But - I didn't know what other quality might be responsible for retinal
damage - color, frequency, brightness or penetration of the shield.

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'Red Eye' -- various complaints of sore eyes -- is a common hazard in any
welding environment. You may not even be aware of it butarc light can enter
your eye at an angle and do plenty of damage to your retina at sites other than
the point of focus. SOP is to block the light at the source -- drape every
welding station with UV barriers -- or keep the people out of the area.

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As for the original thread, I've found vee-blocks, step-drills and a couple of
throw-away angle-head grinders to be handier than any of the tools mentioned,
other than basic hacksaw & files. Being able to maintain the axis of your
notches is more important than a perfect fit.

Real-world practice projects are tables & benches of every size, gate & door
frames, car-top carriers, racks for pipe, lumber and tubing, booms and cranes
for shop lights and electrical extensions, and so on.

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Gas -- oxy-acetylene -- is the best teacher, probably because you can SEE when
you have the chemistry of the flame correct. Beyond that, it's all about the
puddle. Gas is slow, which is good for the novice. You can transfer a
majority of your gas-derived skills to other welding methods, each of which is
valid for airframe fabrication when properly applied.

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A point most novice builders fail to appreciate is that the actual amount of
time spent welding is insignificant in relation to the overall project. It
looms large simply because you don't know how to do it or lack confidence in
your skills. The key to success is the same as for any other manual art, be it
typing or car-quals -- you have to practice. The basic principles can be
mastered in about thirty minutes. You'll then need about twenty hours of
practice to produce welds deemed 'safe for flight' (which doesn't mean they'll
be pretty :-)

-R.S.Hoover