>>2948962
Ok got new machine, still feels a bit underpowered but I'm definitely getting somewhere. Still can't get a feel for what settings really do but at least they're in the ballpark of making sense now. Unfortunately I can only weld outdoors and the weather is getting nastier every day, so I could barely find any time to play with it.

>>2949370
Manual for my new machine says 5mm stickout pushing against a piece of wood should slip, 5cm should bend (it does). It also makes even tighter coils no problemo, except by that point the shitty plastic feed mechanism bogs down to like half the speed.
Also the gun often kicks and throws burned off pieces of wire when starting the weld. The old machine never did that.

>post pic of machine
It's one of those "local" chink brands. I doubt you'll find it anywhere else.