Don't get me wrong here, I help out my friends all the time, but they offer to pay for the usages. Add it up, if I had to pay for the welding wire, gas, power, etc, then my hobby would suffer. I can't afford my own hooby let alone others. I have had way too many ex-friends take advantage of me this way. If this individual is such a great guy I'm sure he will find someone to help him. Maybe the post should have been directed at his friends or maybe he should have just asked his friend for some help, I think he would have received a better responce.
just my thoughts.