DearthVader,
The welder you used was commonly referred to as a 'stick welder'. The electrode you put into the holder is the 'stick', which was the filler material.
This type would work perfectly well for your stove building, but might be a beast on your thin body panels...plus, it has a much harder learning curve than the "MIG" welder.
This is a subject fraught with many opinions...here is mine. Take a trip to your local big box or local welding shop and look at small MIG welders that are 'gas ready' and have the capacity to weld at 1/4 to 3/8 inch material.
MIG is the welding process with the 'gun' that shoots out the wire when you pull the trigger. The setup you would want would have a small bottle of shielding gas that rides on the back of the welder and floods the weld zone during welding. Try to steer clear of the FCAW process, which, on the small welders means flux core wire with no gas....these are more inexpensive because they don't have the hardware associated with the shielding gas.
I'm not real familiar with the units being sold now, but your stove building endeavour might put you into a 220 volt machine. Check to make sure what power you have available where you intend to put the welder.
If you Google this subject, you will find lots of information that will educate you before purchasing one. If you have a local welding supply near you, they can give you some direction, plus you get to see what a MIG welder looks like up close. Good luck!
Stuart
