I received my new welding machine today (Hobart LX AC/DC stick). One of the common negatives in all the reviews is that the leads are too short, only 10 feet. I noticed that they are #4 and this machine outputs 160 amperes DC and 225 amperes AC. When I replace the leads, probably with a 15-20 foot work lead and a 20 foot stinger, should I upsize to #2? I already have some #4 for my riding lawnmower project and I might have as much as 15 feet more than I need which, if I stick with #4 would mean less that I would have to buy. Second question, the plug is different, a NEMA 6-50 P whereas my receptacle is a NEMA 10-50 R. The cord is only 6 feet long. Should I make up a longer input cord (my old welder has about a 15-20 foot cord) with a 10-50 plug or should I change my receptacle? The manual says I can use up to 87 feet of #12 for the input although I think I would use #10. Right now I also use the 10-50 receptacle to power a 5.6 kW electric space heater via an extension cord with mismatched plug/receptacle. Third question. Should I attempt to sell my old (about 50 years) Sears machine on Craig's List? I saw an almost identical machine there the other day for $100. I say almost because the picture looked brand new and mine is really dirty and rusty. It does work, however. I think I would be ashamed to ask anymore than $50. Fourth question. On the old Sears machine I had added an input contactor (40 ampere as I recall, may have been 50 ampere) and a foot switch. I have become very comfortable in using that foot switch to shut off the transformer when the rod sticks tight or just to remove power from the stinger when not actively welding. Should I transfer the contactor and foot switch to the new machine or install a new contactor and foot switch? Last question. If I don't try to sell it or am not successful, should I hold on to it for a few months and try again or should I cannibalize it for the scrap value? I think it has copper windings on the transformer.

Hi All, Not quite sure where to post this, but it is sort of metalworking. Please let me know if there is a more appropriate part of the forum. I have a 25' length of 1 1/2" steel pipe that was originally set up as an antenna tower when I bought my house. I took it down years ago, and in the process cut it into 16' and 9' pieces. Well, I've recently decided to cut the cable cord and would like to put it up again. My idea was to just get a length of pipe that would fit fairly snugly inside the halves and then put a couple bolts through each half and the inner pipe to hold it all together. I tried 1" pipe and it seems a bit too loose. I haven't tried a piece of 1 1/4" pipe yet, but the size charts I've found on the internet make me think it's going to be a little too big to fit inside. Of course, I'm trying to do this on the cheap. I thought of threading the ends and using a threaded coupling, but I don't have the tools and I can't imagine the tools to thread a 1 1/2" pipe are cheap. Also, I don't have a way to transport the pipe. Thanks very much, any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!