"treebeard" wrote in message
news
I've read a book (Richard Finch's)...

Until you get better answers from some experts, a couple of comments:

You're smart to think safety first. Keep thinking that way as you learn.

Brazing would be more than adequate, although I'm not recommending it (nor
anything else -- recommending specific things is for the experts). Brass
("bronze") brazing rod will make a nice, strong fillet. I have made a
campfire grill and a charcoal grill from 1/8" mild steel rod and brass
brazing, using a MAPP torch for heat. It was slow, too slow for 1,000
joints, for most people, and it heated so much of the wire that both grills
wound up being a little noodle-like. g However, the joints are strong as
hell. I'm still using one of them after 20 years.

If you're cheap (something I can identify with) and if the appearance of the
joints isn't important, consider stick. The first welding I ever did was
stick-welding of this type. It will stick things together, and, physically,
that's all you need. If you graduate to welding airframes, move away from
stick.

If you're going to be doing 500 joints at a sitting, consider MIG. But I
can't see why you'd need the gas. I'd first try flux-core. It's better in
the wind, anyway. Then get some good brushes for clean-up.

Have fun. If you enjoy it, it's a very liberating way to do metalwork.

--
Ed Huntress