welder recommendation, for a beginner Options

[JmuRiz]

I would like to hear some suggestions for a beginner's welder. Preferably one that runs on 110...but if 220 is that much better it's not that big a deal. I am looking for something that is inexpensive and easy to learn with. Any help would be great, thanks!

[lapuwali]

I'll agree on the compressor v. welder thing. Get a compressor first. Air tools are cheaper than electric power tools, so you can have a wider variety w/o spending any more money. You'll never had to depend on a gas station pump to air up your tires again.

As for the welder, remember that most inexpensive wire-feed welders aren't really "MIG" even though they may use that term. MIG requires a shielding gas (argon, usually) to be MIG (Metal Inert Gas). You can weld mild steel w/o gas, but not much else. No stainless, no aluminum. Think about what you plan to use the welder for. If you're going to do structural bodywork (suspension console, longs, etc), then a wire-feed welder is adequate. If you're doing finish bodywork (fenders, other things that will be seen), one disadvantage with MIG is that the welds are very hard (usually much harder than the surrounding metal), which makes grinding them flush a lot more difficult. MIG is pretty easy to learn.

TIG is very expensive (5x what MIG costs), but with training you can weld anything with it. TIG will produce the best looking welds with the least practice.

Gas welding gear is cheap, but it's far and away the hardest to learn to do well.