"GregL" wrote: In several of the welding books I have it says you need to
insulate your work from the steel plate (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
If you are using a heavy plate, and clamping the job to it for
alignment/support, this can be true. On the other hand, if you can put a
couple of spacers behind the work, so it is not in firm thermal contact with
the plate, the problem is very slight to nil. If your work is resting on
fire bricks, you are not clamping it down, anyway.

Another solution I sometimes use, where clamping is necessary, is to use TWO
plates with a gap between them, and position the weld over the gap. Each
project has its own solution, and you have to be willing to try different
things.