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!

[rjames]

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.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) While not necessary, I took a 3 day class through one of the local schools, and while we weren't doing sheet metal I got to learn the basics quickly, and how to know when I'm welding correctly.
After taking the class I practiced on scrap sheet metal for about a month and then proceeded to make my repairs. Lots of resources on how to weld properly on the net too.

Keep an eye on your local craigs list too, I was able to pick up a Lincoln 120volt MIG w/a full size tank for $450 bucks.
It's worked fine for everything I've had to do on the car (floor pan, longs, sway bar install, trunk repair).

Get a welder!