Let's take a moment to discuss tools starting with the welder. I started with one of the Chinese import units from Parker Metalworking Products. BUYER BEWARE. To date it has less than 50 hours on it and has broken down twice. The great customer service that the owner Phil Parker Sr. tries to sell to his customers just isn't there nor is the quality that he claims. When I sent the unit in for the 2nd repair, he had the machine 2 days and didn't know it when I called to see how it was coming along. Eight days later the welder still hadn't been repaired, no answer to my email and no phone call. In short, my experience with Parker Metalworking was as bad as it gets. When you buy American you get treated like your business is important and the quality is far superior to that of the Chinese junk flooding the American market today. Given that I went with Miller. The new diversion that is on the market is very easy to use and will hold up to the job. This statement is my opinion based on my personnel experience with Phil Sr. and Parker Metalworking Products.
You will find it very helpful to have some 2 inch spring clamps. These are available from several sources.
Get yourself a right angle die grinder and some quick change surface conditioning disk. The sanding disk in a medium grit and the scotchbrite disk in medium also. We have all gotten a bump or a sharp point in the weld bead from time to time and these will smooth the bead without grinding it as a grinding wheel is too aggressive. The fabric won't take kindly to the bump and your friends will see the bumps through the fabric as well. So get rid of them.
