I'm finally getting ready to build the frame. Pretty exciting. I've completely stripped the donor and the chassis left the premises last week on a flatbed trailer. I've now got room in the garage for a build table. I just have to figure out a way to get a couple sheets of 4x8 MDF home from the hardware store.
In preparation for frame construction I set up my new Miller 140 and practiced with it for several hours on Friday, and again earlier today. I wasn't nearly as good with it as I thought I'd be. My welding experience is limited to a class I took at my local CC about two years ago, but back then I got to where I could make a pretty nice bead in 16GA steel with an oxy-acetylene torch. With the MIG welder I couldn't even get close to that.
I think the main difference is back then we used dark goggles and I could see the puddle, the torch, the work piece, and everything else. With the auto-darkening helmet I could see the spark, and that's about it. After experimenting with lots of different angles and work piece positions, I eventually got to where I could see the puddle pretty well, and the work about half the time. So half my welds look okay, but the other half wander off the mark.
The good news is I can stick two pieces of 1" square tubing together pretty well with 4 tack welds. I think I'm fairly well-qualified at this point to tack the frame together. I'm not sure I'll be ready to fully weld the frame after that. I'll keep practicing and watching YouTube videos, but at this point I would gratefully accept any and all hints, tips, tricks, and offers to come over and weld my frame.