to sound weird, but nice job, Hoser. (hey, he picked the username)
I'm kinda a self-taught welder. Read some here, advice from dad there, people laughing at my ugly beads and telling me how to do it right...
Great use of the seat.
Your property sounds very interesting! Any unexplored areas? Any crazy discoveries?
