Make:

Funnay!!

If you're serious about learning to weld WELL, invest in a true MIG welder, one with a gas feed. (tack on an extra $200 or so) Trust me, I've owned a flux-core-only welder, but have since sold it... its just a tiny bit easier than stick welding, and truly, is best left to farmers making emergency repairs to their tractor out in the back 40... and if you're that hardcore, you'll probably prefer a stick welder anyway. For actually "making" stuff, and making it right (and looking nice) the first time, you're way better off with an actual MIG.

Flux-core wire-feed: Great when you've got nothing else... leaves lots of slag and splatter that you have to grind off, makes smokey nasty fumes that make you see funny.

Stick: You can stick weld under all sorts of diffficult situations, and if you have big enough of a welder, you can weld some pretty thick steel. Also leaves lots of slag and splatter that you have to grind off, makes smokey nasty fumes that make you see funny. Hard to learn how to do it right!

MIG: (solid wire with Argon/CO2 sheilding gas) Easiest to make nice-looking, high quality welds, with no slag, and its pretty easy on your sense of smell. Downside is the equipment is more expensive... but still the best choice for the "serious" DIY-er.

Gas (oxy-acetylene) welding... You can make beautiful welds, and weld (ok, braze and solder) different metals, (but not aluminium) but it takes lots of skill or you'll just burn ugly holes in stuff. Moderately expensive for a set of torches and tanks... ~$500. I use mine mainly as a cutting torch!

TIG welding... awesome, you can weld steel, AND aluminium! (just not together, nor at the same time) Merges the best of MIG welding and torch welding. But, the equipment is extremely expensive, and there is quite a bit of a learning curve, too.

I've used this flux/MIG welder from HarborFreight for a few years no. Low duty-cycle so you can't weld continuously for long periods, but it starts at $189 and they have coupons available a lot of times. You get what you pay for, but it's a good starter product.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=55247

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