[TheForge] Welding, soldering and anvil questions

[Saint Phlip]

Well, guys, my local flea market came through for me ;-) I picked up
an almost brand-new Lincoln AC-225 welder for $150 last week, but
there's a bit of a problem- I haven't a clue about stick welding. As
it happens, I picked it up because I'm tired of all the offers I've
had to teach me to weld, that have never come through, so I got it so
I can teach MYSELF to weld. However, not being totally nuts, I thought
I'd ask you guys if you've come across a website that can teach me
what I need to know to get started without electrocuting myself or
burning the barn down, or making pretty but useless welds, or burning
my material to a crisp. It would also be nice if it could tell me what
sort of rod I need for various projects.

Second, I picked up a butane soldering iron for $2, and I'm wondering
if anyone can tell me how soldering with a solid tip is different from
soldering with oxy-acet, that being the only equipment I've ever used
for soldering up until now. I picked up the iron, figuring it would be
a small but useful item for our events, which tend to be held in the
middle of hayfields, and having electricity available is usually not
an option, and throwing a small bit of something into my forge to heat
up would likely be rather counter-productive.

And, third, the guy I got the Lincoln from has recently acquired what
he describes as a matched set of anvils (small, medium, and large).
>From his description, I'd guess one is in the 70 lb range, one in the
150 lb range, and one in the 200+ range, but I won't know until I see
them this weekend. With them, he says there's a turntable, and he
seems to think that what he has is a matched set. Anyone have any idea
of what he might be talking about? He thinks they're maybe 50 to 100
years old- he got them from his uncle's estate, and knows very little
about smithing or metalwork. I'll look them over, and see if I can
figure out what he has, but, as I'd never heard of anvils and
turntables coming in matched sets, particularly that old, I thought
I'd ask you guys if you might have a glimmer of a clue.

Thanks,

-- 
Saint Phlip

Heat it up
Hit it hard
Repent as necessary.

Priorities:

It's the smith who makes the tools, not the tools which make the smith.

.I never wanted to see anybody die, but there are a few obituary
notices I have read with pleasure. -Clarence Darrow