There is no glass ceiling to welding; just a lot practice. However, a few thoughts.
Unless your wiring is an issue, stay away from a 110 Volt welder. They can do the trick and you can get good welds and decent looking welds but they can be the stuff of legends; mostly bad.
Okay. 220. Choice is Flux Core or MIG/Gas. Not going to extol the virtues of this mfgr vs that one. I have both Lincoln and Miller in my shop. The Lincoln is set up for Flux Core, although it does have the capacity to run gas; the Miller is set up for gas.
Biggest difference. Flux core works great outside in the elements if you have to do welding out on a driveway or a lot of fencing. i have run my Lincoln out in the back yard pre garage while it was raining and got the job done. Not fun but hey, if I couldn't take a joke, you couldn't pay me to work on cars as a hobby. Flux core does not offer as clean a product as gas. You will have to chip the passes more and there will be more spatter. You will also find that working with body metal will be problematic. You need to be able to get down to 18 ga and thinner on the dial to work with panels and skins and for that capability you get to pay mucho dinero
MIG. The upfront or buy in cost can be higher, again depending on what you want. The gas is a cost plus item. Talk to your supplier or dealer about what to use and how big a tank to buy or rent. Advantage both ways. My own adventures with body panels and skins are recounted elsewhere. For sheet metal or panel work. GAS.
Problem/issue. Gas is strictly an inside use item. Taking a gas rig outside is just a waste of gas as the slightest puff of wind or air will dissipate the gas lens and leave you with solid wire and a miserable weld.
Summarily, each unit is set up for a specific purpose.
As for the practice, I found, by comparison, that the MIG was easier to pick up on and use. Flux core took a lot more initial practice. If you have a community college near by and they offer courses, take a welders basic course. They pay for the gas!!
The other point about the gas unit is that it is TIG capable and only needs the kit to go that route.
Oh, yeah, watch for where it was made. Hecho en Los Estados Unidos costs more but the service help is easier to come by and so are parts or upgrades or accessories. Harbor Freight can be a great place to find a bargain but a lot of those bargains don't have a made in aAmerica sticker on them. Caveat Emptor.
Unless your wiring is an issue, stay away from a 110 Volt welder. They can do the trick and you can get good welds and decent looking welds but they can be the stuff of legends; mostly bad.
Okay. 220. Choice is Flux Core or MIG/Gas. Not going to extol the virtues of this mfgr vs that one. I have both Lincoln and Miller in my shop. The Lincoln is set up for Flux Core, although it does have the capacity to run gas; the Miller is set up for gas.
Biggest difference. Flux core works great outside in the elements if you have to do welding out on a driveway or a lot of fencing. i have run my Lincoln out in the back yard pre garage while it was raining and got the job done. Not fun but hey, if I couldn't take a joke, you couldn't pay me to work on cars as a hobby. Flux core does not offer as clean a product as gas. You will have to chip the passes more and there will be more spatter. You will also find that working with body metal will be problematic. You need to be able to get down to 18 ga and thinner on the dial to work with panels and skins and for that capability you get to pay mucho dinero
MIG. The upfront or buy in cost can be higher, again depending on what you want. The gas is a cost plus item. Talk to your supplier or dealer about what to use and how big a tank to buy or rent. Advantage both ways. My own adventures with body panels and skins are recounted elsewhere. For sheet metal or panel work. GAS.
Problem/issue. Gas is strictly an inside use item. Taking a gas rig outside is just a waste of gas as the slightest puff of wind or air will dissipate the gas lens and leave you with solid wire and a miserable weld.
Summarily, each unit is set up for a specific purpose.
As for the practice, I found, by comparison, that the MIG was easier to pick up on and use. Flux core took a lot more initial practice. If you have a community college near by and they offer courses, take a welders basic course. They pay for the gas!!
The other point about the gas unit is that it is TIG capable and only needs the kit to go that route.
Oh, yeah, watch for where it was made. Hecho en Los Estados Unidos costs more but the service help is easier to come by and so are parts or upgrades or accessories. Harbor Freight can be a great place to find a bargain but a lot of those bargains don't have a made in aAmerica sticker on them. Caveat Emptor.
