Hey all, just wanted to add my 2 cents here.
First of all, the only welding I do now is TIG welding, and I am by no means a “professional”.
If I were welding any amounts of body panels, I would buy a MIG tomorrow.
I would never buy a stick welder.
Stick welding does have some very useful applications, but I’m pretty sure any TIG can be set up to stick weld with much more control than any ‘stand alone’ stick welder.
If I were just starting out and just wanted to do “general” welding repairs, I would buy a MIG welder. MIG welding is the “easiest” to learn and a person with some mechanical ability can run a half decent weld with a little bit or practice.
From what I have heard, the “flux-core” welding wire for a MIG isn’t very good. If you want to mess around a little bit or make simple repairs, it might be fine, otherwise, you really need a tank or argon, which is fairly expensive.
Keep in mind, you need a tank of argon for TIG welding also, but you do not need it for stick welding.
If you want to do complicated repairs, I strongly suggest taking a welding class, it will save you time and money.
As I said previously, all I do now is TIG welding. The rule of thumb I use for metal is 1 amp for every thousandth of an inch of material (0.001”). In other words, I would use 125 amps for 1/8” metal (0.125”), 250 amps for ¼” (0.250”).
Keep this in mind because if you want to weld ¼” metal or thicker, you will need a good bit of power.
About a dozen years ago at IMTS, I found this unique welding helmet at a small booth:
www.accustrike.com
I absolutely LOVE this helmet, but would NEVER recommend it to a beginner.
Well, I hope this helps and someone finds it useful.
