OK, I'll admit it ... I'm not much of a welder. My only experience is with an ancient "stick" welder and that was years ago. Always wanted to learn how to use a MIG and do my own work instead of hiring out. For this price I think its time I took the plunge and jumped in. Thanks for the heads-up Rob!
P.S. Rob, do you think I can drop by and get a little one-on-one instruction and practice??
Tom, I can help you if needed.
You'll love it. Mig welding is so easy and youtube is full of videos showing how a good bead should look and sound. You have to get a bottle of argon/CO2 to complete the package. I get my tanks through Cee-Kay and exchange them when empty. Use to be $15 to fill. I think it is $85 now.
You can buy a small full tank at Harbor Freight to get you started.
Gasless, Flux core welding is for "better than nothing" welding, if you are out in a field with high winds.
Learned how to Gas weld with torches during a 5th grade summer school shop class when I made a metal lamp. I think that was 71-72. My mom would sign us up for summer school to keep us busy 1/2 of the summer and let us pick the classes. I chose electronics for one and wood and metal working for the second. What great choices for a kid! I took welding in high school shop class. I was given a stick welder that I started welding with years later, then later got a mig to do all of the sheet metal on my race car in '89. Always wanted a tig, which is just like gas welding, but the good units are still sky high.
Funny how when a weldor sees scrap metal laying around, we don't see scrap. We always see things that I can make with it.
You'll see what I mean once you get started.