Welding Woes, to buy and learn / to hire a pro Options

[stateofidleness]

So im almost to the point where welding will be happening on the ol' floorpans

Im wondering whether it is worth the investment to buy a welder and all the accessories needed for the job (could be pricey i presume) or whether it's best just to hire a shop to weld up the holes in my floorpan?

if i DO buy a welder (which i think could be fun and a neat thing to learn), what am i looking for? i have a few small pencil diameter holes to patch and a couple baseball size holes to replace in the corners...

what type of welder should i look for?
what type of welding is best?
what type of metal to use?
where can i buy a cheap welder and acc. needed? (as cheap as possible! i dont mind used)
best to hire a pro?

this would be my first time welding so id probably practice on other things first, but im willing to learn and do it right. ive also got an engman kit on the way, so it would be nice to be able to weld that in myself!

Thanks for the help!

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

Take a class in welding first. I learned first in high school but later took a community college class as a refresher. It takes practice and using your 914 isn't a good idea for that. You need instruction so you'll know the MIG welding sound and see the correct welding bead.

I have a Sears Craftsman 120v, 20amp welder with gas and an aluminum conversion kit. It can use flux core wire. I only weld with gas (though I have experience with flux wire). I originally bought my welder for car projects but I've used it to build small projects at home and when others found out I could weld I also did other small repairs for friends - fix the legs on a metal table, fix a 75 year old shovel, fix a support strut on a plow, fix the ripped metal on our gazebo when the wind knocked it over, etc.

It is a great skill but see if you can do it first. If you're mechanically inclinded, been working on automobiles, etc, then you'll likely pick up on it quickly. Get instruction from whomever you can and practice before you buy.