Back in my welding class at the community college, the instructor made us run beads on different sized copper backing bars. The big takeaway was how much the strip width changes the weld pool shape itself, not just the heat. A narrower strip forces the arc into a tighter, deeper channel, so you get better penetration without cranking the amps. It's like the difference between a wide puddle that just sits there and a focused one that digs in.

My woodworking magazine swears by story sticks for odd angles.

Remember that extra laptop battery? Mine's basically a paperweight now.