OK, I'm thinking of making a metal CD rack (a quite large one!) With the end-tables I made, I first tried using angle stock for the horizontal parts (to have a lip to put the ceramic tile on), and round rods for the legs. Needless to say, for a newbie with a self-shielding wire feed welder, that first prototype didn't look too good...<g>.

I'd really like to use round rods for the legs of the CD rack (probably around 1/4" or so diameter). Since I will hopefully have a TIG welder by then, I think this just might be do-able. I've been noticing metal things that we've bought (like the metal patio table and chairs, even a metal basket-type dish drainer rack, I'm obsessed aren't I?). For something with small diameter rods (or wire?) like a dish drainer rack or say, the actual grill surface on a BBQ grill, where it's entirely made of perpendicular steel or stainless rods, how are these things welded? I'm sure they're mass produced by a machine, but what type of machine? An automated TIG welder, resistance welder, or plasma arc welder?

And, how can I best emulate this with hand-made items? TIG for medium thickness stuff? An automotive-type resistance (or "spot") welder for really thin stuff? Thoughts or suggestions?

Dave