This is the most recent welding I've done, and that was several months ago. I made up some new clamps and legs, out of 3mm angle iron, for my Triangle oil-immersed welder. The angle iron has sides of 2.5cm x 2.5cm.
I think it's mostly down to skill, rather than any limitation relating to the equipment used. You can't get much more basic than the £60 unit (new price 2008) I used for these arc joints - the Wolf 75A inverter with 2mm rods from Aldi. I've still got a long way to go in terms of artistic merit for my butt joints but I'm confident they are fit for purpose and I don't think they'd have looked much different if I'd used a different type of welder, i.e. coupled with my present low level of ability.
I think it's mostly down to skill, rather than any limitation relating to the equipment used. You can't get much more basic than the £60 unit (new price 2008) I used for these arc joints - the Wolf 75A inverter with 2mm rods from Aldi. I've still got a long way to go in terms of artistic merit for my butt joints but I'm confident they are fit for purpose and I don't think they'd have looked much different if I'd used a different type of welder, i.e. coupled with my present low level of ability.