best beginners welder

Here's my 2 cents. I started out with a lincoln 135, it was great for sheet metal and I did weld some heavier stuff with it like bumpers. It works alright, you just have to be much more patient with it than you do with larger welders. I would recommend getting a bigger gas bottle up front, when I had the 135 I had the same bottle that Boyink does. It does get empty fast. When I got my newer welder (Miller 210) I got a bigger tank, and it ended up costing almost the same amount to fill it as it did the little one, and I save a lot of trips to refill it.

The 110v should be fine to start out with, and then if you outgrow it, they sell pretty easily. I got most of my money back from my first welder when I sold it. Any of the name brands like Lincoln, miller, or hobart are all good.

Oh, and getting an auto-darkening helmet makes a world of difference. I payed like $150 for mine a long time ago, but they seem to be cheaper now. I think harbor freight has one for around $50 that works good.

 

Definitely a world of difference, especially when you're trying to hold something just in the right spot.

 

Thanks guys for all your responses! I bought a Hobart mig 140 welder off of ebay today for a really good deal. Hopefully it will work great for my body welding that needs to be done.

Landon Bell